From Cloth to Treasure:The Craft and Legacy of Nanxi Li’s Cloth Paste Art

南溪李氏布贴画作品。图据宜宾文旅公众号

　　
◎成都树德中学宁夏校区高三（11）班王渤

　　Among China’s rich and diverse intangible cultural heritages, there exists a unique art form that uses fabric as its canvas and scissors as its brushes—Nanxi Li’s Cloth Paste Art. Originating from ancient royal embroidery repair techniques, it gradually spread among the people and evolved into a distinctive and refined form of folk art.
　　The creation of Li’s Cloth Paste Art is a meticulous journey of artistic devotion. It begins with sketching and paper-cutting, followed by precise fabric trimming, edging, and finally assembling and pasting. Artisans carefully select materials such as velvet and fine silk, cutting them into countless delicate fragments. Using a unique“full-plane paste”technique, they piece these fragments together to form a harmonious whole. The process demands not only exquisite craftsmanship but also great patience and concentration.
　　What is truly remarkable is how artisans employ hundreds of fabrics in varying colors and textures to create delicate transitions of hue and subtle plays of light and shadow. From the nuanced expression on a face to the serene grandeur of a landscape, this unique fabric art breathes life into every scene with vivid texture and realism.
　　Today, as a recognized item of Sichuan Province’s intangible cultural heritage, the craft has entered a new stage of preservation and revival. Li Zhi, its inheritor, actively shares the art’s secrets with younger generations through school workshops. Meanwhile, efforts are underway to explore its potential in cultural tourism and modern home décor, enabling this“art at the fingertips”to shine once more in contemporary life.
译文
从布片到瑰宝：南溪李氏布贴画的工艺与传承
　　在中国丰富多彩的非物质文化遗产宝库中，有一门以布料为丹青、以剪刀为画笔的独特艺术——南溪李氏布贴画。这门技艺源远流长，其渊源可追溯至古代的“宫廷补绣”，其历经岁月流转，在民间沃土中生根发芽，最终绽放出独具特色的艺术之花。
　　南溪李氏布贴画的创作过程堪称匠心独运的艺术修行。从最初的描图、剪纸板，到精细的剪布料、包边，再到最后的组合粘贴，每一道工序都凝结着匠人的智慧与耐心。匠人们依据画稿，将精选的平绒、金丝绒等上乘面料，剪裁成数以千计的微小形状，通过独特的“全平面粘贴技法”，将这些碎片巧妙地组合成一幅完整的艺术画。这个过程不仅考验匠人的手上功夫，更是对心性的磨砺。
　　最令人叹为观止的是，匠人们通过娴熟地运用上百种不同颜色和质感的布料，营造出细腻的色彩过渡和丰富的光影变化。无论是人物面容的微妙表情，还是山水风景的深远意境，都能在这独特的布艺世界中得到生动再现。
　　如今，在被列为四川省省级非物质文化遗产代表性项目后，这项古老技艺的保护与传承进入了新的阶段。传承人李治先生积极走进校园，将布贴画的奥秘传授给年轻一代；同时，通过探索旅游市场开发与现代家装应用，让这门指尖艺术在现代生活中焕发新的生机。
　　（指导教师：成都树德中学宁夏校区 钟焜）