On July 6, 2026, Longsheng Various Nationalities Autonomous County in Guilin unveiled the “Longsheng·Ewen Cooperative Workshop” in Xiaozhai Village, Longji Township. The opening also launched the first Red Yao embroidery training class, marking the formal start of the “Longji Impression” three-year development plan.
Red Yao Dress-Making Earned National ICH Status
Xiaozhai Village sits in the heart of the Longji Rice Terraces and is a major center of Red Yao culture. Red Yao women’s garments are known for deep red and rose tones, with cuffs and hemlines carrying batik and embroidery passed down orally. The craft was listed as national intangible cultural heritage in 2014 and is often described as a history book worn on the body.
The production process covers silk making, spinning, weaving, batik, and embroidery, with each step learned through observation and practice rather than written manuals. Patterns often record migration routes, clan symbols, and natural worship, making the garments both clothing and cultural documents.
Ewen Group Brings Five Industrial Pillars
In January 2026, Longsheng signed an agreement with Ewen Group to build the project around five areas: a pattern database, base workshops, artisan training, brand events, and promotion. Ewen·China Handicraft Workshop, which has worked in more than 140 villages and operates over 1,600 rural family workshops, brings a pattern archive of more than 9,200 heritage designs.
Training will run simultaneously in Panni Village and Xiaozhai Village, with three sessions in each location, thirty trainees per session, and a total of 180 rural artisans. The two villages will specialize differently. Xiaozhai will focus on “Long Xiaoman” cultural creative products such as cushions, backpacks, and pendants. Panni will concentrate on Red Yao ethnic garment production. Through Ewen Group’s national network of more than 500 stores, “Deep Mountain Bazaar” pop-ups, and airport duty-free outlets, the products will reach domestic and international buyers.
Pan Wanjiao, a municipal-level intangible heritage inheritor and workshop representative, said the opening means embroidery is no longer a skill kept in storage but a source of real income. Local officials emphasized three goals: keeping ethnic culture alive, strengthening tourism integration, and helping residents earn from their craft.
The first training class graduated on July 12, with trainees receiving certificates and producing the first batch of “Long Xiaoman” cushions. The project is one example of how rural intangible heritage is being converted into a market-linked creative industry, with design, production, and sales managed through a corporate partner while the craft remains rooted in village life.