Traditional craft boosts rural vitalization in Shandong county

Paper cutting, a traditional Chinese folk art, has brought new vitality and income to Beiyangshan village in Linqu county, Weifang city, East China's Shandong province.

Over 130 villagers of different ages have joined a paper cutting team that creates artworks with auspicious meanings.

Shi Chengrong, a 54-year-old former housewife, now works in a car parts factory and teaches paper cutting on the side. She earns an extra 30,000 yuan ($4,205) a year through paper cutting.

Shi Chengrong works on a paper cutting piece. [Photo by Wang Ying for chinadaily.com.cn]

The paper cutting art has also drawn many tourists and researchers to the village, where they can learn about folk customs and agricultural practices.

The village has taken advantage of the county's cultural revitalization and its unique paper cutting resources to integrate culture and tourism. It has also used e-commerce platforms to sell its products online. This has increased its income by 300,000 to 400,000 yuan a year.

Beiyangshan village is a typical example of Linqu's cultural revitalization. The county has been supporting the development of traditional folk arts, such as paper cutting and hand-painted Spring Festival paintings, and building beautiful villages. (Edited by Fan Yuanyuan)