The recent "Handmade in Shandong" exhibition held during the 2024 China International Confucius Cultural Festival in Qufu, Shandong province, showcased a wide array of intangible cultural heritage items, including Confucian mansion stone seal carvings, Qufu kaimu wood carvings, and Zibo glass. The exquisite craftsmanship on display attracted the attention of numerous domestic and international guests.

The "Handmade in Shandong" exhibition is held during the 2024 China International Confucius Cultural Festival in Qufu, Shandong province. [Photo/Dazhong News]

The exhibition had four themes: honoring the ancient sage, passing on values through poetry and rites, showcasing craftsmanship through etiquette, and celebrating beauty through ritual.

More than 140 ICH works from Jining, Jinan, Zibo, Zaozhuang, Liaocheng, Dezhou, and other cities were on display. The works, which included black pottery, embroidery, stone carving, and wood carving, demonstrated the richness of traditional Chinese culture, highlighting its vitality and the dynamic fusion of tradition and modernity.

"I brought some carved statues of Confucius, which are not only sold domestically, but also exported to Japan and South Korea," said Chu Desheng, a provincial representative practitioner of Qufu kaimu wood carving. He explained that the technique was originally developed by Zi Gong, a disciple of Confucius, using wood from the Confucius Forest in Qufu. This craft has a history of over 2,400 years.

One of the most popular exhibits was the intricate micro-carvings by Kong Lingjia, a representative practitioner of Confucian mansion stone seal carving. "In ancient times, there were specialized craftsmen in the Confucian mansion responsible for various carvings and seal engraving. Later, these artisans passed their skills down through generations, forming a distinctive seal engraving technique unique to the Qufu region," Kong said.