The Model of “Internet and Intangible Heritage” Reviving Rural Industry – A Case Study of Chenghe Willow Weaving

The Model of “Internet and Intangible Heritage” Reviving Rural Industry – A Case Study of Chenghe Willow Weaving

Liu Yan, Zheng Mengyue

Hubei Normal University, China

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2024.807204

Received: 17 June 2024; Revised: 10 July 2024; Accepted: 15 July 2024; Published: 17 August 2024

ABSTRACT

Chenghe Willow Weaving, a traditional handicraft art with a long history, is an intangible cultural heritage in Hubei Province. It forms glorious cultural deposit and has great artistic value. Now, the continuation of Chenghe Willow Weaving not only injects new vitality into the local rural economy but also helps rural revitalization to a certain extent. However, it faces challenges such as difficulties in inheriting and promoting of the products, insufficient industrialization, poor ability in entrepreneurs’ innovation. Based on the booming Internet economy, after conducting an in-depth analysis of the developing state of Chenghe Willow Weaving and its bottlenecks, this article proposes a series of practical suggestions. Under the model of the combination between the Internet and the intangible heritage, it aims to promote the inheritance and innovation of Chenghe Willow Weaving. Specifically, it includes establishing professional production management team and subdivided production team, enriching brand culture, full use of Internet. It is believed that the industrial development of Chenghe Willow Weaving can be effectively promoted, achieving sustained prosperity of the rural economy. Also it is hoped that this will give some reference for other traditional handicraft industries.

Keywords: Industrialization, intangible heritage, agglomeration, internet marketing

INTRODUCTION

With the acceleration of globalization and modernization, traditional handicrafts and intangible cultural heritage are facing challenges as well as opportunities. Chenghe Willow Weaving, the intangible cultural heritage of Hubei Province in China, owning a long historical significance and unique artistic charm, becomes an important vehicle of rural culture and a potential growth pole for rural economy (Du Siyuan, 2019). Nowadays, the Internet economy is booming, but the Chenghe Willow Weaving has encountered the difficulties of inheritance and promotion, insufficient industrialization and poor enterprise innovation (Jia Yuxin, 2019). Accordingly, this article aims to explore an appropriate way for rural industry revival under the model of combining Internet and intangible heritage. This article takes Chenghe wickerwork as a case to analyze its current situation of inheritance and industrial bottlenecks, proposing various innovative suggestions. It is hoped that some suggestions for the development of other intangible cultural heritage, as well as useful references for the sustainable development of rural economy can be provided.

RESEARCH METHOD:

When investigating the current situation of the intangible cultural heritage of Chenghe willow weaving, based on existing literature, field investigations, and interviews, this research mainly adopts the following research methods.

1. Literature review. This study collects and systematically analyzes relevant literature materials to deeply explore the historical background, artistic characteristics, and development status of Chenghe willow weaving in the contemporary industrialization process. This method aims to build a comprehensive understanding of the traditional craftsmanship of Chenghe willow weaving, analyzing its production process in detail, and identifying the main challenges and development potential currently faced.

2. On-the-spot investigation. Researchers go to Chenghe Town, Xiangyang City to visually record the production techniques, inheritance methods, and specific industrialization status of Chenghe willow weaving through on-site inspections. In addition, by conducting in-depth visits to local willow weaving enterprises, this study grasps the market demand and export situation of willow weaving products, thereby significantly improving the practical applicability of the research and the reliability of the results.

3. In-depth interview. Researchers engage in in-depth dialogue with artists, inheritors of intangible cultural heritage, local government officials, and representatives of four leading enterprises in the willow weaving industry in Chenghe. Through these interviews, we hope to collect first-hand information and provide detailed records of the interviewees’ insights and suggestions on how to protect, inherit, and develop Chenghe Willow weaving.

4. Case study. The successful cases of the “Internet plus Intangible Cultural Heritage” model, such as Hanzhong rattan weaving, Dongchang gourd carving, etc., are selected for in-depth analysis. This study will focus on extracting the key factors of these successful cases, providing strategic reference for Chenghe Willow weaving to achieve maximum economic value on the road of industrialization.

