Yichang is hosting classes in Henna painting, taught by Yeyin. Read on for details about the nicely structured course Yeyin put together, with a little bit of theory and a lot of practice for a fun and inspiring learning experience:

Course structure

Lesson 1: The first class introduces the history of henna decoration and the characteristics of different regions. Yeyin will demonstrate the drawing method of hennah ornamentation, leading students into experimenting themselves.

Lesson 2：Henna candles and candle cups

Lesson 3：Stone ornaments painted with Henna ornamentation

Lesson 4：Explore and discuss the infinite possibilities of making home decorations with Henna decoration.

Classes will take place on Sundays 10th, 17th, 24th of June and 1st July, from 2 to 4pm. Each class is RMB300 to join, and RMB1000 to attend all four classes.

What is Henna?

Henna is Sanskrit, Hindi for "Mehndi," an art of temporary painting on skin that originated in India. One characteristic of Henna is that although it is painted on the body, Indian women usually only have such decorative patterns on their limbs or at most their faces, unlike tattoos, which can be anywhere on the body. According to research, the Henna hand-painted art can be traced back to as far as 5000 years ago in India, but there are also experts say it first made an appearance in India in the 12th century with the introduction of Arab culture.

Introducing the teacher

Ye Yin graduated from the department of Sociology at the university of Essex. Her past educational experience has brought her into contact with the pan-himalayan culture. She has since been keen to explore the possibilities of incorporating Himalayan cultural elements in the life space aesthetics. Upon her return home she created the "hagakure" studio, to explore fabrics, hand dyeing, natural aromas, using all five kinds of sensations to present the beauty of things in life.