Willow craft branches out

Linshu willow weaving was added to China's national intangible cultural heritage list in 2021.

With practiced hands, Zhao Qingyue, 68, a county-level inheritor of the craft, bends, loops and folds flexible willow branches into intricate woven patterns.

"In Caozhuang, weaving willow is as common as farming. Almost everyone here knows the craft," Zhao says.

Historical records show that villagers were already weaving baskets, grain containers and winnowing pans during the Tang Dynasty.

What began as a practical rural craft has grown into one of Linshu's pillar industries. Today, local producers make dozens of categories of products, from baskets and furniture to garden decor.

Willow products from Linshu are exported to more than 80 countries and regions, accounting for more than a quarter of China's total willow product exports, according to statistics provided by the county government.

The industry generated 950 million yuan ($139.8 million) in output in the first four months of this year, a year-on-year increase of 16.58 percent. Exports during the same period reached 268 million yuan, up 9.38 percent from the previous year, according to the latest figures.

Nearly 100,000 residents in Linshu county are engaged in the willow weaving industry.