Handicraft exhibition spotlights vibrant Shandong culture

A report from chinadaily.com.cn:

The Exhibition on Chinese Handicrafts – Shandong Handicrafts kicked off at Nishan Sacred Land in Qufu, Jining, Shandong province on Sept 26. It is an important cultural event of the 2022 China (Qufu) International Confucius Cultural Festival and the Eighth Nishan Forum on World Civilizations.

The exhibition, with a theme of “Cultural confidence leads the revitalization of traditional handicrafts,” highlights Shandong’s efforts to promote the province’s cultural and creative industries, and presents a platform where Shandong can publicize its “Shandong Good Products” brand. It is also an event dedicated to displaying to the public the richness and dynamism of the arts and crafts in Shandong.

Covering an exhibition space of 963 square meters, the event consists of four thematic areas that vividly display the beauty of refined and sophisticated artworks and handicrafts from Shandong and across the globe. The International Handicrafts Exhibition Area selects a wide range of representative handmade products from countries and regions involved in the Belt and Road Initiative, major European countries, Japan and South Korea and other East Asian countries, offering participants an opportunity to have a deep understanding of the development trends in international handicrafts.

Traditional handicraft skills from Shandong such as woodcut New Year paintings, gourd pyrography, dough modeling, fruit pit carving, paper-cutting and Lu embroidery, billed as Shandong Good Products, show their unique charm and beauty and are particularly eye-catching at the event.

Objects on show not only present a nostalgic atmosphere to reflect on the diverse traditional cultures of Shandong but also integrate cultural traditions and modern tastes. This year’s exhibition is expected to promote the development of the province’s culture and tourism industry, release potential for cultural consumption, and promote the dissemination of Chinese culture. It will also offer a way to promote the innovation development of excellent traditional Chinese culture, and accelerate the integrated development of the culture and tourism industries of Shandong.

Source: chinadaily.com.cn