People visit the blue calico exhibition at the China National Arts and Crafts Museum in Beijing. [Photo/ntjoy]

An opening ceremony for an exhibition about blue calico works created and collected by Nantong native Wu Yuanxin was held at the China National Arts and Crafts Museum in Beijing on Aug 22.

With a history of more than 1,000 years, blue calico is often used for wrapping, tablecloths and bedsheets and in 2006, the blue calico dyeing craft was listed as a national-level intangible cultural heritage.

Blue calico cloth on display at the China National Arts and Crafts Museum in Beijing. [Photo/ntjoy]

Organized by the China National Arts and Crafts Museum, the China Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum, and the Nantong Blue Calico Museum, the exhibition displays more than 400 blue calico works which were donated by Wu to the China Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum.

These exhibits are divided into four categories to showcase the craft's history, cultural aesthetics, application, and innovation development.

Different cloth on display at the China National Arts and Crafts Museum in Beijing. [Photo/ntjoy]

While admiring these works, visitors can also experience the traditional printing and dyeing techniques.

The opening ceremony culminated with a fashion show during which models were dressed in blue calico-made clothes. The clothes were the results of the training courses on blue calico printing and dyeing techniques given by blue calico master Wu Yuanxin.