this paper, based on analyses of economic and technological status in the early yuan dynasty and the handcraft techniques of cotton textile of the li nationality in ancient time, discusses huang daopo's brilliant contributions to the development of chinese traditional handcraft cotton textile production, which include the creation of cotton gin and pedal spinning machine-huang daopo's spinning wheel, the development in techniques and yarn-dyed fabrics and jacquard weaves, and the promotion of commodity production of traditional handcraft cotton textiles in the area of songjian prefecture. besides, some misunderstood legends are clarified (author abstract) 4 refs. in chinese, english