Jingning She embroidery boosts rural industry

County-level ICH inheritor Xia Anjing showcases her embroidery works. [Photo/Tide News]

Workers at the Sheyiyuan Ethnic Costume House in Jingning She autonomous county in Lishui, Zhejiang province, are racing to complete exclusive She ethnic costumes for the 2026 Zhejiang City Basketball League, known as "ZheBA".

Chen Weijuan, a provincial-level intangible cultural heritage inheritor of She ethnic costumes who has devoted nearly three decades to She costume craftsmanship, guided embroiderers in adjusting stitches for the tournament outfits.

Her costume house produces costumes by day and offers free workshops by night. Over the course of two years, more than 20 public classes and study sessions have taught hundreds of participants.

Meanwhile, county-level inheritor Xia Anjing has taken a lightweight, lifestyle-oriented path, developing small products like sachets, round fans, and tea mats that bring She embroidery into everyday settings.

Her embroidered mirrors have been exported to Italy, and her designs have won provincial and municipal awards, selling well both online and offline at cultural tourism fairs.

Through a national project, Xia has formed a team employing local full-time mothers and rural women, enabling them to earn stable incomes through flexible work.

Jingning has also issued municipal standards for She embroidery and costumes, brought together local She cultural enterprises, and held six ethnic costume exhibitions.

Over 70 percent of She costumes nationwide are now produced in Jingning. The county boasts four national-level, 21 provincial-level, 43 municipal-level, and 108 county-level intangible cultural heritage items, with over 200 cultural creative products developed.