Hubei Zigui: Mugwort Becomes a "Treasure for Getting Rich"
Quick Look
- In Zigui County, Hubei Province, the traditional craft of making mugwort for the Dragon Boat Festival has become a significant source of income.
- The local industry, centered around the unique climate and soil ideal for growing high-quality mugwort, has developed a comprehensive value chain from cultivation to processing, e-commerce, and cultural tourism, boosting villagers' incomes and preserving cultural heritage.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The article describes how the traditional craft of making mugwort products for the Dragon Boat Festival in Zigui County, Hubei Province, has been transformed into a thriving local industry. This initiative leverages the region's unique climate and soil, which are ideal for growing high-quality mugwort, a plant with cultural significance tied to the ancient poet Qu Yuan.
中新网湖北秭归6月11日电 题：湖北秭归：“端午艾”变身“致富宝”
作者 李彩云 郭晓莹
临近端午，湖北省秭归县九畹溪村屈艾加工车间内，电动石碾加足马力转动。宜昌市级非物质文化遗产端午制艾技艺代表性传承人宋发龙，捧起一撮刚加工完成的金艾绒，只见其色泽金黄、绒丝如絮。
加工完成的艾绒质地绵密。彭强 摄
坐落于三峡西陵峡畔的九畹溪，相传是屈原开坛讲学、植兰修性之地。当地独特的气候条件与肥沃土壤，孕育出叶厚绒密、品质优良的艾草。挂艾沐浴、缝制香包等端午民俗在此代代相传、绵延至今。
农民正在地里收割新鲜艾草。彭强 摄
宋发龙自幼跟随长辈研习制艾技艺，长大后扎根家乡深耕艾草特色产业。他盘活村内闲置资源，优先流转脱贫户土地建成标准化艾草基地，开办制艾工坊，重点吸纳留守老人、妇女就近就业，将寻常乡间艾草，打造成传承楚文化、带动村民增收的特色富民产业。
加工车间内，45岁的王京琼正熟练卷制艾条，动作高效利落。“以前常年外出打工，现在家门口就能挣钱，还能兼顾家庭和农活，每月能赚三千多元。”王京琼道出了当地村民的生活新变化。目前，该工坊稳定带动百余名村民就业，并培育近50名制艾手艺人、8名非遗代表性传承人，让古老的端午制艾技艺在乡土大地扎根延续、焕发新生。
工人对制作完成的艾绒进行筛选。彭强 摄
近年来，九畹溪推动艾草产业与文旅、研学深度融合，打造制艾体验区，常态化开展制作端午香包等沉浸式体验活动，让游客在缕缕艾香中体验屈原故里端午民俗与古法技艺。
据了解，除了九畹溪，秭归多个乡镇也大力推广艾草种植和加工。该县艾草种植面积已突破3000亩，并形成了集种植、加工、电商销售、文旅开发为一体的艾草产业链，探索出半高山特色农业发展新模式，小小艾草已成为村民的“致富宝”。(完)
Open Questions
- What is the exact market size and growth rate of the Zigui mugwort industry?
- Are there plans for further expansion or diversification of the mugwort products?
- What specific challenges, if any, does the industry face in terms of sustainability or market competition?
- How is the 'non-material cultural heritage' status of the mugwort-making technique being protected and promoted?