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES:

The following objectives will be achieved:

1. Based on the extensive collection and systematic analysis of relevant literature, combined with the information obtained from field visits and in-depth interviews, this study aims to clarify the exploration goal: how to achieve effective inheritance and industrialization development of Cheng He’s willow weaving under the “Internet plus Intangible Cultural Heritage” model.

2. Based on a comprehensive literature review and field investigation, this study intends to analyze the historical background, artistic characteristics, current inheritance status, and industrialization development level of Chenghe Willow weaving, laying a solid foundation for further analysis.

3. Using SWOT analysis method, this study seeks to identify and evaluate the main problems and challenges faced by Chenghe Liubian in the inheritance of traditional skills and the development of modern industrialization, providing a basis for formulating targeted strategies.

4. Through case analysis, this study aims to summarize the experience and lessons of other successful “Internet & Intangible Cultural Heritage” projects, so as to provide practical reference and guidance for the future development of Chenghe Willow Weaving.

5. According to the actual situation of Cheng He’s wicker weaving, this study intends to put forward a series of specific development strategies and suggestions, including the establishment of professional teams, enriching the brand culture, using the Internet platform, etc., in order to promote its industrialization process.

6. This study will engage in continuous communication with local enterprises and put the formulated strategies into practice by dispatching research team members to intern and collaborate with the enterprises. At the same time, regular evaluations of implementation effectiveness are conducted to ensure timely adjustment and optimization of strategies to adapt to constantly changing markets and environments.

THE STRENGTHS OF THE CHENGHE WILLOW WEAVING

1. Significant Natural Advantages

Chenghe Town, located in the northeast of Xiangyang, Hubei Province, China, is in a typical subtropical monsoon climate zone. It has distinct seasons, ample sunlight, and abundant rainfall, providing unique natural conditions for plant growth. The average annual temperature is maintained at 18℃, creating a suitable temperature environment for the growth of willows, grasses, and vines. Additionally, the annual mean rainfall ranges from 880 to 1100 millimeters, and the relative humidity is maintained at 75%, ensuring these plants can absorb sufficient moisture (Duan Siyuan, 2019). The terrain is flat, primarily consisting of alluvial plains and ridges, providing a vast living space for willows, grasses, and vines. The Tang River is located in the town, and the Heiqing River Reservoir is located to the east, along with a dense network of canals and high irrigation rates, which providing a continuous water supply for the growth of these plants. In summer, Chenghe Town is mainly influenced by the southeast winds, while in winter, the northeast winds prevail there. The average wind speed reaches 17 meters per second, aiding in gas exchange and heat dissipation for plants such as willows, grasses, and vines, thus maintaining their normal physiological functions. Strong winds also improve ample air circulation, reducing the incidence of plant diseases and insect pests. Based on the excellent geographical and environmental condition there, the osiers become whiter, softer and smoother, which makes it perfect for wickerwork.

Chenghe town kept industrialization of wickerwork over 300 years, with a reputation that has long been renowned. In 2007, it became the first willow handicraft to be certified under China’s national product of geographical indication. The booming development is also attributed to the unique natural environment there, which provides enough raw materials for the willow weaving industry. Particularly, there are various high-quality varieties available here, including the green, red, and white buds of the white willow, which serve as the core raw materials.

Chenghe town strictly follows the principles of scientific growing to ensure product quality. The plow layer depth is required to be ≥25 cm; the soil pH is maintained between 6 and 7; and the organic matter content is ensured to be ≥1.5%. Loam or sandy loam is preferentially selected for planting. Meanwhile, per mu yield are accurately controlled at 150 kg through cottage after appropriate planting density, scientific mastering and fertilization managements. The harvest time is set from June 20 to July 10 and December each year. Special emphasis is placed on harvesting on sunny days and promptly carrying out peeling treatment to maintain the optimal quality of the osiers. In material selection, Chenghe Town maintains strict standards, requiring that the base diameter of the willow shoots be ≤1.2 cm, free of forks, with high glossiness. And within 1 meter in length, the number of spots is ≤40. The shoots must be flawless throughout and have a root-to-tip ratio of ≤1 mm.

