UNESCO listing of Spring Festival drives booming demand for traditional crafts

This year's Spring Festival, the first since being inscribed on UNESCO's list of intangible cultural heritage, has driven a surge in sales of the traditional Ni Gugu clay sculpture in China, with artisans working overtime to meet demand while experiencing firsthand the growing popularity of intangible cultural heritage.

Ni Gugu is a traditional clay sculpture from Xunxian County in Henan Province, central China, known for producing distinct sounds when blown into. Recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage in 2006, it remains a cherished folk art.

The intricate crafting process involves shaping, trimming, piercing, drying, painting, and varnishing, with each step contributing to its unique charm and cultural significance.

"We've been busy for more than two months since the peak season began. Personally, I work eight to nine hours a day and can paint around 60 to 70 sculptures per day," said Gao Guangling, a local artisan working at the Ni Gugu workshop.

Known as the "living fossil of clay sculpture," Xunxian clay sculpture has gained increasing attention as appreciation for traditional culture grows, driving a rise in market demand. It has become not only a cultural tourism symbol of Xunxian County, but also a significant source of income for local villagers.

"We have two main sales channels for our Ni Gugu clay sculptures. One is through off-line stores, as we have loyal customers, and the other is via online stores and live streaming. Given the current order volume, all of our employees are working overtime to meet the demand," said Song Kaizhan, an inheritor of Xunxian Ni Gugu clay sculpture.

Song said that this year's sales have doubled compared to previous years, with some orders already scheduled for delivery after the Chinese New Year.

In addition to traditional designs, many local artisans are incorporating innovative elements into their creations, making contemporary pieces highly sought after in the market.

"This year, we have designed many cultural and creative products, such as keychains, hair clips, and bookmarks. They are in high demand and very popular, especially among young people," said Song Qingchun, another inheritor of Xunxian Ni Gugu clay sculpture.

UNESCO listing of Spring Festival drives booming demand for traditional crafts

What the Asia-Pacific region needs most is peace and tranquility, not the introduction of external forces or the fomenting of division and confrontation, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said on Monday.

Guo made the remarks at a regular press briefing in response to a question on the annual military exercises led by the United States and the Philippines, which kicked off on Monday.

"The world has seen enough damage done by unilateralism and abuse of military might. What the Asia-Pacific needs most is peace and tranquility, and the last thing the region needs is division and confrontation as a result of the introduction of external forces. No military and security cooperation should be conducted at the expense of mutual understanding and trust as well as peace and stability in the region. Such cooperation should not target any third party or harm the interests of any third party. For countries that tie their own security to others, it is important to bear in mind that this may very well backfire," said Guo.

Asia-Pacific needs peace, not confrontation: spokesman