CHONGQING (CQNEWS) -- Recently, internet influencer Li Ziqi made her return by releasing several videos related to intangible cultural heritage, including one on the traditional art of creating velvet flowers, which garnered widespread praise from netizens. In Dianjiang, Chongqing, a girl leads a group of young artisans, showcasing the timeless beauty of velvet flowers to a broader audience through their craftsmanship.

Velvet flowers are symbols of auspiciousness and well-wishing. They are gorgeous and often used in folk celebrations and ceremonial decorations. It is common to see velvet flowers used to embellish weddings, the Spring Festival, the Dragon Boat Festival, and the Mid-Autumn Festival, among other traditional occasions.

"Before the window, I arrange my hair and apply floral makeup in the mirror." Velvet flower-making is an ancient craft dating back to the Tang Dynasty when it was already recognized as a tribute to the royal family. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, it reached new heights, with the peak of its production occurring during the Kangxi and Qianlong periods. The range of traditional velvet flower varieties is vast, including head flowers, hat flowers, and theatrical flowers, among which head flowers are the most beloved.

The velvet flower-making technique from Dianjiang was officially recognized as part of the sixth batch of intangible cultural heritage at the county level in 2023. Liu Xiaoli, the representative inheritor of this craft, is also a vocational education teacher. She often says that her mission is not just to impart knowledge; more importantly, it is to ensure the transmission of these culturally rich, traditional techniques across generations.

According to Liu Xiaoli, velvet flowers are made using natural silkworm silk and copper wire as the primary materials. The production process involves numerous steps, such as silk spinning, dyeing, drying, wire-bending, steaming, shaping, flower assembly, and packaging. Each step is infused with the artisan's ingenuity and creative thought.

The meticulous craftsmanship required for making velvet flowers demands a high skill level from the artisans. Take the process of silk spinning, for example. It requires precise control over every detail, from boiling the silk in an alkaline solution for just the right amount of time to annealing the brass wire over a low flame until it softens. Only through intricate procedures, such as carefully drawing the silk, peeling the cocoons, and softening the velvet, can one achieve the delicate and soft texture of silkworm silk.

Once the silk is prepared, the next step involves skillfully mixing dyes to achieve the desired color gradients. The silk is then dyed into various hues. With the colors established, artisans sort and align the fibers, cutting the dyed silk into fine, delicate strands. The next step is shaping the tips, where the silk strips are meticulously trimmed into specific shapes, depending on the type of velvet flower being created.

After precise trimming and adjustments, the vibrant petals of the velvet flower begin to take shape. These petals are then carefully assembled, one by one, and through artistic weaving and fastening, the stunning, everlasting velvet flowers come to life.

In 2019, Liu Xiaoli was appointed as a master at the Velvet Flower Workshop of the Chongqing Dianjiang Vocational Education Center's Rural Revitalization Talent Training Institute. The school offers specialized courses in "Intangible Cultural Heritage Velvet Flower Making" and has established a Velvet Flower Studio. Liu Xiaoli integrates the velvet flower project into her daily teaching activities. In the classroom, she not only teaches students the basic techniques of velvet flower making but also helps them understand the cultural significance and social value behind this traditional craft. To date, Liu Xiaoli has taught thousands of students.

To promote the practical application of intangible cultural heritage techniques in rural revitalization, Liu Xiaoli often brings together stay-at-home mothers and craft enthusiasts to create velvet flower products that are practical and rich in cultural significance. Through live-streaming platforms, she introduces these beautiful velvet flowers to a wider audience, bringing these flowers into our daily lives and helping them bloom in countless households. (Translated by Yuki, Fathom Language Limited)