Gourd cultivation and handicraft production are thriving in Tangyi Town of Liaocheng City in east China’s Shandong Province, where the traditional industry is supporting rural development.
The local government has been promoting the gourd industry as part of its rural revitalization efforts, helping expand cultivation and develop a wider range of gourd-based products.
The area under gourd cultivation in Tangyi has now exceeded 10,000 mu, or about 667 hectares. Local artisans have also developed more than 10 categories of gourd-processing crafts, turning the traditional crop into a variety of cultural and creative products.
Visitors to the town can see and purchase gourd artworks and other handmade products, while workers continue processing the gourds into decorative and artistic items.