Chinese Farmer Helps Fellow Villagers Make a Fortune After Inheriting Traditional Folk Craft
- Home
- News
- People
- In-depth
- ACWF
Chinese Farmer Helps Fellow Villagers Make a Fortune After Inheriting Traditional Folk Craft
March 2, 2022A farmer has become an inheritor of the national intangible cultural heritage gourd pyrography, a traditional artform involving burning designs onto dried hard-shell gourds with hot iron rods, having used this craft to help local villagers make a fortune.
Having cultivated an interest in painting since childhood, Xue Gailian, a gourd grower in Wucun Village, Wenshui County, north China's Shanxi Province, came up with the idea of painting images onto her gourds, but the results were not to her liking. Later on, Xue learned the folk craft of gourd pyrography from her friends and developed her skills in the craft.
Xue explained that gourd pyrography combines hot iron rod painting together with carving techniques. To make her pyrographic gourd handicrafts more exquisite, the folk artist learned hot iron rod painting and deep-processing skills for gourd craftwork produced in east China's Shandong Province and north China's Tianjin Municipality.
Gradually, Xue's pyrographic gourd handicrafts gained popularity among local villagers, who also showed an interest in learning the craft. Xue then established a gourd planting and processing base, where she teaches villagers how to grow gourds and create pyrographic gourd handicrafts for free twice a year, helping her fellow villagers to increase their incomes.
According to Xue, Wucun Village is now home to over 10 gourd processing plants, and more than 100 villagers have mastered gourd pyrography.
Under the influence of Xue, her two daughters returned to their hometown to start businesses after graduating from college, having engaged in the gourd craft just like their mother.
To attract more young people and better pass down the traditional craft, Xue has continuously made innovations by introducing more methods for decorating the gourds as well as adding modern-day elements. Xue has also promoted gourd pyrography in schools and communities, helping the traditional craft reach a wider audience.
"I will introduce modern gourd planting technologies, continue to refine gourd pyrography, and help villages improve their gourd processing skills, in this way expanding their incomes," Xue said. Besides, she hopes that more and more people will appreciate the unique charm of the traditional Chinese folk craft.
(Source: People's Daily Online)
32.3KPlease understand that womenofchina.cn,a non-profit, information-communication website, cannot reach every writer before using articles and images. For copyright issues, please contact us by emailing: [email protected]. The articles published and opinions expressed on this website represent the opinions of writers and are not necessarily shared by womenofchina.cn.
Comments
Magazines
Projects
- 2023 Women Science and Technology Innovation Pioneer...
Photos
- People Enjoy Blooming Tulips in Jinan, East...
- Flowers Bloom Across China in Spring
Special Coverage
Related articles
Gone fishing... for some of New Zealand's trickiest trout: A stay at the world
The rotor blades are deafening as our chopper swoops down onto a rocky outcrop beside the Mokihinui2024-05-09Two in custody after armed police swarm Auckland suburb
Police are considering charges over an incident in Auckland's central suburbs on Thursday. Photo: 122024-05-09Victorian miner killed in Ballarat Gold Mine rockfall as investigation continues
Photo: Supplied / Google Maps2024-05-09Fashion designer Kate Sylvester to close the business after three decades
File photo. Fashion designer Kate Sylvester. Photo: Kate Sylvester2024-05-09Willy Adames calls his shot, hits go
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Willy Adames had been chatting up the Royals fans behind the Milwaukee dugou2024-05-09New Zealand to put 'every single effort' into getting free trade deal with India
Trade Minister Todd McClay Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver2024-05-09
atest comment