Intangible cultural heritage breathes new life into Dong village in SW China's Guizhou

Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping county, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province, is nestled among mountains and crossed by streams.

Photo shows an aerial view of Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping county, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province. (People's Daily Online/Yang Qian)

Photo shows an aerial view of Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping county, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province. (People's Daily Online/Yang Qian)

In one workshop, Dong artisans wield wax knives and carefully draw patterns on white fabric. Dong totems, floral designs, and bird motifs gradually take shape under their fingertips. Every pattern and stroke reflects the Dong people's aesthetic traditions passed down through generations and carries their ancestors' hopes for a better life.

Visitors immerse themselves in the charm of traditional intangible cultural heritage crafts in Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping county, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province. (People's Daily Online/Yang Qian)

Lu Yongmei, head of a traditional craft farmers' professional cooperative and a provincial-level inheritor of indigo dyeing, said years ago, traditional dyeing and weaving techniques were on the verge of being lost. Traditional Dong textiles had limited designs, and many Dong women artisans struggled to make a living from their craft.

To preserve the tradition and create new income opportunities, Lu led the cooperative in visiting veteran artisans across the county to restore endangered techniques while also seeking design inspirations beyond the mountains. By combining tradition with modern aesthetics, the cooperative has developed a range of new products, including indigo-dyed tea mats, casual backpacks, cultural and creative earrings, and home decorations.

Tourists take pictures on a street in Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping county, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province. (People's Daily Online/Yang Qian)

Today, Dong artisans who once struggled to make ends meet can work at workshops near their homes, enabling them to care for their children, increase their incomes, and pass on their skills at the same time.

Photo shows a lively view in Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping county, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province. (People's Daily Online/Yang Qian)

Over the past year, hands-on experiences of intangible cultural heritage crafts have gained popularity in Zhaoxing Dong Village. Lu's cooperative continues to develop creative cultural products rooted in intangible cultural heritage. It has now created more than 600 creative cultural products that combine ethnic features with modern practicality. With 228 registered members, the cooperative has helped more than 1,000 women from over 100 villages across the county participate through order-based production, skills training, and workshop employment, turning traditional crafts hidden in the mountains into a major source of income.

Photo shows an intangible cultural heritage workshop in Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping county, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province. (People's Daily Online/Yang Qian)

Photo shows an aerial view of Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping county, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province. (People's Daily Online/Yang Qian)

A tourist immerses herself in the charm of intangible cultural heritage crafts in Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping county, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province. (People's Daily Online/Yang Qian)

Photo shows indigo-dyed products displayed in a store in Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping county, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province. (People's Daily Online/Yang Qian)

As night falls, lights gradually illuminate Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping county, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province. (People's Daily Online/Yang Qian)