Wu Liangliang launches a series of horse-themed products using Nantong blue calico printing and dyeing techniques. [Photo/WeChat account: wxtzfb]

To mark the Chinese New Year of the Horse, Wu Liangliang, a Tongzhou-born inheritor of Nantong blue calico, has launched a series of creative horse-shaped products, sending auspicious blessings through traditional craftsmanship.

Testament to their immediate appeal, two of his newly released pendants are flying off the shelves. One features copper coins attached on either side, symbolizing prosperity; the other is paired with pouches representing good fortune.

Shouldering the responsibility of preserving the skills of blue calico printing and dyeing, Wu left Shanghai for Erjia town, his hometown in Tongzhou, in 2013. Eight years later, he started a studio at a local factory, initiating the integration of intangible cultural heritage into everyday life through cultural creations.

"The reason we create diverse cultural products is to enable people to naturally pass on these skills through daily use," said Wu.

Looking ahead, Wu plans to expand beyond Nantong, participating in exhibitions nationwide to broaden public awareness of this prized example of local heritage.