Young artisan transforms Miao embroidery into modern fashion accessories

While studying design at Hubei Polytechnic University, Liu focused on transforming folk crafts and exploring intangible cultural heritage in everyday life. In 2020, he cofounded Studio Shanzi. "Shanzi is the seed that takes root and sprouts in the mountains," he explained.

During school breaks, Liu traveled to rural Miao villages to learn from local embroiderers and collect folk tales that now inspire his work. "Intangible heritage shouldn't sit in a museum," he said. "It's a living poem. It belongs in our daily lives."

Liu safeguards quality and creates jobs by training more than a dozen embroiderers through a centralized design and decentralized production model. With orders growing steadily, he is proving that centuries-old patterns can thrive in modern markets.