Unique willow-woven slippers are showcased in the village of Wantou in Boxing county, Binzhou, east China’s Shandong Province. Located near Mada Lake, Boxing county is rich in water, grasslands other resources, providing an ideal environment for willow weaving. With a history spanning over 800 years, both willow weaving and straw weaving are included in the national and provincial intangible cultural heritage lists. The craft enables Boxing county’s weavers to create incomes and lead better lives. (Photos provided by Li Le; edited by Chen Yantong)

Pictured is a life-sized statue made from willow and straw in Wantou village of Binzhou city, east China’s Shandong Province.

Skilled artisans weave straw and willow products in Wantou village of Binzhou, east China’s Shandong Province.

An array of willow and straw products are showcased in Wantou village, Boxing county, Binzhou city, east China’s Shandong Province. Wantou’s villagers use a simple set of tools including a stool, a bundle of bulrush and weaving frames to create over 2,000 types of straw and willow products, including baskets, dolls, mats, cushions and bags, which are exported worldwide.

A woven stool adorned with the red Chinese character 福 (pronounced fu, meaning “fortune”) in Wantou village of Binzhou, east China’s Shandong Province. Over 60 percent of Wantou’s population is engaged in straw and willow weaving, where it has been passed down through the generations.