A tea master performs tea ceremony at the 11th Hangzhou Cultural and Creative Industry Expo, which ended yesterday.(Photo/Shanghai Daily)
Traditional handicrafts, a lamp from a 3D printer, holographs and royal court garments were among the items on display during the 11th Hangzhou Cultural and Creative Industry Expo, highlighting cultural products and creative design from China and abroad.
Held at the Baima Lake International Convention and Exhibition Center and five sub-venues from September 21 to 25, the exhibition covered 120,000 square meters, with more than 2,000 exhibitors.
First held in 2007, the expo has become one of the four largest cultural and creative trade shows in China. The others are in Beijing, Shenzhen of Guangdong Province and Yiwu of Zhejiang Province.
The Hangzhou event was themed "Integration — Creative life links the world." The main venue featured eight spaces — European handicrafts, three national museums, cultural creative design, living styles in Taiwan, traditional culture, culture of different cities and provinces, a forum and hi-tech lifestyle.
Highlights this year were exhibitions showcasing intangible cultural heritages in China and abroad. Exhibitors include the Palace Museum, the National Museum of China, Prince Kung's Mansion, Zhejiang Museum, craftsmanship from Japan, Britain, Italy, Germany and Russia. Hi-tech companies including Google and Netease added a high-tech edge.
This year's festival marks the third time the Palace Museum has participated.
In recent years, the museum has produced a series of souvenirs, stationery and other products featuring imperial Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) styles.
A new creative product inspired by Qing Dynasty marine animal book, "Hai Cuo Tu," was launched on the exhibition. The museum also brought silk scarves and umbrellas featuring Jiangnan — south region of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River — style.
The National Museum of China exhibited for the first time. Its 3D printing was a highlight. The machine took six hours to produce a white lamp, which featured sophisticated engraved patterns imitating its collection.
Prince Kung's Mansion is a Beijing museum comprised of large Chinese quadrangles and gardens. At the booth, a Beijing local intangible heritage inheritor, Wang Fenglan, showcased making rubbings from the mansion's stone inscriptions.
There was also a special exhibition area dedicated to intangible cultural heritage from all over the country.
Around 32 types of craftsmanship from 18 provinces were on display. Zhejiang Province has financially supported Guizhou Province over the years. The event was considered an opportunity for Guizhou to promote local handicrafts.
Guizhou is dominated by the Miao ethnic minority people, noted for their skills at creating silver ornaments and embroidery. Their ornate Miao-style silver accessories and embroidered costumes attracted an endless stream of visitors.
More than 60 intangible cultural heritages of Zhejiang Province were also shown, including celadon, Buddhist culture, silk products, She minority folklore and stone engraving.
The Taiwan exhibit included local handicrafts, knick-knacks and workmanship from the island. Famous Tung Ting oolong tea attracted flocks of buyers. Tung Ting means "Icy Peak," which is the name of the mountain where the tea is cultivated. The tea was found favor with customers for its toasty and mellow flavor.
An array of smart technology products also drew attention, showcased to the public for the first time.
A holographic projector brought famous singer Teresa Teng (1953-95) back to life. The technology created a virtual three-dimensional image of her. Without the aid of any special glasses or external equipment, viewers watched her concert on the site.
Over the years, the expo has evolved into a platform to develop the city's creative industry and promote economic transformation. It is also considered a platform for local universities to showcase inventions and creative designs.
The number of visitors has grown from 30,000 to 226,000 in 10 years and the number of exhibitors from 150 to more than 2,000. Trade has jumped from 20 million yuan ($3 million) to 1.6 billion yuan.
Hangzhou's cultural and creative industry has grown more than 7.4 percent a year on average over the past decade.
Last year, the added value of the industry in Hangzhou was 24.52 billion yuan, up 21 percent from a year earlier.
