Textile Odyssey takes us to Guizhou, Guangxi and Yunnan, three southwest provinces that are home to more than half of China’s fifty-six ethnic groups. We’ll travel to remote, out-of-the-way places where, despite the modernization of China in its urban areas, many ethnic minority groups continue to make and wear their distinctive group outfits.These elaborately handcrafted garments reflect pride in both their clan identities and craftsmanship. In villages and small towns, we’ll see China’s rich cultural diversity in the ethnic dress worn by a variety of subgroups of Dong, Miao, Yao, Bouyei, Yi, Zhuang, Bai, etc. In the homes of local artisans, we’ll witness demonstrations of textile techniques passed on through generations of ancestors including indigo-dyeing, calendaring, pleating, batik, stitch-resist, supplementary weft weaving, embroidery, folded piecework, braiding, etc. Inspired by discoveries during numerous Textile Odysseys, we’ll visit our “tried and true” favorites and also explore “new” remote villages and markets where we meet clans who remain unknown to most of the world and learn firsthand about their history, beliefs, culture, and unique world-views.