Electricity powers growth of Spring Festival couplet industry

As Chinese New Year approaches, Zhaobao town in Jiaozuo, Henan — a nationally recognized hub for Spring Festival couplets — enters its busiest production and sales season. For over 30 years, the town has supplied households across China with the red couplets that symbolize good fortune and new beginnings.

Employees of State Grid Jiaozuo support the growth of the Spring Festival couplet industry. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The industry has transformed from scattered family workshops into more than 20 fully mechanized printing enterprises, now featuring a complete industrial chain covering design, printing, packaging, and sales.

Employees of State Grid Jiaozuo inspect the production line. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Advanced techniques like bronzing, flocking, and ultraviolet printing are widely used, and materials have expanded from paper to flannel, metal, and 3D designs. This modernization has significantly increased demand for reliable electricity.

To support the industry's growth, State Grid Jiaozuo Power Supply Company has strengthened the local grid by adding two 400-kVA transformers and upgrading over 800 meters of high- and low-voltage lines.

The company also conducts regular inspections, adjusts power loads seasonally, and maintains separate supply circuits to ensure that industrial and residential electricity use do not interfere with each other.

An aerial view of Zhaobao town. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Through targeted visits, the utility helps factories identify potential electrical hazards, analyzes their energy use, and develops customized power protection plans — ensuring a stable electricity supply throughout the production process.

Employees of State Grid Jiaozuo check the local grid. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Thanks to reliable power, workshops in Zhaobao town are now operating at full capacity. Machines hum as vibrant couplets are packed and shipped nationwide, illustrating how a traditional craft can drive local economic growth and paint a vivid picture of rural vitalization.