Weavers operate a dahualou loom at the Chengdu Shu Brocade and Embroidery Museum. The ancient loom is made entirely of wood, without a single nail. Photos by Liu Yuanqi / For China Daily

Exhibits at the Chengdu Shu Brocade and Embroidery Museum show changes in the social fabric throughout history. Huang Zhiling reports.

To visit the Chengdu Shu Brocade and Embroidery Museum is to view the unfolding of the social fabric of what today is Sichuan's provincial capital Chengdu over the millennia, as each display is akin to a stitch in time. And it provides a look into the future of this ancient art form that is named on the UNESCO and national intangible cultural heritage lists and had virtually vanished about a decade ago.

In addition to ancient artifacts, museum guests can also see two weavers operating a hualou loom.

That sight takes 72-year-old visitor Liu Yuhong back. "It reminds me of the good old days, when making things took longer but was more environmentally friendly," Liu says.