Small town becomes China's 'brush hub'

Yuantan town in Qianshan, east China's Anhui Province, is home to more than 90,000 permanent residents, with over 30,000 of them making their living in the brush industry. With the sector's annual output value exceeding 10 billion yuan (about $1.45 billion) and products exported to more than 70 countries and regions worldwide, the town has earned the title of "China's brush hub."

In Qianshan, there is a "museum" dedicated to Yuantan's brush art. Stepping inside is like entering a "world of brushes." From tiny paintbrushes to industrial roller brushes several meters long, from soft bristle brushes to sharp steel brushes, from household cleaning brushes to precision instrument brushes, everything is on display.

Photo shows a showroom dedicated to Yuantan's brush art in Yuantan town, Qianshan, east China's Anhui Province. (Photo courtesy of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Qianshan Municipal Committee)

In the early days of reform and opening up, entrepreneurs in Yuantan town began collecting animal bristles, crafting them into writing brushes or rudimentary paint brushes, and then traveling across the country to sell their products.

"In the beginning, it was all family workshops — nothing technically sophisticated," recalled Wang Changqi, 68, one of Yuantan's first-generation brush makers. "All you needed was a bundle of bristles and a drill, and you were in business."

As the new century dawned, a private-sector industrial park was established, and a series of support policies were introduced to bring the workshops together under one roof. This move marked a turning point for Yuantan's brush sector, setting it on a path toward standardization, industrialization, and clustering.

Wang Changqi founded Anhui Changzhong Brush Industry Co., Ltd. during this period, and handed over the reins to his son, Wang Xiaojian, in 2013.

The second-generation entrepreneur makes annual trips to European and American countries to stay updated on the industry's technological frontiers and evolving market trends.

A worker checks brush-making equipment in Yuantan town, Qianshan, east China's Anhui Province. (People's Daily Online/Chen Ruotian)

"In 2025, our output value reached 30 million yuan, a nearly 30 percent year-on-year increase," he said. "Our next step is to expand further into European and American markets — we expect output value to continue rising at a solid pace."

Beginning in 2017, the annual output of Yuantan's brush industry grew by more than 1 billion yuan for five consecutive years, reaching 10.56 billion yuan in 2022.

Scientific and technological innovation has played a crucial role in driving the brush industry's transformation, according to an official from the town government. Brushes produced in Qianshan are now used to clean high-end liquid crystal screens and have found their way onto ocean-going naval vessels and large commercial aircraft.

In recent years, an increasing number of enterprises in Yuantan have been investing more resources into research and development (R&D).

"We have forged close ties with universities, including Anhui University of Technology, and set up a R&D center for industrial brush manufacturing. In 2024, we were recognized as a national high-tech enterprise. As our patent portfolio has expanded, so has our output value by a significant margin," said Chu Dejie, general manager of Anhui Lijie Brush Industry Co., Ltd. With orders already booked through April, he added, the company has started the new year on a high note.