The art of hemp weaving originating from northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region is regaining life in the booming market of cultural and creative goods, increasing income for local villagers who concurrently work as weavers of traditional patterns.
The handmade hemp woven handicrafts have become star products in Ningxia Museum during China's ongoing eight-day National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday that started on October 1, with a great diversity of delicate offerings attracting flocks of visitors.
"I think the hemp woven small bag is thoughtfully designed. It can be open with ball clasps and it is really practical," said Wang Shanshan, a tourist to a local museum housing displays of hemp woven handicrafts.
The fashionable goods were made by the workshop of Zhang Jing, an inheritor of hemp weaving art, which was recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage items in 2019.
The weavers at Zhang's workshop are residents living in villages and communities near Yinchuan, capital of Ningxia.
"Some old herdsmen told me they know how to weave herding whips and I asked them to make some herding weaves for my workshop. This time, we designed a mirror and its edge was wrapped with hemp rope woven with the techniques used in the herding whips. Hemp weaving is the only craftsmanship the elders know, and we buy the hemp fabric by the meter and use it as a raw material to make our products," Zhang said.
Zhang is one of the contributors to the revival of the old craftsmanship, which has regained popularity over recent years. Her workshop has designed over 200 cultural and creative products, and recently, she has been kept busy by a huge order for 2,000 pieces of her products.
"We want to bring the hemp woven products to the market and introduce them into people's daily life so as to create a virtuous cycle for the art to thrive," Zhang said.
Ancient hemp weaving art regains life in Ningxia
China is willing to strengthen communication, enhance trust, eliminate interference, and deepen cooperation with Canada to bring bilateral relations forward on a steady and sound track in solid strides under the new circumstances, said Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday.
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, met with Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand in Beijing on the day.
Referring to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's visit to China, the first by a Canadian prime minister in eight years, Wang said the trip marks a milestone in bilateral ties and signals a turning point in the relationship.
The leaders of the two countries will hold meetings and talks, which are expected to open up new prospects for bilateral relations, said Wang.
The world today is undergoing profound and complex changes, and the impact of China-Canada relations transcends the bilateral scope, Wang noted.
Wang said that China and Canada have different social systems, stemming from different historical and cultural heritage, and based on the choices of their respective people.
He urged both sides to view each other in a rational and amicable manner with an inclusive mindset, handle issues on the basis of mutual respect, focus on the agenda of cooperation, and send positive messages so as to foster optimism, inject greater confidence into the development of bilateral relations, and jointly build a new type of strategic partnership between China and Canada.
Anand said the new Canadian government attaches great importance to relations with China. She also added that Prime Minister Carney looks forward to engaging in in-depth exchanges with Chinese leaders during the visit to set the course for the development of bilateral relations, resume dialogue in various fields, pursue more mutually beneficial outcomes, enhance coordination and cooperation in multilateral affairs, and further advance the strategic partnership between the two countries.
China ready to work for steady, sound ties with Canada: FM
