The 4th Qingdao craft festival opened on Oct 16, running alongside the 10th China International Copyright Expo, which is taking place in Qingdao from Oct 16 to 18. The festival transformed a 70-square-meter exhibition zone into an immersive cultural experience merging traditional craftsmanship with modern design and digital technology.

As part of Shandong's "Local crafts, gifts from Qingdao" initiative, this year's festival leveraged the national expo platform to showcase the city's cultural creativity to domestic and global audiences.

The exhibition featured over 50 types of distinctive products, ranging from traditional shell carvings and Wanggezhuang steamed buns to contemporary cultural creations. Tsingtao Brewery's cultural derivatives stood out by blending beer culture with modern designs for food, skincare, and lifestyle products.

Ji Zhengqiang, general manager of Qingdao Dianbei Shijia, highlighted their innovative approach: "We've built a complete copyright protection system for mother-of-pearl artistry. Each design is registered, and traditional patterns are digitally archived - transforming this craft into replicable, transmittable cultural assets."

Live demonstrations, including Laoshan tea frying, diancha, a tea-making technique that resembles the technique of latte art, and Qi embroidery, allowed visitors to engage directly with traditional culture, proving how copyright protection fuels both innovation and market competitiveness in the cultural sector.

The 4th Qingdao crafts festival opens on Oct 16, running alongside the 10th China International Copyright Expo, which is taking place in Qingdao from Oct 16 to 18. [Photo/Qingdao News]

Laoshan tea, nurtured by the ocean breeze and mountain mists, offers a delicate taste with a subtle sweet finish — a true reflection of its unique coastal terroir. [Photo/Qingdao News]

Qi embroidery, a traditional craft from Shandong, embodies both cultural heritage and artistic delicacy. [Photo/Qingdao News]