During processing, Chenghe Town insists on using locally produced and high-quality osiers through meticulous shaping, drying, strict sorting, and careful packaging, every product is ensured to meet high-quality standards. Not only does Chenghe Town employs a variety of weaving techniques, such as flat weaving, upright weaving, fine weaving, twisted weaving, and nailed weaving, also it pursues perfection.

As the old sayings goes “a watched flower never blooms, but an untended willow grows”. Chenghe Town has put in tremendous effort and dedication in the development of its wickerwork industry. Today, the villagers proudly say, “To plant osiers, one must be diligent; willows can turn to gold with dedication.” With the continuous deepening of reform and opening up, there are some new development opportunities for local industry, which showing a broader prospect.

2. Increasing industrial clustering effect

Cluster benefits are prominently reflected in the concentrated distribution of numerous different companies and producers within a specific area. Through intimate cooperating, these enterprises and producers will form a tight industrial chain, and standardize production processes, which significantly improve efficiency and play a huge role in promoting regional economic development. Consequently, the labor division becomes increasingly refined, which you will form a high degree of specialization. Market organizational networks flourish, further promoting the growth of efficiency. Not only does a complete industrial chain reduce the cost of developing new products, also facilitates innovating. Objective point of view, competition speed up the fittest among enterprises, driving industrial continuous innovation and ensuring that companies keep vibrant at all times. Previously, the Chenghe willow weaving industry has formed such an industrial cluster. It has more than 20,000 acres of osiers planting bases, attracting over 24,000 willow farmers and 13,000 weavers to participate. Additionally, there are over 10,000 specialized willow weaving households, 11 specialized willow weaving villages, more than 60 large-scale willow weaving operators, and 4 leading enterprises, together forming a massive industry with an annual output value exceeding one billion yuan. This industry chain covers every aspect from materials, technology, production, to distribution, forming a complete industrial chain. What’s more, the developing scale of the Chenghe Willow Weaving industrial cluster continues to expand to surrounding areas such as Shuanggou Town, Zhuji Town, Sanhe Town, and others, forming a larger-scale industrial cluster and bring increasing benefits of industrial cluster. This has further promoted the development of the regional economy, bringing more opportunities to local enterprises and residents.

3. Relatively mature industrialization

Chenghe Willow Weaving, after more than 300 years of craft accumulation and nearly several decades of industrial development, has especially achieved a qualitative leap in its production patterns since 1986. Abandoning the traditional decentralized procession and door-to-door visits, they have adopted an intensive factorial producing. They actively participate in domestic and international trade fairs and have gradually entered the global market. Today, Chenghe Willow Weaving has established a complete industrial chain that integrates planting, producing, and selling. It has developed an efficient mode of production management comprising “associations & enterprises & weavers & bases.” Every production steps of Chenghe willow weaving is meticulously planned and strictly managed from the cultivation through meticulous weaving into aesthetically that pleasing and practical products, and finally delivered into the nice and useful product to customers. This kind of industrial pyramidal structure, ranging from basic to advanced levels, highlights the professionalism and maturity of Chenghe wickerwork.

At present, over 20,000 acres of willow bases, attracting the participation of more than 8,000 willow farmers and over 30,000 professional weavers. As the sentence “every household is a factory, every person a weaver” vividly shows the life here. Additionally, there are more than 100 major weaving households, 11 professional willow weaving villages, over 60 major distributors, and 4 leading willow weaving enterprises, all contributing to the thriving development of the Chenghe willow weaving industry.

