The Tianze wood culture museum in Linyi, East China's Shandong province, is bustling with visitors this winter. This private museum, founded by Jiang Kaifeng in 2014, houses over 55,000 wood artifacts collected since the 1990s. It has become a vibrant hub for intangible cultural heritage (ICH) industries, attracting artisans and visitors alike.

Jiang Kaifeng, the founder of the Tianze wood culture museum in Linyi, East China's Shandong province. [Photo/Dazhong News]

The museum's unique charm lies in its integration of ICH. It features China's first folk art courtyard, home to workshops specializing in wood and copper arts. Here, artisans like Hu Fake, a 56-year-old ICH inheritor of wood rubbing, create unique products with innovative traditional patterns. Bai Qingxia, a designer, was inspired by the museum's extensive collection to move her workshop into the courtyard, joining others like Zhang Liming, who credits the museum for boosting his business through design collaborations.

The museum also promotes sustainability. Jiang has turned wood shavings into scented products, introducing a new industry. In October, artist Liu Enshui opened his studio, exploring the fusion of painting and wood culture through incense mud paintings.

Currently, 17 ICH artists are operating multiple venues within the museum, including a wood rubbing research institute, bronze rubbing workshop, and coffee shop. The Tianze wood culture museum has not only revitalized traditional crafts but also created a thriving cultural ecosystem, blending tradition with innovation.

Hu Fake, a wood rubbing artist. [Photo/Dazhong News]

The museum offers a perfect space for designer Bai Qingxia to work. [Photo/Dazhong News]