Pingtian's Huangxi Village: Where Golden Loquats Meet Millennia-Old Heritage

As golden loquats bend the branches, Huangxi Village in Pingtian Township, Huangyan, breathes new life into its thousand-year intangible cultural heritage (ICH). The recent event “Loquat-Scented Huangxi: A Dialogue with ICH” — co-organized by the Pingtian Township People's Government, the Huangyan District Branch of the China Democratic League, and the village's cultural commissioner — intertwined loquat industry development with ICH preservation, offering visitors an immersive journey into tradition.

The Huangyan District Branch of the China Democratic League partnered with the Jiamu Shigong Workshop at Taizhou Vocational College of Science and Technology to create “Xixi,” a mascot IP, and a village logo fusing loquats with ICH motifs. These designs inspired wenchuang products (cultural and creative goods) such as umbrellas and notebooks. “We aim to integrate heritage into daily life,” said Xia Meisha, a League member and college instructor.

Cultural commissioner Mao Baoju led a seminar on loquat cultivation and the village's ICH — the ancient art of crafting loquat syrup (Gufa Pipa Gao). From picking to slow-boiling, this ancestral practice bridges agriculture and cultural legacy, revealing the profound story behind “a single loquat tree.”

In a hands-on workshop, Mao and Xia taught students to extract natural dyes from loquat leaves for traditional tie-dyeing. Participants created patterned fabrics and leaf-vein prints on fans, merging nature with creativity. “I never knew loquat leaves could dye cloth!” exclaimed Ge Sichen, a student from Pingtian Primary School.

This initiative exemplifies a rural revitalization model where “culture sets the stage and industry performs the play.” Moving forward, Huangxi Village plans to deepen its cultural roots through diverse ICH activities, ensuring ancient crafts thrive through cultural and industrial synergy, and propelling the village toward dynamic growth.