Chenghe’s wickerwork are popular in China, as well as export to dozens of countries in Europe, America, Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia, and beyond, with an annual output value exceeding 1 billion yuan.They produce on sales prospects to meet the needs flexibly adapting to market demands. They can sell its traditional products as well as offers customized service based on customer requirements. Over the years, six traditional weaving techniques have gradually formed through the weaver’s hard work and dedication locally, including through weaving, fixed weaving, flat weaving, twisted weaving, fine weaving, and wood weaving. More than 400 types of products have also produced, mainly including household items and handicrafts. Among them, the most representative household items include baskets, chairs, tables, and so on. The most representative handicrafts include vases, screens, picture frames etc. Initially, Chenghe Town there has formed a complete industrial chain and reached a mature industrialization.

WEAKNESSES OF CHENGHE WILLOW WEAVING

1. Productivity need to be improved

In the production of large-scale and standardized products, the use of vertical integrated production shows significant advantages. It is based on specialized division of labor, divides the entire production process into kinds of clear operating procedures, and implements flow-line production. Therefore, each worker completes simple procedures according to the division, achieving standardized production. However, in Chenghe Town, despite four leading enterprises adopting a similar mode of division, which covers a series of processes including negotiation, sample development, raw material cultivation, producing, quality control, cleaning, coloring, painting, assembling, labeling, packaging, and so on, survey found that the productivity still needs to be improved. Among them, lacking of effective production management, poor division of labor, and the need for improvement in the skill level of industrial workers are the main problems.

Local companies overly rely on intermediaries to connect with family producers outside the factory, but this pattern has evident disadvantages. Firstly, the cooperative relations are relatively loose for it’s often based on verbal agreements rather than a written contracts. Secondly, there is a communication barrier between companies and household producers due to the middlemen. It is inevitable that there are some problem of delayed and distorted information transfer, which affect the product quality, delivery time and order accuracy, and so on. Futhermore, companies do not directly manage the production process of home-based producers. And coupled with insufficient management and supervision of intermediaries, it leads to a hard issue of quality control. If the products of different quality entering the market, which can damage the company’s reputation and consumer interests.

Currently, the enterprises there primarily adopts a “company & farmers & bases” business model. But it’s almost handmade, relying mainly on tools such as scissors and pliers. Besides, the kind of horizontal specialization, that the industrial workers need plant willows and make wickerwork by hand, which is far from accuracy and specialization and effects the productivity extremely. In addition, industrial workers are mainly 40-60 years old and women with low education level, which leads to unstable product quality levels (Xiao Qingfeng, 2019). The quality problems of products are easy to damage the profits of enterprises, which in turn leads to the reduction of workers’ remuneration and their enthusiasm for production. Gradually, this will form a vicious circle for the development of Chenghe wickerwork.

2. Lack of innovation

In general, there are still great problems in the innovation and development of Chenghe wickerwork. First of all, it is insufficient in the deep cultural exploration of Chenghe wickerwork. Driven by the market economy, handicraft companies in Chenghe Town blindly pay more attention to the appearance and utility of products in order to meet the market demand in the early stage of its development, ignoring the exploration and inheritance for its cultural value. The rich historical, cultural and artistic value of Chenghe wickerwork is often ignored. In addition, with time going by, a fault-line appears during the inheriting of Chenghe wickerwork handicraft. At present, local enterprises continue apparent innovation only, without really showing its generous regional culture and historical tradition.

Secondly, the lack of professional design talent is another major bottleneck. According to research, the local wickerwork companies have not yet established a comprehensive and professional development department. Among them, innovation activities are mainly conducted by experienced old craftsmen who often have not received systematic professional training, and even have not received higher education. Most of these craftsmen create new series simply by virtue of experience, or make simple variations in patterns and varieties based on samples provided by foreign clients. Lacking professional design concepts, there exists a huge product similarity which weakens their market competitiveness.

In order to improve creative capability and market competitiveness of Chenghe wickerwork, it is necessary to stimulate the exploration of its cultural value. Moreover, actively introduce and cultivate professional design talents. By employing scientific and systematic design processes and methods, launch more and more wickerwork with unique cultural connotations and creative elements to meet the diverse market needs.

