Intangible cultural heritage weaves new opportunities in Zhangjiajie, C China's Hunan Province

Zhang Tiantian explains the technical essentials of the craft to college students at the Guaiyaomei Tujia Brocade Art Museum in Zhangjiajie, central China's Hunan Province. (Photo/Chen Fenglin)

In an art museum filled with the rhythmic sound of looms, Zhang Tiantian, a recognized inheritor of Tujia brocade weaving, part of China's national intangible cultural heritage, patiently guided students through the craft's first step: straightening the warp threads.

The scene, unfolding at the Guaiyaomei Tujia Brocade Art Museum in Zhangjiajie, central China's Hunan Province, reflects a broader effort to revitalize Xilankapu, a traditional brocade of the Tujia ethnic group. The effort integrates intangible cultural heritage with modern design, education and local women's employment.

Zhang described Tujia brocade as the Tujia people's "living written script" and "wordless history book." She explained that the ancient craft carries profound cultural symbolism through intricate geometric patterns.

Each design embodies generations of observation, belief and aspiration. Complex techniques can take a month or more to complete a single piece, according to Zhang.

Once used mainly for bedding and dowries, Tujia brocade has found new life through contemporary design.

A volunteer interacts with the children of employees who work for a local company dedicated to the preservation and commercialization of traditional Tujia brocade weaving, a national intangible cultural heritage item. The company offers flexible working hours and child care support for female employees. (Photo/Wu Yongbing)

At the Guaiyaomei Tujia Brocade Art Museum, the craft has been transformed into fashion apparel, handbags and scarves showcased on international runways, as well as cultural and creative products dyed with local herbal tea techniques.

Adopting an approach that blends intangible cultural heritage with technology and tourism, Zhangjiajie Guaiyaomei Tujia Brocade Development Co., Ltd., a local company dedicated to preserving and commercializing traditional Tujia brocade weaving, has developed more than 600 products inspired by Tujia brocade.

These products are exported to over 30 countries and regions around the world, according to Zhang, who said the company's annual output value exceeded 90 million yuan ($12.96 million) in 2025.

Innovation has gone hand in hand with social impact. To address the challenges of cultural preservation and employment in traditional handicrafts, the company introduced a model that offers flexible working hours and child care support.

The initiative has helped more than 700 women secure stable employment near their homes, generating tens of thousands of yuan in additional annual income for many families.

Zhang Tiantian teaches students the traditional craft at a tourism vocational school in Zhangjiajie, central China's Hunan Province. (Photo/Yang Shuilian)

Tian Tao, a local weaver who has benefited from the model, said she can now take care of her children and earn a steady income at the same time.

"I can support myself through my skills now," said Tian, who earns a monthly salary of about 6,000 yuan to 7,000 yuan.

The participation of young people has also become a key pillar of the ancient craft's sustainable development.

In 2025, the company partnered with a local tourism vocational school to establish a training program. The partnership brought looms into classrooms and made Tujia brocade weaving a featured course.

More than 100 students have since acquired basic weaving skills, injecting fresh vitality into the centuries-old craft.

Beyond vocational education, study tours and hands-on workshops have drawn younger visitors to experience the craft firsthand. These efforts have turned the intangible cultural heritage from museum exhibits into a living, everyday practice.

"To inherit and pass down the craft, we should not just display the brocade in museums, but bring it into people's everyday life," Zhang said.

According to Zhang, the company plans to expand production, build standardized workshops featuring intangible cultural heritage, and strengthen cooperation with international designers. The goal is to help Tujia brocade reach a wider global audience.