Ancient crafts dance to Spring Festival beat

Today, Guo is a city-level inheritor of Daoge Gourd Pyrography, which is known for its blend of techniques, including cloisonne, an ancient enameling procedure. But his passion extends beyond creation to teaching. He provides free daily livestreams on social media.

"I just want more people to understand this heritage," he said, adding that picking up the hot iron often brings him peace. His students now span the country, with several becoming recognized inheritors themselves.

Elsewhere in Xuanhua, a different transformation is unfolding. Cheng Xueming, 56, a fifth-generation inheritor of Cheng Family Dough Figurines, pinches and sculpts soft, colored, claylike material. Under his fingers, shapeless lumps take shape, becoming majestic figures from history and legend — the playful Monkey King, general Guan Yu and many others.

"It's about giving form to the heroes from my childhood stories," Cheng said.

For him, the hardest part is the constant renewal that is required to remain at the top of his craft: "It's always challenging to find fresh inspiration from modern life to keep things alive and attractive."

These masters are central figures in Xuanhua's rich cultural landscape. Wang Xiaomin, director of the district's cultural center, said 71 examples of intangible cultural heritage are protected there.

"These things have deeply integrated with tourism, enhancing the local cultural appeal," Wang said.

During the Chinese New Year celebration this year, the arts stepped out of studios and into the community. For example, the cultural center organized events recently where the "horse" theme took center stage, including cross-regional festivals and local storytelling sessions with inheritors.

"We've hosted major ICH events, serving about 30,000 visitors," said Chen Xuejie, a local cultural official.

She added that such events have boosted the desire of tourists to travel in Hebei by offering deep cultural immersion. For travelers, these events offer hands-on engagement.