3. Lack of specializing agglomerations

According to the survey, the current production organization form of Chenghe town is mainly the vertical integration pattern. Under this model, there are almost no specialized wicker industry cluster district and industrial parks.

Consequently, the scale of specialized agglomerations is limited, mainly by wicker crafts company to independently undertake the upper, middle and lower reaches of the industrial chain, that is, product developing, manufacturing and product marketing, resulting a low efficiency and insufficient corporation vitality.

Furthermore, integration of the industrial chain is at a low degree resulting a low brand influence of Chenghe wickerwork in Xiangyang City. The current market positioning of wicker products is still in the low-end and cheap, which leads to limited profit margins and is difficult to stand out in the highly competitive market for wickerwork companies. This is not conducive to the opportunities for enterprises to attract more investment and resources; So the long-term development and transformation and upgrading of the industry will be hindered.

In order to meet the increasingly need for personalization and fashion, the local wicker industry needs to gradually turn to a production mode of refinement and specialization. Through fine management and specialized division of labor, the quality and added value of products can be greatly improved. At the same time, it can promote the company to increase innovation and develop more personalized products that meet the market demand. Not only does it gain greater profits but also help to promote its brand image and market competitiveness, to achieve industrial transformation and upgrading and enterprises’ sustainable development.

This article proposes solutions against the three main problems of low production efficiency, insufficient innovation, and deficient specializing agglomeration in the local wickerwork industry.

SUGGESTIONS

1. Establishing a production management team with clear responsibilities

To address the local company’s production management and low production efficiency issues, it is recommended that the company establishes a dedicated willow production management team responsible for overseeing and managing the entire production process. For the production management team, production efficiency management is based on scientific methods and standards, and effectively organizes, plans, coordinates, controls and tests the production factors such as personnel, materials, machines, processes, environment and information in the production process, so as to keep them in the best state and achieve the production purpose of high efficiency, low consumption, high quality, balance and safety (Jia Yuxin, 2019). In this case，team members should possess extensive experience in production management and professional knowledge while being proficient in utilizing production management systems. It is essential to delineate the responsibilities and division of labor for each member of the production management team to ensure that workers can effectively fulfill their respective roles and collaborate towards enhancing production efficiency. For instance, key positions such as production planners, material managers, and quality controllers can be established, the followings are the detailed arrangement

For Production Planners: Production planners are responsible for formulating a comprehensive plan for willow weaving production by strategically organizing tasks and schedules based on market demand, inventory levels, and manufacturing capacity. The Production Planners must maintain close communication with both the manufacturing department and sales department to guarantee accuracy and timeliness in executing the production plan.

For Material Managers: Material managers are tasked with procuring materials required for willow weaving productions while also managing warehousing activities alongside inventory control. They should have a close collaboration with both manufacturing departments as well as procurement teams is crucial to ensuring timely material supply coupled with prudent inventory oversight.

For Quality Controllers: Quality controllers are accountable for inspecting as well as regulating product quality standards within willow products. They ought to be familiar with the production process and quality standards of willow products is necessary to supervise key links in the production process in order to ensure stability and reliability of product quality. Additionally, they should address any substandard products promptly while implementing improvements is vital to prevent similar issues from recurring.

After setting this professional management team, different specialists are tasked with developing a production plan, procuring materials, managing inventory levels, as well as inspecting and controlling product quality.

2. Establishing specialized production groups with a clear division of labor

Local production companies often lack a specialized division of labor, and the “company & farmers & base” business model typically results in a phenomenon that most production workers participate in all production processes as one person, leading to a lack of specialization and low production efficiency situation. To achieve a more efficient production process, multiple specialized production groups can be established based on the characteristics of different categories of willow crafts. These groups will focus on specific categories or different production links within the same category, thereby realizing more efficient and accurate production operations. For example, in the production of wicker baskets, the process can be subdivided into raw material procurement, wicker peeling, weaving, and other links. Corresponding specialized departments can be set up for each stage. A dedicated procurement department can be established for the raw material procurement process to ensure a stable supply of high-quality wicker raw materials. This ensures quality throughout the entire production process.

