Traditional charm unlocks new impetus

An artisan (front) of the Li ethnic group displays her bamboo weaving craft at a theme park in Baoting county,新华网新闻网 Hainan province, on Feb 10. Liu Fengan/For China Daily

When Lyu Yan arrived in Beijing for this year's national legislative session, her suitcase carried more than personal belongings. Inside were coconut oil, locally sourced agarwood and a set of figurines inspired by traditional Li brocade patterns — small items that tell a larger story about efforts to transform cultural heritage and specialty agriculture into new drivers of rural development.

Lyu, a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress and deputy head of Baoting Li and Miao autonomous county in Hainan province, brought the products to showcase how local traditions are being reimagined for modern consumers.

One set of figurines blended Li brocade designs with this year's zodiac animal, the horse. Playfully nicknamed "Li Ma You Qian" — a pun suggesting "immediate wealth" — the figures became a hit among young consumers during the Spring Festival holiday, Lyu said.

Their popularity reflects renewed interest in Li brocade, a centuries-old textile craft whose techniques were inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in December 2024.

"As a county-level official, I work on the front lines, directly facing the urgent concerns of the people," Lyu said.

"But as an NPC deputy, I gain an extra pair of eyes and a microphone, allowing me to look beyond the local perspective and bring common grassroots issues to a higher level for resolution."

That perspective has shaped her work over the past year. During visits to durian plantations across Baoting, she observed both the promise and the challenges of a crop that is emerging as a new pillar industry for the county. Baoting now has about 1,333 hectares of durian orchards, roughly half of Hainan's total.

Lyu Yan

Although the fruit can generate 900,000 yuan ($130,415) to 1.5 million yuan in output value per hectare, farmers still face obstacles including limited standardized cultivation techniques, weak seedling supply systems and insufficient support for scaling up production.

Based on her findings, Lyu proposed stronger policy support for domestic durian cultivation, including expanded agricultural technology extension, deeper research cooperation and targeted financial measures such as subsidies, discounted loans and insurance guarantees.

"These efforts would help establish domestic durian as a 'golden fruit' for rural vitalization," she said.

Her fieldwork has also highlighted challenges in preserving traditional culture. While visiting scenic areas in Baoting, Lyu found that some elderly women skilled in traditional crafts were unable to apply for official recognition as inheritors of intangible cultural heritage because they exceeded age limits for the program, preventing them from receiving subsidies.

She pushed for policy adjustments so that applicants are evaluated based on their mastery of traditional skills rather than age alone.

Beyond policy work, she has turned to social media to connect with residents and promote Baoting's cultural and ecological resources. Since 2023, she has posted nearly 200 short videos on the platform Douyin highlighting the county's rainforests, Li and Miao cuisine and lesser-known tourist attractions in English, Cantonese and Hainan dialects.

The platform has also become a channel for constituent feedback, with residents flagging issues ranging from lighting at a sports park to design improvements at a local night market.

"Traffic is just a means," Lyu said of her online presence. "The ultimate goal is to truly promote Baoting's ecological and cultural advantages and transform them into a sense of gain and happiness that ordinary people can touch and see."

The county is developing night economy projects including river cruises with light shows and fire performances, and encouraging scenic spots to extend hours for nighttime hot springs and rainforest exploration.

Baoting is also building its "Baoting Gift" cultural brand, incorporating Li and Miao motifs into souvenirs and crafts showcased at trade fairs across China.

This year, Lyu plans to advocate better rural elderly care and improved ecological compensation mechanisms for protected areas.

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