Small handles lever a big industry

The Haomiao village in Xieji town, Shanxian county, Shandong, is known as the "handle" village, renowned for its flourishing handle production industry.

The artistry behind crafting wooden handles, crucial components of tools like shovels and hoes, traces back to the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). The historically significant shoulder pole serves as the precursor to the various wooden handles we see today. Over the past century, its craftsmanship has witnessed significant evolution. Transitioning from manual crafting to mechanized processes, the introduction of assembly lines has notably enhanced production efficiency.

A villager showcases a locally produced handle. [Photo by Wang Xiaolan/for chinadaily.com.cn]

In Haomiao village today, over 1,000 villagers participate in wooden handle crafting and associated industries, accounting for one-third of the village's population. Half of these individuals are skilled craftsmen who have honed their expertise through familial lineage over generations. In the 1990s, seasoned artisans began imparting their craft to the broader community, sparking the establishment of more than 20 significant handle production hubs across provinces such as Henan, Shaanxi, and Gansu within a few decades.

Haomiao village has established a wood processing industrial park, investing a total of 40 million yuan ($5.52 million). This initiative also includes the provision of professional skills training, which has successfully attracted individuals who were previously employed elsewhere.

Piles of handles are stacked in a warehouse awaiting transport. [Photo by Wang Xiaolan/for chinadaily.com.cn]

Statistics show that Haomiao village produces nearly 7,000 handles annually, accounting for 35 percent of the national market share. This level of production not only supplies 24 provinces in China, but also sales to countries in Eastern Europe and Southeast Asia. Furthermore, the industrial park achieves an annual output of 400 million yuan, resulting in a collective income boost for the village exceeding 1 million yuan. [Edited by Zhang Ying]