Xinjiang - Carpets, once a common commodity, were transported and traded along the ancient Silk Road. Xinjiang’s Hotan, a place once serving as an important hub, has a 2000-year history of handmade carpets. Enjoying high quality with good resilience and soft and durable features against dampness and erosion, carpets made in Hotan have the reputation of “living fossils” and are very popular in China and overseas. In modern days, many factories have adopted machines to produce carpets, but some still keep the traditional way. Nakixwan Carpets in Xinjiang’s Hotan is such a kind of factory.

According to the introduction of the General Manager of Nakixwan, as a leading company in handmade carpets in Hotan, Nakixwan has made products welcomed by both domestic and overseas customers. 5-10% of their carpets were sold to countries like the UK, the United States, Spain, etc. The General Manager said that their business involves carpet manufacturing and selling.

Walking into the workshop, I saw female workers sitting in front of looms and weaving carpets. Beautiful and exquisite patterns came out through workers’ nimble and skillful hands. Looking at these complicated patterns, the General Manager said it usually took two months for two workers to complete a normal-sized carpet. He also explained that weaving these carpets requires high attention and nimbleness, and females have an advantage. So the company hired females from the neighborhood to train them to master skills and help them increase their income.

During my visit, I had time to talk with some of the workers. Abibay Matkurban said that she learned the weaving skills from the company. Before she was engaged in work related to agriculture and animal husbandry, she felt satisfied working in the workshop because the working environment and her income improved. Amina Abdulla, an experienced weaver, learned the skill at the age of 15. She said that initially, she inherited the weaving skill from her family. Now working at Nakixwan, she could earn more, and most importantly, she could acquire more complicated skills from the workplace. 

When I chatted with them, I saw their smiles on their faces and in their eyes. I realized that it's not only carpets that come out from these females' nimble hands, but also happiness and self-achievement.

(Thanks to Xinjiang Today Media Hub for providing some part of the video)