Tell stories

Homespun is seen as more than just a piece of fabric because people weave patterns that bear special meanings.

For example, brides weave the character jing, an abbreviation of the Chinese idiom jingjing youtiao, which means "life is in good order", on dowry pieces to signify their wishes for a happy marriage.

Plum blossom patterns, on the other hand, signify independence, while the double-happiness pattern of two xi (joy) characters is also widely used on homespun clothes for new couples.

Some patterns even tell stories. For example, one homespun in He's collection is from a Chongming native named Wang Meili, who wove her wedding date and husband's name, "Beijing, Oct 1, Wang Dachun", and double-happiness patterns onto a fabric.

"This homespun is akin to a short diary of Wang's love story," says He. "This is just one example of how Chongming women use textiles to tell their life stories."