Villagers make products woven from willow on June 10 in Zhucun village of Linshu county, Shandong province. [Photo by Liang Ben for chinadaily.com.cn]

Linshu county in Shandong province is demonstrating how a centuries-old tradition can flourish in the modern global economy. The time-honored local craft of willow weaving has evolved from a household necessity into a thriving industry, providing livelihoods for nearly 100,000 people and reaching markets in over 80 countries and regions, according to statistics from the county government.