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Although a memorial hall for Huang Daopo, a legendary Shanghai woman who made a remarkable contribution to innovate weaving and spinning techniques in the 13th century, opened two months ago, not many seem to be aware of it.
"Huang Daopo is especially venerated by people in Southeast Asian countries," said Chen Jingyou, head of Xuhui District's relics and culture management office.
Huang is listed among China's great names but there is not much recorded material about the legendary woman.
According to known history, Huang was born in a poor family in what is today's suburban Songjiang District of Shanghai, and following an ancient tradition, she became a child bride for another local family when she was only 12 years old.
Unable to bear the maltreatment of the in-laws, she fled her hometown and hid in a boat anchored on the Huangpu River and was accidentally ferried to Hainan Island. On the island, she met people of the ethnic Li group, who were kind to her. She settled down there for some 30 years, learning from local weaving and spinning skills.
When Huang returned to her hometown later, she brought back the weaving techniques and spread them to her folks. As a result, Huang's techniques spread across the country.
Huang's memorial hall is beside her tomb at the intersection of Longwu and Outer-Ring roads in the city's southwestern area.
"Although there is an ancestral temple for Huang in the Shanghai Botanical Garden, the new hall has a richer variety of exhibits," Wu Renhong, its curator, said yesterday.
With a statue of Huang in the center of the courtyard, the house is a typical Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) architectural structure. There are more than 300 exhibits showcased in the hall and most of them are textile-related artifacts and tools collected from the city's suburban areas.
Xuhui District officials hope that Huang's fascinating story will bring more visitors to the memorial, which charges no admission.
(eastday.com June 11, 2003)
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