Rattan shop is hot commodity in Chongqing

A store in Southwest China's Chongqing that sells a large variety of rattan weaving crafts, a Chinese intangible heritage, has become a hot place to visit for many young people lately.

The 20-square-meter store in Jinhaiyang Mall in Chaotianmen, Yuzhong district in Chongqing is dubbed the most complete rattan store in Chongqing for its variety and refinement.

Small as it is, the shop showcases more than 500 pieces of exquisite rattan weaving crafts.

"The rattan weaving handicrafts (in my shop) fall into four categories — interior ornaments such as lamp holders and flowerpots, bedding materials such as summer sleeping mats, furniture such as tea tables, stools and couches, and containers such as baskets, boxes, plates and bags," said Zhao Bo, 32, the shop owner.

"The price of the products varies from 1 yuan to several hundred, depending on its techniques," of production, he said.

Zhao said some of his former clients posted pictures of his shop on Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book, an Instagram-like Chinese fashion and lifestyle-sharing platform) that led to his shop going viral online.

"There's nothing to brag about," he said, noting rattan stores in Guangdong, where the crafts originated, were far superior.

As a national intangible heritage going back more than 1,000 years, rattan weaving is a traditional craft used by the Chinese to produce crafts for farming and households. The products, combining practical and artistic natures, have been welcomed by ordinary people since ancient times.

Being popular among restaurants, hotels, companies and individuals, Zhao said the store has been open for more than 19 years. It was opened by his maternal aunt in 2002 and then transferred to him 14 years ago.

"My shop is frequented by more and more environmentally-minded young clients who prefer traditional rattan rather than other materials, which I think is a good thing," he said.