With the New Year approaching, Weixian cloth toy, a representative intangible cultural heritage (ICH) product from Hanting district, Weifang, Shandong province, is receiving great acclaim.

Sun Xiulan, the representative inheritor of Weixian cloth toy-making, a provincial-level ICH item, has designed a variety of cloth toy characters this year, with the dragon-shaped cloth toy being the most popular.

Sun's cloth toys are characterized by innovative, simple designs, exaggerated features, vibrant colors, and unique local characteristics. Her most notable works include cloth tigers, lion rolling embroidered balls, tiger-head shoes, and tiger-head hats, as well as works in the shape of the 12 zodiac animals.

According to local media, in recent years, the market for Weixian cloth toys has been increasing, and the toys are being sold in Britain, the United States, Japan, France and other countries.

Sun Xiulan makes cloth toys at her workshop. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Some vibrant cloth toys made by Sun Xiulan. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]