Across China: Traditional Ewenki handicrafts hot souvenirs amid thriving winter tourism

This photo taken with a mobile phone shows Uran making a piece of traditional Ewenki handicraft called "sun flower" at a handicraft workshop in Ewenki Autonomous Banner in the city of Hulun Buir, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Feb. 21, 2024. (Xinhua/Yu Jia)

HOHHOT, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- Holding a small round piece of cowhide in her left hand, Uran, 55, meticulously stitched a pinch of white wool evenly to the edge of the cowhide with her right hand.

After a series of procedures, a piece of traditional Ewenki handicraft called "sun flower" was created, with the cowhide in the center representing the sun and the wool around it symbolizing light rays.

Uran, an Ewenki ethnic, runs a traditional handicraft workshop in Ewenki Autonomous Banner in the city of Hulun Buir, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

The ice and snow in winter, as well as China's 14th National Winter Games, has drawn tourists to the city, and the traditional Ewenki handicraft has become a popular souvenir, bringing income to locals.

Uran said the sun flower handicraft, a regional-level intangible cultural heritage, comes from an Ewenki folk tale, representing the Ewenki ancestors living in the forest yearning for warmth and light.

"Now the handmade accessory is loved by many tourists at home and abroad as fashionable gifts," she said.

Figures show the city received more than 1.6 million tourists during the Lunar New Year holiday, nine times the number last year, and the tourism revenue skyrocketed by 10 times to 1.14 billion yuan (about 160 million U.S. dollars) compared with the same period in 2023.

Aijim, Uran's daughter who helps run the workshop, said some tourist resorts, museums and exhibition halls have placed orders with their workshop for souvenir retail, with some requesting customized designs.

She said the business revenue has exceeded 50,000 yuan since the Lunar New Year.

The workshop employs 26 full-time workers and additional 30 part-time workers. Part-time workers earn more than 2,000 yuan a month on average, and up to 5,000 yuan, depending on the quantity and quality of their work.

Since its establishment nine years ago, the workshop has helped 12 workers escape poverty while also facilitating free handicraft skills training to more than 1,000 locals.

"My mother and I believe it's equally important to develop our workshop and bring fortune to our neighborhood," Aijim said.

Their workshop is located in an ethnic cultural startup park built in 2016 in Ewenki Autonomous Banner to encourage entrepreneurship and develop Chinese traditional culture. To date, the park has attracted nearly 300 businesses.

To woo young customers, Aijim has developed new products, including fridge magnets and mouse pads, and has advertised them online.

In 2023 alone, the workshop sold some 60,000 handicraft items, raking in a record high revenue of more than 800,000 yuan. The range of customers has expanded to Guangdong, Fujian and other places.

"I hope our sun flower accessories can be sold to more places," said Aijim. ■

This photo taken with a mobile phone shows a traditional handicraft workshop in Ewenki Autonomous Banner in the city of Hulun Buir, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Feb. 21, 2024. (Xinhua/Yu Jia)