District in Weifang bolsters fruit pit carving industry to promote heritage

In recent years, Weicheng district in Weifang, East China's Shandong province has been rediscovering its century-old tradition of fruit pit carving and elevating it to a focal point in the cultural industry landscape.

The district has concentrated efforts to develop specialized areas such as the Shihuyuan Cultural Block to bolster the growth of the industry.

As of the latest statistics, Weicheng boasts more than 300 companies and a workforce of nearly 7,000 individuals dedicated to the art of fruit pit carving. The annual business revenue of the industry has reached 15 billion yuan ($2.09 billion). (Edited by Zhao Luyang)

An artwork is carved out of a fruit pit. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

A fruit pit carving of a boat. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]