Across China: Chinese cultural heritage jumps on bandwagon in Year of Horse

NANCHANG, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- As the Chinese people celebrate the Year of the Horse, traditional culture has seen a surge in popularity, with various heritage elements "jumping on the bandwagon" to celebrate the zodiac animal associated with speed, strength and success.

The Chinese New Year holiday runs from Feb. 15 to 23. Tourists who pack attractions, temple fairs and village gatherings, are finding traditional craft and heritage items at the heart of the celebrations.

In Jingdezhen, China's "porcelain capital," demand for palm-sized porcelain horses has kept artisans busy even during the holiday season. Dubbed "spinning horse," the trinket is seen as bringing good luck to buyers.

Jiang Huanxi, a porcelain shop owner in Jingdezhen, said she has sold about 600 porcelain horses per month. The horses were designed using AI-assisted modeling and 3D printing and produced through centuries-old glazing and kiln-firing processes.

"A combination of new technologies and ancient techniques helped us quickly grasp the needs of the consumers, and broke ground for our future innovations," she said.

In China, the horse traditionally represents loyalty, energy, and a pioneering spirit, and is considered one of the zodiac's most popular animals. In Jingdezhen, tea sets featuring auspicious horse designs have also become a huge hit.

Li Huifeng, a porcelain manufacturer, has sold over 5,000 travel tea sets that combine Linglong porcelain (also known as rice-grain porcelain) with the "Horse Treading Golden Waves" design. The translucent ceramic technique featuring small, rice-shaped transparent windows in the porcelain body has been favored by buyers, he said.

Long before the New Year, museums across China leveraged the theme, showcasing horse-related relics. The Gansu Provincial Museum in northwest China is home to the Bronze Galloping Horse, a national treasure dating back to the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220 AD).

The latest version of fluffy toys inspired by the flying horse has drawn long queues in the museum shops.

"These mascots with big grins are really fun to look at. I bought several of them for relatives and friends during the Spring Festival," said Li Ruyun, a visitor.

The popularity of cultural products extends well beyond porcelain and mascots. On Chinese e-commerce platforms, horse-themed cultural products made from paper-cutting, wood carving and embroidery continue to attract buyers.

In the county of Boxing in east China's Shandong Province, horse-shaped dolls are draped in handwoven fabric that dates back thousands of years and requires 70 complex procedures to make. Over 20,000 such handmade toys have been sold this year.

The Year of the Horse has been a major catalyst for promoting traditional cultural heritage, as the horse embodies the spirit of relentless progress and unyielding forward momentum, said Liu Xiaocheng, dean of the School of Journalism and Communication at Lanzhou University.

"Amid the surging popularity of cultural and creative products, horse-themed designs fulfill the public's spiritual and emotional needs, perfectly resonating with their inner aspirations and effectively stimulating the cultural consumption market," Liu said. ■