Success story in China of reactivation of the countryside with a combination of culture and tourism 

23-08-23

The clear sound of a whistle instantly captured the attention of curious onlookers, as they turned their gaze toward the small object in Yang Fan's hand.

This is a clay whistle, said Yang, an inheritor of intangible cultural heritage, explaining the history of the art of "fish-shaped clay whistling" to the visitors at the 10th West China Culture Industries Expo that concluded Sunday in Xi'an in northwest China's Shaanxi Province.

In the winter of 2019, Yang relocated his urban workshop to Xiaoyukou Village in Xi'an, nestled at the foot of the Qinling Mountains. He skillfully shaped clay into various objects in the quaint courtyard to pass on the craft.

Since opening its doors to visitors, Yang's workshop has welcomed hundreds of tourists almost every day, eager to experience the immersive craft of making clay whistles. This influx of visitors has further boosted the income of the villagers in Xiaoyukou.