In Qingdao, intangible cultural heritage (ICH) is shedding its dusty image. From floral steamed buns to mother-of-pearl inlay, traditional crafts are being transformed through industrialization, innovation, and digital marketing — reaching wider audiences than ever before.

The city now hosts 92 ICH workshops, with over 130 enterprises reporting annual sales exceeding 1 million yuan ($144,648). Key sectors such as embroidery, straw weaving, tea-making, and shell carving have generated 50 billion yuan in output value.

Take Meiliansheng, a century-old producer of huabobo (flower-shaped steamed buns). Facing surging online orders, the company introduced standardized production: machines now handle rolling and filling, while artisans focus on intricate shaping. Natural fruit and vegetable powders have replaced artificial colors, and low-sugar fillings cater to modern tastes.

With a beautifully crafted centennial huabobo gift box now available online for just over 60 yuan including free shipping, ICH is becoming truly accessible to everyday households — proving that an industrial revolution in traditional food crafts can scale heritage without sacrificing its soul.

The Jinbei Chuanshuo workshop in Qingdao has reinvented mother-of-pearl inlay — once confined to lacquerware — by developing a soft-shell technique that adheres to ceramics, leather, and even watches. The company now offers over 300 products, adding 70 to 80 new designs annually.

Digital platforms have also propelled growth. A Taobao shop run by Jiaozhou paper-cutting artist Gao Yuhuan now ranks among the top four handmade ICH stores on the platform, with annual sales of 300,000 to 400,000 yuan. Its products are now sold as far away as Singapore.

"The internet gave us the opportunity," Gao reflected.

The online channel has transformed this local craft — once limited to window decorations for Spring Festival — into a creative cultural product available for everyday sales and customizable services.

Qingdao, rich in history and culture, is home to 1,092 intangible cultural heritage items and 775 recognized inheritors. [Photo/Guanhai News]