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Jasminia Gough’s rainy-day visit to Dali Old Town becomes an introduction to Jama, a Bai craft that combines woodblock-style printing and paper work. Destiny, an apprentice, guides Jasminia and Everett through selecting motifs, mixing ink, pressing prints and discussing meanings such as luck, wealth and longevity. The workshop is set in a renovated temple courtyard and costs about 49 RMB. Guests can choose large or small motifs and may add a wax-sealed envelope. The broadcast also includes tea from Destiny’s family shop, unstable Wi-Fi, a gimbal problem and advice about visiting after national holidays. The travelers print motifs associated with good fortune and longevity on red or white paper, and they learn that the workshop offers English PDFs and English-speaking assistance. The visit also includes tea from Destiny’s mother’s tea factory, a friendly kitten, a wax-sealed envelope option and discussion of the master-apprentice relationship behind the craft. Their live broadcast has Wi-Fi and gimbal problems, but the indoor workshop provides an activity suited to a rainy day.
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More about the current video:(Published on 2025-06-18)
A rainy day in Dali Old Town
Jasminia Gough visits Dali Old Town in Yunnan with Everett. Unstable Wi-Fi and a fussy gimbal make the start of the live stream difficult, but the pair adapt and move through the rainy streets. They discuss the city’s rhythm and seasonality, including October after national holidays as a possible visiting window, while keeping weather in mind. The trip compares Dali with Lijiang and looks beyond the commercialized streets to Bai culture and nearby areas. Destiny, an apprentice in the local Jama craft, welcomes them to a workshop set in a renovated temple courtyard. The activity offers an indoor option for a rainy day and a way to experience printmaking rather than only walking the old town.
Learning the Jama printing process
Destiny explains the craft and its prints. Jasminia and Everett choose woodblocks, mix ink, apply pressure and stamp designs onto paper. Each motif has a meaning, including luck, wealth and longevity. Participants can select two large motifs or one large and several small designs, then choose red or white paper, whose appearance changes the result. The workshop is described as costing about 49 RMB. Destiny’s team provides English-language PDFs and English-speaking assistance, which helps visitors follow the process. They also discuss differences between older and newer Jama pieces and the master-apprentice relationship behind the craft. After the demonstration, Jasminia chooses a finished Jama piece and considers lightweight prints as gifts, including a wax-sealed envelope option.
The live visit includes a friendly kitten and tea tasting from Destiny’s mother’s tea factory. The family shop offers tea and print sets, and viewers send gifts during the broadcast. Technical interruptions remain part of the day, but the workshop gives the travelers a focused look at Bai craft and its symbols. The video moves from ink and pressure to the meanings behind the stamps, showing how choosing a motif, printing it and preparing it as a keepsake form one hands-on experience. Visitors can use the English materials or ask the assistants for help with communication.
FAQs (From the traveler's perspective)
- Q: What is Jama and what happens in the workshop?
- A: Jama is a Bai craft involving woodblock-style stamping and paper prints. Destiny guides visitors through choosing blocks, mixing ink, pressing designs onto paper and discussing the meanings attached to motifs.
- Q: What do the Jama motifs mean?
- A: The workshop discusses motifs associated with luck, wealth and longevity, among other meanings. Visitors choose designs and print them on red or white paper, which changes the finished appearance.
- Q: What practical help is available for visitors?
- A: Destiny’s team provides English PDFs and English-speaking assistants to help visitors follow the process. The workshop is indoors, so it can also be an option on a rainy day in Dali Old Town.
