AcrossChina:TraditionalEwenkihandicraftshotsouvenirsamidthrivingwintertourism_GuangmingOnlineAcrossChina:TraditionalEwenkihandicraftshotsouvenirsamidthrivingwintertourismThisphototakenwithamobilesphonesshowsUranmakingapieceoftraditionalEwenkihandicraftcalled"sunflower"atahandicraftworkshopinEwenkiAutonomousBannerinthecityofHulunBuir,northChina'sInnerMongoliaAutonomousRegion,Feb.21,2024.(Xinhua/YuJia)HOHHOT,Feb.27(Xinhua)--Holdingasmallroundpieceofcowhideinherlefthand,Uran,55,meticulouslystitchedapinchofwhitewoolevenlytotheedgeofthecowhidewithherrighthand.Afteraseriesofprocedures,apieceoftraditionalEwenkihandicraftcalled"sunflower"wascreated,withthecowhideinthecenterrepresentingthesunandthewoolarounditsymbolizinglightrays.Uran,anEwenkiethnic,runsatraditionalhandicraftworkshopinEwenkiAutonomousBannerinthecityofHulunBuir,northChina'sInnerMongoliaAutonomousRegion.Theiceandsnowinwinter,aswellasChina's14thNationalWinterGames,hasdrawntouriststothecity,andthetraditionalEwenkihandicrafthasbecomeapopularsouvenir,bringingincometolocals.Uransaidthesunflowerhandicraft,aregional-levelintangibleculturalheritage,comesfromanEwenkifolktale,representingtheEwenkiancestorslivingintheforestyearningforwarmthandlight."Nowthehandmadeaccessoryislovedbymanytouristsathomeandabroadasfashionablegifts,"shesaid.Figuresshowthecityreceivedmorethan1.6milliontouristsduringtheLunarNewYearholiday,ninetimesthenumberlastyear,andthetourismrevenueskyrocketedby10timesto1.14billionyuan(about160millionU.S.dollars)comparedwiththesameperiodin2023.Aijim,Uran'sdaughterwhohelpsruntheworkshop,saidsometouristresorts,museumsandexhibitionhallshaveplacedorderswiththeirworkshopforsouvenirretail,withsomerequestingcustomizeddesigns.Shesaidthebusinessrevenuehasexceeded50,000yuansincetheLunarNewYear.Theworkshopemploys26full-timeworkersandadditional30part-timeworkers.Part-timeworkersearnmorethan2,000yuanamonthonaverage,andupto5,000yuan,dependingonthequantityandqualityoftheirwork.Sinceitsestablishmentnineyearsago,theworkshophashelped12workersescapepovertywhilealsofacilitatingfreehandicraftskillstrainingtomorethan1,000locals."MymotherandIbelieveit'sequallyimportanttodevelopourworkshopandbringfortunetoourneighborhood,"Aijimsaid.Theirworkshopislocatedinanethnicculturalstartupparkbuiltin2016inEwenkiAutonomousBannertoencourageentrepreneurshipanddevelopChinesetraditionalculture.Todate,theparkhasattractednearly300businesses.Towooyoungcustomers,Aijimhasdevelopednewproducts,includingfridgemagnetsandmousepads,andhasadvertisedthemonline.In2023alone,theworkshopsoldsome60,000handicraftitems,rakinginarecordhighrevenueofmorethan800,000yuan.TherangeofcustomershasexpandedtoGuangdong,Fujianandotherplaces."Ihopeoursunfloweraccessoriescanbesoldtomoreplaces,"saidAijim.■ThisphototakenwithamobilesphonesshowsatraditionalhandicraftworkshopinEwenkiAutonomousBannerinthecityofHulunBuir,northChina'sInnerMongoliaAutonomousRegion,Feb.21,2024.(Xinhua/YuJia)Editor:DisclaimerTheviewsandopinionsexpressedinthisarticlearethoseoftheauthor's,GMW.cnmakesnorepresentationsastoaccuracy,suitability,orvalidityofanyinformationonthissiteandwillnotbeliableforanyerrors,omissions,ordelaysinthisinformation.