On the 10th, the tenth day of the first lunar month, Li Xiaomei, who was still busy at the folklore exhibition, was very happy, because the LiHou tiger he produced was very popular with the public.
Coinciding with the Year of the Tiger, Li Xiaomei, as the provincial representative inheritor of the LihouHu Project of the national intangible cultural heritage, has been busy making orders for Lihouhu from home and abroad since October last year.
Lihou hu is a wonderful flower of folk handicrafts in Licheng County. Courtesy of respondents
"I was busy until Chinese New Year's Eve afternoon, and I started to work again at noon on the first day of the Chinese New Year." Li Xiaomei told reporters that compared with previous years, this year's orders have soared, and many overseas orders have been received, although busy and tired, but very happy.
Lihou Tiger, also known as BuHu, is a popular folk tiger fabric in Lihou Town, Licheng County, Shanxi Province, and the area around Shuhepu Township, named after the ancient name of Lihou in Licheng County, which is a strange flower of folk handicrafts in Licheng County.
Lihouhu originated from the folk custom of using the tiger as a totem in the Shang and Zhou Dynasties, and after 3,000 years of historical evolution, it has gradually improved and shaped today. Its vivid shape, majestic style, in the folk have blessings, town houses, wealth and other cultural connotations, known as "China's first tiger".
Lihouhu originated from the folk custom of using the tiger as a totem in the Shang and Zhou Dynasties. Courtesy of respondents
As an inheritor, Li Xiaomei has been engaged in the production of Li Houhu for decades. According to her introduction, in her hometown of Beiguihua Village, Lihou Town, when villagers have children or happy events in their homes, they will place Lihou tigers to symbolize blessings and longevity, and settle down and make money.
Because the elders in Li Xiaomei's family will make Li Houhu, often help the neighbors sew, influenced by the elders, Li Xiaomei has a special love for Li Houhu since childhood, often helping grandparents and parents to make some small accessories. Gradually, she understood the whole process of making Li Houhu.
At first, Li Houhu was only known in the area of Licheng County. Until the Year of the Tiger in the Lunar Calendar in 1998, Li Houhu was designated as a zodiac stamp pattern and soon became famous throughout the country. In July 2008, Li Houhu was officially identified as an exhibit of folk crafts at the Beijing Olympic Games, and its cultural connotation and historical value once again attracted attention.
Li Houhu, who is famous at home and abroad, has made the demand of the people soar. At that time, Li Xiaomei, who was proficient in making Li Houhu, and her family worked day and night to make Li Houhu, and also hired women in the village to make small accessories. Even so, it is still unable to complete a steady stream of orders in time.
Out of love for Li Houhu, in 2008, 34-year-old Li Xiaomei quit her job as a nurse and worked with her father in the production of Li Houhu.
Over the years, Li Xiaomei has consistently adhered to the love for Li Houhu and the belief in further carrying forward and expanding. As a traditional representative handicraft, although LiHouhu was once popular, after the heat receded, the current situation of Lihouhu was still unsatisfactory.
As an inheritor, Li Xiaomei is full of worries about the future of Li Houhu. In addition to her worries, Li Xiaomei actively sought a solution. She believes that innovative products, so that Li Houhu products diversification, closer to life can make Li Houhu process lasting. At present, Li Xiaomei is actively building Li Houhu's diversified products.
In 1998, the Lunar Year of the Tiger, Li Houhu was designated as a zodiac stamp pattern, and soon became famous throughout the country. Courtesy of respondents
"If Li Houhu wants to be recognized by the market, he needs to repeatedly integrate with the market, from excavation, research and development, to blossoming everywhere, which takes time to accumulate." Fortunately, I am still young. Li Xiaomei said that today, the Year of the Tiger has once again made Li Houhu widely known to the public, and during the exhibition, the small pendants made of cloth tigers are very popular with children.
"Because it is the Year of the Tiger, there are many people who buy Li Houhu, which is also a good opportunity to publicize LiHouhu." Li Xiaomei said.
Source: China News Network