At the Taojia Courtyard Cultural Museum in Dawukou district, Shizuishan, Ningxia Hui autonomous region, vibrant scenes of people, landscapes, birds and flowers come to life on gourds, showcasing the exquisite craft of gourd pyrography.

Works of gourd pyrography displayed at the Taojia Courtyard Cultural Museum in Dawukou district, Shizuishan, Ningxia Hui autonomous region [Photo by Zhang Yating/cn.chinadaily.com.cn]

“Having gourds in the household brings prosperity,” said Tao Ruizhen, a gourd craft inheritor from Ningxia. 

“My family yard has been growing gourds since I was young, and I realized that cultivating and painting them can generate income. Therefore, I encouraged several women in our village to join me in the business.”

Tao founded the Chaohu Ruibao Craft Gourd Planting Cooperative, since cultivating over 5.33 hectares of gourds. The operation model of the cooperative has engaged over 280 people, generating over 2 million yuan ($0.28 million) and increasing planter income by over 20,000 yuan. It serves as a model for the“Intangible Cultural Heritage Supporting Precision Poverty Alleviation” initiative in Shizuishan.

Painted gourds at the Taojia Courtyard Cultural Museum [Photo by Zhang Yating/cn.chinadaily.com.cn]

Tao also has provided training in gourd pyrography and carving, paper-cut art for people with disabilities, displaced farmers, laid-off workers and immigrants from various ethnic groups, fostering strong bonds while helping them start their own businesses.

Tao Ruizhen with a woodburn gourd [Photo by Zhang Yating/cn.chinadaily.com.cn]

Tao and other inheritors have committed to using gourd engraving as a medium to showcase iconic Chinese cultural symbols such as the Great Wall, along with traditional festivals including the Mid-Autumn Festival.