Shao Guofei, daughter of Hong Guizhen, carries on her family's traditional craft of hangluo weaving. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Shuttling to the future

Zhang, originally from Beijing, used to study finance as his major and had never come into contact with hangluo before moving to Hangzhou.

The first time he stepped into Shao's weaving factory, he found it quite hard to adapt to its harsh realities. The factory environment, due to the demands of hangluo weaving, was dark, damp, and had a particular smell.

He found it hard to believe that such a delicate and ethereal fabric was produced in such an environment.

Later, when he heard Shao mentioning that running a hangluo business wasn't profitable and sometimes even ran at a loss, he suggested halting its production and switching to other more economically viable silk trades.

At that time, Shao didn't comment on Zhang's suggestion but proposed that he make him a set of hangluo clothes, which completely blew Zhang's mind.

"The outfit was light and extremely breathable. I couldn't help but marvel at the existence of such an extraordinary fabric," Zhang recalls.

He never mentioned closing down the factory again. Instead, he followed Shao to the factory every day, humbly learning the various production processes of the gauze.

Over the past few years, Zhang has been dedicated to the protection and inheritance of hangluo weaving technique.