A Summer with the Women and Artisans of the Sanjiangyuan

Scattered across the vast grasslands of Sanjiangyuan, the workshops of Thathaly and Sayol bring together local women and artisans. Rooted in traditions of weaving, sewing, and handcraft, they seek a way for cultural heritage and community life to grow side by side.

For many women, this is the first stable work they have ever known. Without leaving their hometowns, they are able to live and work on the land they know best, remaining close to their families and communities.

Through the work of their own hands, more and more women are gaining economic independence and the freedom to shape their own lives. Beyond earning a livelihood, they are reclaiming a sense of agency while remaining deeply rooted in the places they call home.

Throughout the long winters of the plateau, hands move rhythmically through warp and weft. Wool, fabric, and time are slowly transformed into patterns, carrying within them the memories of snow mountains, rivers, and grasslands. Each piece is not only an object of craft, but also a story woven from the land, from everyday life, and from the people who call this place home.

Source | GLASS Magazine China 
Produced by | Long Zijia, Liu Ke
Photography | Chen Chuanduan
Creative Direction | Morain
Feature Editor & Text | Kaia