Rural Revitalization Enabled by Traditional Culture – A Case Study of Chenghe Willow Weaving

Rural Revitalization Enabled by Traditional Culture – A Case Study of Chenghe Willow Weaving

Zhang Liman, Yu Shaoyi, Wang Shaowen, Wang Lu*

Hubei Normal University, Huangshi, Hubei Province, China

*Corresponding author

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2024.806242

Received: 28 May 2024; Revised: 20 June 2024; Accepted: 24 June 2024; Published: 24 July 2024

ABSTRACT

Under the general acceptance of the concept of cultural self-confidence, the proposal of the protection policy of traditional cultural heritage, the cultural background of the trend of traditional Chinese culture and the comprehensive promotion of rural revitalization initiative in China in recent years, this paper combines the promotion of provincial intangible heritage Chenghe willow weaving technology and the development of related industrial chains to promote rural revitalization and development of specific cases. By analyzing the problem solving methods and the highlights of cultural promotion in the development process of Chenghe Willow weaving, this paper summarizes the organic methodology of China’s rural revitalization and the collaborative development of traditional culture in the current era.

Keywords: rural revitalization, excellent traditional Chinese culture, methodology, coordinated development

BACKGROUND OF THE RESEARCH

The report of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China proposed to comprehensively promote rural revitalization and solidly promote the construction of rural industries, talents, culture, ecology and organizations (Xinhau net:2023-04-04). The report also pointed out that traditional Chinese culture has a long history and is extensive and profound, and called for telling China’s stories well, promoting cultural self-confidence and self-improvement, strengthening the protection of cultural heritage, and enhancing the spread of Chinese civilization (Tao Ying, Wang Qiang, Peng Binqian, 2024).

Willow weaving is the national intangible cultural heritage, and Chenghe willow weaving belongs to the provincial cultural heritage. As the spiritual wealth of the local people, making full use of the willow weaving is an important guide and important driving force to realize the prosperity of rural life and the comprehensive development of rural areas. With the gradual prominence of the role of traditional excellent culture in rural revitalization, it has become a “new engine” in the practice and exploration of rural construction and development.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE RESEARCH

Through Chenghe willow, the local customs, geography, climate, soil and water quality, historical changes can be examined. By studying the value of cultural industry embodied in the process of rural revitalization and the difficulties and problems that need to be solved, this paper provides thinking and countermeasures for the rural revitalization of Chenghe willow weaving.

Introduced in 2022 of the central committee of the communist party of China, the State Council about 2022 comprehensively promoting the rural revitalization of the key work opinion mentioned start cultural industry can assign rural revitalization plan, with cultural industry can assign rural cultural resources and natural resources utilization, accelerate the development of agricultural village modernization, and to continue to promote the development of rural 123 industrial integration, in the development of rural leisure tourism, rural electricity industry to carry out the branding, standardized production and other promotion action (Chinese government network, 2022). According to the above policy guidelines of the Party, the development of non-cultural heritage and creative products and the creation of rural non-cultural heritage brands are one of the ways to protect, inherit, develop and publicize the excellent traditional rural culture, and also an important way to transform cultural resources into economic capital and stimulate the endogenous power of rural development.

PROBLEM STATEMENT

Changhe willow weaving has a long history, with a history of more than 300 years. Chenghe Town is located in the northeast of Xiangyang City (Hubei Province Intangible Cultural Heritage Network, 2021.7.29). Due to its unique geographical location and wicker quality, this traditional willow weaving technology has gradually developed into a major characteristic industry in Chenghe Town. Chenghe willow weaving is not only a specialty of Chenghe Town, but also a protected product of China’s national geographical indication. It not only has practical and technological characteristics, but also embodies the long-term wisdom crystallization of the local people. It reflects the local folk customs and traditional culture.