What’s more, the willow peeling and drying process can be conducted by professional machines to save on labor costs and reduce potential accidents during production thereby reducing the labor intensity of workers and liberating human beings from heavy manual labor (Cheng Zhengyong, He Banggui, Gu Wenjuan, 2014). After applying this strategy, the weaving process should be handled by an experienced team with expertise in weaving techniques to produce exquisite willow baskets according to specific design requirements for various products. This specialized division of labor guarantees that each stage is professionally managed, ultimately improving both efficiency and quality in the overall manufacturing process. At the same time, the close collaboration and cooperation between the production groups will make the whole production process more efficient. The strategy of specialized division of labor not only helps to improve the production efficiency of Chenghe willow weaving, but can also bring greater economic benefits and market competitiveness for the enterprise.

3. Strengthening links with household producers and organizing regular training

The willow weaving companies rely too much on intermediaries to liaise with the household producers, which leads to problems such as delays in information, lack of contractual spirit and mismanagement, as well as the fact that the household producers mainly use a horizontal division of labor mode, which results in unstable products quality. To solve this problem, firstly, willow weaving companies can set up specialized purchasing teams to work directly with household producers. The purchasing team can use market research to find out which family producers’ products can meet the company’s needs and select producers with good reputations and high qualities, so that cutting the process of connecting with the intermediaries and directly engaging in transactions with household producers. This not only reduces the cost of finding intermediary, but also ensures the quality of the products by flexibly controlling the quantity of purchases according to market demand. In addition, the company should sign a written contract with the family producers to clarify the rights and obligations of both parties. The contract should specify the rights and obligations of both parties to ensure the stability and reliability of the partnership. For example, the contract should specify the product specifications, quality standards and inspection methods to ensure that the products supplied by the household producers are able to meet the requirements; the contract can also specify delivery time and provide method to ensure that the products are delivered on time. Lastly, the contract should make an agreement with the household families about the price, payment method and timing of the products to ensure that both parties agree on the economic benefits. By specifying the liability for breach of contract and solutions, problems can be resolved in a timely manner. The above specific contract provisions can establish the spirit of contract between the two sides, strengthen the link with the producer and ensure product quality.

Additionally, in order to further improve the quality of products and reduce the waste of money on defective products, willow weaving enterprises can organize regular professional training for workers and household producers. They should organize professional trainers or experienced veterans to train and guide the workers. Through theoretical explanation, on-site demonstration and practical operation, the skill level and safety awareness of workers can be improved. After the training, the company could track and evaluate the training effect and collect feedback from workers in a timely manner. Based on the feedback results, the training programme is adjusted and optimized to ensure the effectiveness and relevance of the training. Incentive programs can also be used to increase workers’ enthusiasm for production. For example, establish a scientific evaluation mechanism to regularly evaluate and assess the work performance of the production management team. By establishing rewards and punishments, team members are encouraged to actively perform their duties and improve their work efficiency.

4. Deeply bound to traditional culture, enriching the brand connotation

The development of the Chenghe willow weaving handicraft industry requires the exploration and preservation of cultural value. Currently, there are shortcomings in innovative design within Chenghe willow weaving, particularly in terms of neglecting cultural significance and lacking professional design expertise. It is essential for the company to integrate traditional culture into product design at a fundamental level (Zhang Chuyue, ChenHaiyan, MeiLi, 2019). Take willow basketry as an example, beyond its practical and artisanal functions, it serves as a means of cultural expression evident in its product designs. So this kind of product can incorporating elements from traditional cultural poems, such as “two yellow orioles singing on the green willow, and a line of egrets flying over the blue sky,” which can enhance the cultural connotation of the product. This not only elevates its cultural value but also establishes a unique selling point for cross-border sales, thereby promoting traditional Chinese culture. Furthermore, it would be advantageous to consider integrating historical figures or stories from Xiangyang City—where Chenghe Town is located—such as the historical tale of Liu Bei visiting the cottage three times into product designs. This approach not only reflects regional characteristics but also strengthens emotional connections between products and consumers.

