Huang Daopo, as a legendary woman in ancient Shanghai, is a heroine in China’s ancient textile industry. In 2003, a modern memorial hall was established for her making a significant contribution to improve techniques of weaving and spinning in the 13th century.

Chen Jingyou, the leader of relics and culture management office in Xuhui District, said Huang Daopo was especially respected by Southeast-Asian people. Hang Daopo was a well-known folk community but there are lots of written records on her.

Huang was a child of a poor family in suburban Songjiang District of Shanghai today. When she was 12 years old, she became a child bride for another family following the old-fashioned custom.

To avoid maltreatment from the in-laws, she escaped from her hometown and hid in a boat on the Huangpu River. Afterward, she was incidentally ferried to Hainan Island. She met people of the ethnic Li group there, the local people was kind-hearted. She stayed there for 30 years and learned weaving and spinning techniques from local people. After she came back to her hometown and spread what she learned in Hainan Island to the local people. Quickly her techniques spread across the whole country.