After investigation, the willow weaving industry in Chenghe Town is still faced with the difficulties such as limited scale of development, insufficient exploration of willow weaving culture, and inadequate publicity of willow weaving culture. In digital economic resources, broad market, rural revitalization of the importance is highlighted, the relevant support policy continuously implement the background, to fully explore, maximize the use of Hubei provincial intangible cultural heritage, Chenghe willow economic value and cultural value, and promote the development of Chenghe town rural revitalization, explores the Chenghe willow weaving industry and cultural development inadequate reasons and the corresponding feasibility measures.

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

Chenghe willow weaving plays a significant role in the development of rural revitalization and the coordinated development of local excellent traditional culture in Chenghe Town. The project aims to identify current issues with Chenghe willow weaving through data analysis and field research, further analyze these issues, conduct in-depth enterprise surveys, and provide specific and feasible methodological suggestions and guidance for the development of Chenghe willow weaving’s cross-border e-commerce export model and its characteristic industrial chain. This will serve as a reference for the coordinated development of local rural revitalization and excellent cultural heritage.

RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS

As a provincial intangible cultural heritage, it is an important focus to promote the rural revitalization of Chenghe Town. It can be integrated into the rural revitalization construction through the following ways:

1. Cultural confidence and brand building: Through the protection and inheritance of willow weaving skills, to enhance the local residents’ sense of identity and confidence in traditional culture.

2. Industrial upgrading and diversification: Develop willow weaving cultural and creative products, and promote the transformation of rural economy from traditional agriculture to cultural and creative industries.

3. Social participation and shared development: to promote local residents to participate in the cultural industry, increase income sources, improve the quality of life, and achieve the goal of all-round rural revitalization.

4. Build a complete willow weaving industry chain: integrate the upstream and downstream branch industries of Chenghe willow weaving handicrafts, build a complete industrial chain, and promote the sustainable economic development of Chenghe Town.

RESEARCH METHODS

In the investigation of the status quo of the compilation, based on the existing literature and research results, researchers mainly adopts the following research methods:

(1) Case Study Method: Through in-depth case study of the history, current situation and development trend of it, its cultural value and social significance can be better understood. This method can help us to understand the traditional techniques, production process, and challenges and opportunities.

(2) SWOT Analysis: Through SWOT analysis, we can systematically evaluate the advantages, disadvantages, opportunities and threats of Chenghe willow weaving, so as to provide strategic suggestions for its development. This method is helpful to identify the position of Chenghe willow weaving in the market and propose targeted development strategies.

(3) Empirical Investigation Method: Through field investigation and interviews, the first-hand data is collected to understand the actual production and sales of Chenghe willow weaving, as well as the attitudes and needs of local residents for willow weaving technology. This approach can increase the reliability and utility of the study.

(4) Comparative Research Study: compare Chenghe willow with other parts of the willow weaving process, analyzing the characteristics of the three regions willow process and differences, so as to reveal the uniqueness and development potential

CHENGHE WILLOW WEAVING BENEFITS

Chenghe willow weaving has a long history. Its production history can be traced back to more than 300 years ago in the late Ming dynasty and early Qing dynasties. It is one of the three major export bases of willow weaving in China. Chenghe Town is located in the northeast of Xiangyang, with a mild and humid climate, high air quality, beautiful scenery and kind local style. The soil here is fat river, rich in water resources, especially suitable for planting wicker. Chenghe willow weaving is not only a handicraft, but also a kind of cultural inheritance. Since the late Ming dynasty and early Qing dynasties, the willow weaving techniques of different regions have been introduced into Chenghe Town. After hundreds of years of inheritance and development, the unique Chenghe willow weaving has been formed. Knitting techniques are rigorous and meticulous, including flat knitting, thread knitting, through knitting and so on. Chenghe willow weaving has the research value of humanities, history, agriculture and science. The Chenghe willow has regional and natural characteristics, and the willow weaving products have practical and technological characteristics. The willow weaving technology has historical and innovative characteristics, which is the long-term wisdom crystallization of the local people(Duan Siyuan, 2019).

