A local craftswoman weaves a tiger pattern into a carpet at the workshop of Juancheng Yongming Carpet Co. [Photo by Liu Chuan/chinadaily.com.cn]

A media delegation visited Liuhe village in Yuncheng county, Heze, East China's Shandong province, on March 27 to experience its traditional handmade wool carpet weaving culture during the "Walking along the Cultural Corridors, Visiting the Economic Parks, and Witnessing Shandong's High-Quality Development" event.

Yang Xiaoqiang, general manager of Juancheng Yongming Carpet Co Ltd, said that the wool weaving technique is a city-level intangible cultural heritage item in Heze, boasting a history of over 100 years.

Yang has been devoting himself to the techniques and design of handwoven patterns since he was 17 years old.

"At the age of 20, I became an apprentice at the pattern room of Juancheng Carpet Factory and learned from Xie Xiangzhi, a second-generation inheritor of handmade wool carpets," he said.

Yang added that handmade wool carpets are expensive due to the high labor costs and plant-based dyeing. Today, the company's wool carpets are exported to markets, such as the Europe and the United States.

The company started businesses in the science and technology incubator base of the region, optimized the traditional craftsmanship of handwoven wool carpets, and provided more than 30 jobs for residents in the village. Yang noted he also holds training sessions on making wool carpets to recruit talents for the company and to pass on the local intangible cultural heritage item to younger generations.

After the relocation of Liuhe village in September 2020, the local government built workshops and public facilities to accelerate the growth of industries like the carpet and textile processing industries, as well as promote the integrated development of the region.