Ancient handicraft bucks gender norms

"Visitors from the capital city showed great enthusiasm and curiosity toward our art," Wang says.

"I appreciate their support. All the Li brocade works that I had brought, such as tablecloths, sold out," he adds.

Each of his works was sold at an average of 2,000 yuan ($276).

Now a county-level inheritor of the traditional Li brocade craft, Wang comes from a family where brocade art has been passed down through generations of women.

"I played around my grandma whenever she was working at the loom," he recalls.

The brocade's intricate designs and vibrant colors are nothing if not fascinating, he says.