The innovation of Chenghe Willow weaving not only adds “literary style” to Chenghe Town, enriches the spiritual life of the villagers, but also enhances the sense of honor and happiness, and enhances the sense of belonging and identity. While changing customs and cultivating new customs, it also boosts the spirit of striving for a better life.

Promoting the upgrading of rural industries and the development of cultural and creative industries will promote the transformation of rural areas from traditional agriculture to modern agriculture and from a single industry to diversified industries. Through the introduction of Chenghe cultural and creative projects, rural areas can expand the industrial chain, improve the added value of agricultural products, integrate with creative agriculture, rural home stay and other industries to form a complex economy, greatly improve the cultural consumption capacity of Chenghe Town tourism, and provide more diversified and in-depth experience of cultural tourism products. Form a more competitive rural industrial system.

By enriching grass weaving products and building a “grass weaving town”, create a comfortable and simple rural environment, and meet the cultural consumption needs of urban people to return to simplicity and improve the quality of life. Increase the people’s sense of identity with local culture. By building “Willow weaving Town”, integrating local cultural elements into cultural and creative products and consumer goods, providing the public with immersive cultural experience, increasing people’s recognition and identity of the hometown culture, and also stimulating the enthusiasm of the whole people to participate in the protection and development of local culture. (Zhang Chuyue, Chen Haiyan, Mei Li 2019)

THE PROBLEM OF ENABLING RURAL REVITALIZATION

1. Insufficient resource endowment

First of all, the lack of resource endowment is an important problem. Chenghe Willow characteristic town is located in the countryside. Although the environment is good, its resources are not rich compared with the characteristic town located around the city. The lack of unique cultural, historical and cultural resources is a challenge for the construction of characteristic towns and the development of willow weaving industry.

2. Industrial development is not perfect

The development of rural cultural and creative industries is mainly integrated with other industries, but Chenghe Willow Compilation Characteristic Town is lacking in industrial planning. At present, it mainly relies on traditional agricultural production and tourism, has a single industrial structure, and is vulnerable to market fluctuations, and lacks the impetus for sustainable development. Willow weaving industry has been in a state of tepid, no leading enterprises and scale production group, the lack of a complete production chain, no large-scale powerful enterprises to promote rural cultural creative industry marketization, lack of rural cultural entrepreneurship industry cluster, also difficult to form influential cultural creative industry brand, difficult to drive the influence of willow creative industry. Lead to the willow weaving economy is relatively weak, the lack of funds.

Willow weaving products are serious homogenization, creative products are insufficient. Rural industries may focus more on the practicality and cost-effectiveness of products, but a successful willow design puts more emphasis on cultural value and creative expression. To build a brand rich in regional and rural connotation, the local regional industrial elements are concentrated. By visiting local product enterprises, their production link link is mature, but the sales stage, from product positioning to packaging design and operation, lack of professional ability.

Most of the existing willow products are handmade, time-consuming, low efficiency, high cost, and single type, most of them are limited to daily necessities. The existing willow products are roughly divided into three categories. One is simple and practical life products, example if the basket, vegetable basket and other storage products. One is the healthy and environmentally friendly family products, such as back baskets, benches, seats. The other kind is the handicraft with artistic ornamental value. The future market trend is the most mainly in the third category, the lack of innovation and high-tech content. The demand in the market for the handicrafts with the value of artistic appreciation is increasing, but the innovation of the existing products still needs to be strengthened. To develop the rural cultural and creative industry, we should not only understand the development law of the cultural and creative industry, but also have the operation and management of the rural cultural and creative industry,

Therefore, although Chenghe Willow weaving has a history of more than 300 years, its popularity and influence are limited due to the lack of its own brand construction and promotion, which also limits the expansion of its market and the development of the industry.

