Making Batik fabric paintings is a traditional Chinese art that combines painting and dyeing. Batik fabric paintings are designed by applying beeswax to cotton cloth in creative shapes. The art of making batik fabric paintings can be traced back to the Western Han dynasty (206 BC-24 AD). Although batik is virtually extinct in eastern and middle China, it can still be found in Western China where minority tribes such as Miao and Gejia tribes keep it alive. In these tribes girls learn to paint batik fabric when they are six or seven years old, and continue to practice throughout their lives. There are many different styles of batik fabric paintings here, some can be used to hang on the wall, and others double as a mail holder along with a beautiful piece of artwork.