A delicate piece of Dong brocade gradually comes to life under Su Tianmei's hands, with the squeaks of an old manual loom.

"You have to move your arms and feet at the same time while weaving," Su said as she operated the loom and explained the technique to female villagers gathered around her to learn the craft.

Su, a delegate to the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, dreams of carrying forward the Dong brocade - known locally as dongjin - and using the craft to help bring her neighbors out of poverty.