In a workshop outside Suzhou, a woman weaves Song dynasty brocade at a wooden loom. Twenty years ago fewer than a dozen people could still do it. Today the number has grown into the hundreds.
This is part of a broader revival of China’s intangible cultural heritage. China has 43 items on the UNESCO list — from Peking opera to shadow puppetry — more than any other country.
The craft revival
Song brocade weaving offers a model: master weavers teach apprentices, and new products combine traditional patterns with modern design. Paper cutting, also UNESCO-listed, is now taught in universities. Opera companies shorten performances for younger audiences.
Young people and old crafts
Social media has been crucial. Craft videos on Douyin go viral. Chinese knots have become jewelry and fashion. The donghua animation trend shows how modern media carries traditional material forward.
The challenge is balancing authenticity with commerce. But as long as someone teaches and someone learns, the thread continues.