4. The revitalization strategy of Chenghe in rural revitalization

The rural revitalization strategy has drawn up the grand plan of agricultural and rural modernization and comprehensively promoting the construction of a modern socialist country. In this strategy, facing the dual challenges of globalization and urbanization, rural areas are in urgent need to find a new path that can maintain their cultural characteristics and promote economic and social development. In this context, cultural and creative design, as a new force, is gradually becoming a key factor to promote rural revitalization. Rural intangible text and products, namely the country “intangible cultural heritage + cultural creativity” products, is the rural folk performing arts and traditional art and the combination of various material carrier, by following the development trend of The Times, continuous innovation and development, in the display of modern social elements at the same time, also promote the intangible cultural heritage and development. Excellent rural non-heritage cultural and creative products can not only effectively interpret the traditional cultural heritage contained in the rural intangible cultural heritage, but also have the practical value of commodities, and can constantly adjust and add new charm based on consumer feedback, so as to attract more consumers’ attention (Zeng Qiyun. Shaoyang, 2024). From 1998 to 2022, the per capital consumption of education, culture and entertainment of Chinese residents increased from 195 yuan to 2,469 yuan. With the improvement and upgrading of the cultural industry and tourism industry, cultural and creative products meet the public’s consumer demand for cultural connotation and experience, and are favored by the majority of students and white-collar workers.

Throughout the cultural and creative practice, good creativity is the key to the success of the project (Zhao Yuhe, Chen Haiyan, Meili. 2019). On the one hand, good ideas come from the deep understanding of rural characteristic culture, on the other hand, from the accurate grasp of contemporary life scenes. Only in this way can cultural and creative products win the market and achieve a double harvest of social benefits and economic benefits. In the context of rural revitalization, the development of rural cultural and creative resources can produce the comprehensive effect of economic development, improvement of people’s livelihood, and cultural inheritance. It is expected to form a joint force around cultural and creative development, make good use of rural cultural resources, and add beautiful scenery to rural revitalization.

According to the survey, the purchase frequency of Chinese consumers of cultural and creative products is mainly once a month, accounting for 31.0%, followed by once every 2-3 months, accounting for 23.7%; the unit price of products acceptable to more than 30% of consumers is 51-100 yuan, and the overall consumption of cultural and creative products is in the middle range. We can budget for our pricing accordingly.

MEASURES OF PROMOTING THE CHENGHE WEAVING

1. Excavate the local intangible cultural heritage elements in rural areas and clarify the design ideas

First of all, the combination potential of rural characteristic industries and intangible cultural heritage resources must be explored. This requires the design team to conduct in-depth investigation and analysis of the existing local industrial resources and intangible heritage assets. Interest is the best catalyst for consumption. According to the survey, more than 90% of consumers have the habit of collecting. They love art and culture, pursue individuality and uniqueness, pay attention to the beauty of products and artistic value, and cherish the little things of life. So in Chenghe willow design, the first thing to market research, clear the specific needs of consumer groups and preferences, and according to the research results, timely adjust product design, for example, for young consumers, need to optimize the design elements, simplify design and color, innovative product form and function, make the product retain the essence of traditional technology, and can meet the practical and aesthetic needs of modern consumers. At the same time, modern packaging and marketing strategies, such as the use of online platforms and social media for promotion, can also effectively establish direct communication and feedback mechanisms with consumers.

On the whole, at the time of design product to complete more product matrix, presents a practical, innovative, characterization, the basic principles of portability, combined with story, artistic, inheritance, elements, knowledge, fashion design elements, in publishing, wen, wallpaper, skin, skin, animation, games, APP, seven product lines for suitable Cheng HeLiu weaving promotion.

In addition, it is equally important to strengthen the market orientation of products. Secondly, according to the local production conditions, develop the design of intangible cultural heritage products, but attention should be paid to the localization of the design concept, and innovation of production technology. For example, modern textile technology, such as digital printing, can be introduced into traditional textile production to improve the production efficiency and pattern precision of willow weaving. At the same time, local sustainable resources, such as natural dyes and environmentally friendly materials, should be considered, which is not only in line with the environmental protection trend, but also can effectively improve the market competitiveness of the products.

