Liangjiang stages intangible cultural heritage items at BRISC

Liangjiang New Area is presenting two intangible cultural heritage items at the craftsmanship exhibition of the second Belt and Road International Skills Competition (BRISC) that commenced on Monday.

Braiding a large fan, Ai Zuli keeps a ruler in her hand to ensure every cross is precisely made to present the pattern. "Craftsmanship is a combination of skills and aesthetic preferences of the maker. It is something not to be replaced by mass production and should be passed down. But it is not a skill to be acquired in a short time. It requires persistence," said Ai.

Born into a family with a long history of ramie braiding, Ai was inspired by her grandma to improve upon existing techniques. Ramie fiber was very soft and traditionally braided into mats, baskets, and other small stuff that we use in daily life. They used to be less delicate. When mixed with other materials, ramie fiber can be more resilient and suitable for more styles and functions, said Ai. Now her ramie braiding products have extended to include curtains, bags, and vases, among other daily necessities and ornaments.

Next to Ai's work table is the Huiming Covered Bowl Tea Art project. In the hands of the skillful tea artist, the freshly brewed tea draws an elegant curve in the air while poured into a teacup. The tea set, made of fine china, is critical to bringing out the fragrance and flavor of tea in Huiming covered-bowl tea art.

A tea artist makes covered-bowl tea for guests. [Photo provided to english.liangjiang.gov.cn]

Huiming Covered Bowl Tea Art is being preserved by Shu Xiaohong, who runs a national tea art skill studio and a training school in Chongqing that aims to spread tea culture and foster talent in the field.

"It amazes me how a leaf can change the flavor of water, and drinking tea is such a joy," said Liang Wei, an onsite tea artist who graduated from Shu's training school. Liang said that Chongqing is one of the origins of tea culture, and as a young enthusiast of tea art, she hopes the tea industry will see more innovations and be loved by more people at home and abroad.