5. Introducing professional talents and encourage technical exchanges

It is crucial to establishing a dedicated product design team with experienced designers possessing extensive knowledge. The professionals of the team must have a deep understanding of Chenghe willow weaving’s cultural heritage and craft characteristics while being able to merge these elements with modern design concepts and market demands effectively. This will result in the creation of new products that are both locally distinctive and internationally aesthetic. At the same time, it is recommended that close collaboration could be established with universities in the Xiangyang region, including Hubei College of Arts and Sciences. It is well-known that universities not only serve as the source of creativity and innovation, but also as the cradle of training talents. The willow weaving company may invite students majoring in product design from Hubei University of Arts and Sciences to participate in the design of Chenghe willow weaving products. This will provide students with opportunities for practical exercise and inject their young and energetic design concepts and elements into the willow waving products. This mode of cooperation will help promote the deep integration of industry, academia, and research, and cultivate professionals who both understand traditional culture and have modern design ability. Finally, Chenghe Town’s industrial development policy should also encourage exchanges and collaboration between local artisans and professional designers. Each of them possesses a wealth of experience and expertise, and by learning from one another, they can collectively advance the innovation and advancement of Chenghe willow weaving products. This cross-border collaboration not only transcends the boundaries between tradition and modernity, but also infuses new vigor and vitality into the Chenghe willow weaving industry.

6. Using Internet platforms to promote online empowerment

First and foremost, willow weaving companies should strategically establish domestic e-commerce live platforms such as Taobao Live, TikTok China, Kwai, and foreign e-commerce platforms like Amazon and TikTok to create an exclusive Chenghe willow weaving live account. This platform will showcase the vibrant world of willow weaving by sharing the craft’s history, artisan spirit, and daily production process to attract viewers’ attention. Regular live broadcasts will not only delve into the historical legacy and artisan spirit of willow weaving but also provide a detailed demonstration of the intricate production process for each product, allowing the audience to experience the unique charm of handicrafts. Furthermore, Students majoring in network marketing and live e-commerce from Xiangyang Polytechnic can be invited as hosts for these live broadcasts. These students possess professional e-commerce broadcasting skills along with a deep understanding of the cultural significance behind willow weaving craft. During their presentations, they will meticulously introduce each product’s features and backstory while addressing viewer inquiries in real-time. They’ll also demonstrate how to use products and offer matching suggestions. To further enhance Chenghe willow weaving’s brand influence, companies can actively pursue collaborations with Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) on social media platforms that promote traditional crafts and culture. These KOLs typically boast large fan bases with significant influence; their endorsements can swiftly capture consumer attention. Throughout these partnerships, content is co-planned with KOLs to seamlessly integrate Chenghe willow weaving into their lifestyle shares. For instance, in pastoral life videos, KOLs may leisurely stroll through fields carrying woven baskets—showcasing both practicality and beauty of these products；in the travel vlog, KOLs can show willow weaving handicrafts as travel souvenirs to the audience and share the cultural stories behind them. In this way, it can not only increase the brand awareness and reputation of Chenghe willow weaving, but also attract more potential consumers to pay attention to and buy the products. At the same time, it can also help the willow weaving company to better understand the needs and preferences of consumers and provide strong support for future product development and marketing.