2. Establish a rural culture brand

It takes a series of strategies and action plans to guide Chenghe Willow weaving to enable rural revitalization and build local benchmark brands. The government should guide and support Chenghe Town to build a cultural and creative design characteristic industrial base, gather design resources, and enhance the industrial agglomeration effect. The base should give full play to the advantages of the integration of industry and education, promote industrial development and technological renewal, and provide sustained impetus for rural revitalization. Using cultural and creative design to enhance the added value of the river willow weaving products and services, such as transforming traditional handicrafts into modern aesthetic and practical commodities. Develop new products and services based on rural culture, and improve the rural brand value and market competitiveness.

The government should provide necessary policy support and financial input to promote the combination of cultural and creative design and rural revitalization. A special fund will be set up to support the Chenghe willow weaving project and encourage private and corporate investment. Enhance the market competitiveness of agricultural products and handicrafts through design innovation. Help rural enterprises to carry out brand building, improve product packaging and marketing strategies, and build benchmark brands.(Zhu Hongyan, Kong Shaohua, Nan Nan 2024)

Finally, Cheng Liu will dig deep into IP and product value, grasp the “fan economy”, and improve consumption stickiness. In recent years, the emergence of a number of cultural IP such as “Bingdun Dun” and the Palace Museum has given Chinese cultural IP a good start. “Bingdun Dun” has achieved a sales of more than 5.5 million in just a few months, which also proves the huge potential of cultural and creative IP. IP commercialization enables IP of the same culture to be realized in diversified products and sales forms, bringing rich experience to consumers, and bringing more innovation increment to the cultural and creative industry. Therefore, in the design of Chenghe willow weaving, we should cater to the audience of different ages and genders with a “blowout” new speed, follow the trend and continue to do “attitude” product design to create explosive harvester.

3. Chenghe Willow weaving innovates and integrates the development of rural characteristic enterprises

It is also necessary to build a business model between intangible cultural heritage products and rural characteristic industries, such as establishing cooperatives, developing rural tourism and opening online and offline stores (China network, 2023). For example, through cooperatives, the resources of small-scale producers are integrated to improve production efficiency, while unifying the brand image to ensure product quality. In addition, rural tourism with non-heritage creation as the core can increase the local economic benefits and enhance the influence of Chenghe willow weaving.

Finally, continuous monitoring and evaluation of the market performance of products is also essential. To this end, the team should regularly collect consumer feedback, organize product and market evaluation meetings, and timely adjust and innovate the product line according to market dynamics and changes in consumer demand, so as to ensure the effective integration of rural characteristic industries and non-heritage creative design, and provide strong support for the revitalization of regional economy.

CONCLUSION

In the process of the modernization of socialism with Chinese characteristics, the countryside with traditional significance, wants to realize the modernization development and integrate into the trend of Chinese modernization, we must dig deep into the traditional culture and traditional handicrafts. Rural revitalization and the traditional development of rural culture are inseparable and complement each other. Although Chenghe willow weaving industry is a traditional handicraft industry, it is closely related to the modernization development and revitalization goal of Chenghe Town. This specific case of organic coordinated development industry and the industrial development path of common progress are worthy of reference and learning from other villages in China. Chenghe weaving adheres to the critical development of cultural inheritance; Chenghe weaving products develop with new materials, old materials represent new styles, market expansion with cross-border e-commerce platform, at the same time, Chenghe weaving industry develops according to local conditions, using local materials, absorb local labor, and these are like fresh water to provide nourishment for the industrial development, cultivate local craftsmen and industrial chain managers, forming a complete willow industry chain. When the industrial chain develops and matures and grows, the rooted intangible heritage culture of Chenghe Willow weaving also comes into the public view again, and the excellent traditional culture it carries once again shows new vitality.

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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