摄影记者 袁培德

　　蓝印花布是我国传统民间工艺品中的瑰宝。最典型的设计就是带蓝色花朵的白色背景或带白色花朵的蓝色背景。早在1300多年前，民间就利用几种草的汁液和果肉加工印染布料。作为中国传统印染棉布，蓝印花布以设计纯朴、手工印花和染色工艺而闻名。如今，蓝印花布已被列入国家一级非物质文化遗产。

　　Blue calico is a gem of traditional folk craft in China. The most typical design is the white background with blue flowers or blue background with white flowers. The sap and pulp of several kinds of grass were been used for dyeing cloth as early as 1,300 years ago. As one of Chinese traditional printing and dying styles, blue calico is famous for simple design, handmade printing and dyeing process. Now blue calico has been listed as a state-level intangible cultural heritage in China.

摄影记者　袁培德

　　蓝印花布始于汉晋，发展于宋元，盛于明清。大部分图案精美且工艺精湛的上等蓝印花布都产自于长三角地区。乌镇是蓝印花布的原产地之一。数据显示清朝民间染坊暴增，当时在乌镇的街头巷尾也有数十家。大部分江南村民在旧时都爱用蓝印花布加工成各种日用品，如桌布、窗帘、床罩、靠垫、头巾、帽子、布包、钱包，吉祥物等。现在，乌镇还在继续生产蓝印花布。

　　Blue calico began in the Han and Jin Dynasties, developed in the Song and Yuan Dynasties, and flourished in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The finest blue calico, where the patterns and craftsmanship are of exceptional standards, mostly come from the Yangtze River Delta. Wuzhen is one of the origins of blue calico. The number showed a bulge in the folk dyeing workshop in the Qing Dynasty. There were dozens of dyeing workshops around on street corners in Wuzhen. Most of the households in rural areas of the Yangtze River Delta used blue calico to make the daily necessities in times past, like tablecloths, curtains, bedcovers, cushions, headscarves, hats, handmade bags, purses, mascots, and so on. Now Wuzhen are still producing blue calico.

摄影记者　成杰

　　生产制作蓝印花布的工序很长，主要有以下七道：图案设计、刻制花稿、涂刷花版、拷花、上染印料、铺刮整平、上竿挑晒。

　　Producing blue calico is a long process. There are seven major steps in producing blue calicos: pattern design, pattern engraving, stenciling, embossing, dyeing, leveling and drying.

摄影记者　成杰

　　民间源源不断产生多种印染技术，乌镇蓝印采用的是浆染。浆料由黄豆粉和石灰1:1构成。印染原料则取自植物染料蓝草和靛蓝草。用来制作蓝印花布的棉布经过轧棉籽、纺纱线、织棉布三道工序,而非采用普通的棉布。

　　Many techniques of dyeing and processing the blue cloth later emerged, Wuzhen adopted paste dyeing. The raw materials of the paste are soybean powder and lime on a fifty-fifty basis. The dyeing material is extracted from bluegrass and indigo grass. The cotton through three processes of ginning, spinning, and weaving, not ordinary cotton, is used for blue calico.

摄影记者　成杰

　　蓝印花布在现代生活中仍然扮演着重要的角色，不仅备受国内消费者的青睐，还使海外游客对古老的传统艺术大为惊叹。某种意义上，蓝印花布突显了人性化设计、科学创新和可持续发展之间的关系。

　　Blue calico is still plays a part in modern lives.  It has become more and more popular among people and tourists from home and abroad marvel at the ancient traditional art. In a sense, blue calico is visible in the relationship among the humanized design, scientific innovation and sustainability.