7. Building industrial parks and improving the industrial chain

The establishment of a willow weaving industry agglomeration and industrial park in Chenghe Town has the potential to significantly enhance the growth and specialization of the willow weaving industry. In addition to providing a physical concentration space for the industry, the agglomeration can also foster a strong aggregation effect in technology, talents, resources, and other areas, thereby promoting the overall upgrading and development of the entire industry (Tian Yuan, 2019). To achieve this goal, it is essential to conduct a comprehensive investigation of Chenghe Town and its surrounding areas. This should include an analysis of local resources, environment, transportation, population distribution, and other fundamental conditions. Additionally, it is crucial to assess the current state and future trajectory of the willow weaving industry. Based on this analysis, a detailed plan for the industrial agglomeration and industrial park should be developed. This plan should encompass site selection, area allocation, functional zoning, architectural style considerations as well as environmental aspects such as greening initiatives. Furthermore, the Chenghe Township government should implement preferential policies for the willow weaving industrial park in order to retain local talent and attract foreign investment. One such policy could involve formulating supportive frameworks including tax incentives, land concessions, and financing support which would reduce enterprises’ operational costs while improving their attractiveness within the park’s vicinity.At the same time, strengthen cooperation with government departments, financial institutions, scientific research institutions, etc., and provide comprehensive support and services for enterprises in the parks. After vigorously supporting the development of the industry, willow weaving companies should respond to the policy, enhance the integration of the industrial chain, and thus create the brand effect of Chenghe willow weaving. For example, each company can establish a mechanism of joint meetings of upstream and downstream enterprises in the industry chain held on a regular basis to discuss and solve the problems and challenges together. It helps to enhance trust and understanding among enterprises and promote information sharing and cooperation. It also encourages upstream and downstream enterprises in the industry chain to establish cooperative alliances to reduce costs and improve overall competitiveness through joint research and development, procurement and sales. In addition, it strengthens brand publicity and promotion efforts to improve brand awareness and reputation. At the same time, focusing on brand image shaping and maintenance, to establish a good social image and reputation for the enterprise.

8. Cultivating talents to inherit willow weaving skills

It’s no doubt that talent is the core driving force of industrial development. In the process of promoting Chenghe willow weaving through specialization, clustering and refinement, the cultivation and introduction of talents are particularly important. A perfect talent training system should be built, including the establishment of a specialized training base or school in the park, to strengthen the training of traditional craftsmen and skills inheritance work. At the same time, high-quality professionals and management personnel should be actively introduced and cultivated to provide strong talent support for industrial development. To this end, the Willow Weaving Company and Chenghe Township government can make joint efforts to set up a specialized willow weaving handicraft school in the park, providing a full set of courses from basic to advanced, covering willow weaving techniques, history and culture, marketing and other aspects. Or establish close cooperation with local universities or vocational schools to jointly offer courses related to willow weaving techniques, providing students with practice opportunities and employment channels. Practice bases can also be set up in the park to provide students with a real production environment, so that they can learn and master the willow weaving skills in practice. To inject new vitality into the inheritance and development of willow weaving, the younger generation can be encouraged to participate in the study and practice of the willow weaving industry. For example, campus activities on willow weaving skills, such as handicraft courses and interest groups, can be carried out in primary and secondary schools and universities to cultivate the younger generation’s interest and hobby in the willow weaving industry. College students and vocational school students can also be provided with internship opportunities in willow weaving enterprises, so that they can learn about the importance of the willow weaving industry and the inheritance of skills in practice. Alternatively, scholarships and bursaries can be set up to encourage young students to learn willow weaving skills in depth and provide them with financial support.

CONCLUSION

As an important intangible cultural heritage, Chenghe Willow Weaving is a traditional handicraft as well as a cultural carrier. It carries rich research value in various aspects such as humanities, history, agriculture, and science with the changes of the lives. Undoubtedly, the difficulties it faces in inheriting and industry constrain its development. The Internet has brought exchanges and communications around the world, so it is inevitable to explore the digital communication and industrial integration of Chenghe wickerwork from the perspective of the Internet. The exploration of digital transmission and development of Chenghe wickerwork, an intangible cultural heritage within a kind of niche group, will inevitably lead to a great result of transmission and creative development from digital channels. It can activate the endogenous dynamic in rural industries and establish a cooperative development model of “industry & Internet”, thus promoting the revitalization of the rural industries.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

This study is sponsored by 2023 National Innovation Training Program of the Higher Education Department of the Ministry of Education in China “Exploring the Humanistic Empowerment of Rural Revitalization in the Digital Economy Era—Taking Chenghe Willow weaving as an Example” (Project Number: D202305281842170204).

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