Longquan, Zhejiang, is renowned for its swords and distinguished by its celadon. In recent years, based on its core cultural resources of "one sword and one celadon", Longquan has deeply cultivated the path of cultural inheritance, industrial upgrading and cross-border integration. Through three-dimensional efforts of "deepening, materialization and transformation", it has further promoted the cultural brand of "Wenrun Longquan · Exquisite Quality", driving the millennium-old intangible cultural heritage to radiate contemporary vitality through inheritance and innovation.

Deepening: The Foundation of Cultural Context Becomes More Solid

Cultural inheritance lies in tracing the origin and empowering the soul. With a systematic thinking, Longquan excavates the core of sword and celadon culture, expands cultural influence with an open attitude, and transforms sleeping historical heritage into vivid symbols of civilization.

The World Heritage application journey of the Dayao Longquan Kiln Site serves as a vivid footnote to cultural deepening. The site was successfully included in China's Tentative List of World Cultural Heritage and identified as an important inland starting point of the Maritime Silk Road.

Celadon screen fans at the National Archives of Publications and Culture (Hangzhou Branch). Photo by Wang Jianlong

To reshape the ultimate beauty of Song Dynasty charm and highlight the eternal kiln fire, Longquan launched the "Rejuvenating National Treasures · Reappearing Classics" Longquan Celadon Series Replication Project, organizing craftsmen of three generations (senior, middle-aged and young) to jointly replicate 100 handed-down classics, promoting the inheritance and innovation of celadon; compiled and completed *Records of Longquan Swords* and *Records of Longquan Celadon*, systematically sorting out the cultural context of sword and celadon to provide historical reference for industrial development; built a cultivation system of "universities and research institutes + local colleges + industrial platforms", training more than 4,000 cross-border talents in the past three years, and advancing over 30 projects for industrial upgrading and cultural empowerment.

From the Dragon Boat Festival sword-forging ceremony to Longquan celadon costumes at Milan Fashion Week, from celadon screen fans at the National Archives of Publications and Culture (Hangzhou Branch) to banquet porcelain used in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, from international exhibitions to the establishment of display corners in multiple countries, Longquan swords and celadon have entered the whole country and the world through diverse carriers, with cultural communication covering more than 160 countries and regions globally.

Materialization: Industrial Development Surges Forward

The vitality of culture ultimately lies in the sustainable development of industries. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, Longquan has registered a total of 11,000 new market entities in the sword and celadon industry, with the industrial added value of the sword and celadon industry growing at an average annual rate of 10.6%. More than 60 new technology-based enterprises at or above the provincial level and 233 individual-to-enterprise transformations have been added, with over 30,000 employees, making the sword and celadon industry one of the typical models for the transformation and upgrading of historical classic industries in the province.

Technological empowerment breaks through industrial development bottlenecks. The "Longquan Celadon AI Design Digital System", which is under research and development, can complete the whole process from 2D patterns to 3D printed samples in 15 minutes, significantly improving the efficiency of design and sampling, and enabling traditional craftsmen to bid farewell to the inefficient mode of "days of hand-drawing and half a month of sampling". The provincial-local collaborative science and technology project of Longquan celadon with a total investment of over 86 million yuan has overcome key technologies such as modification of celadon body and glaze and intelligent production, raising the product yield rate to over 90%.

"Porcelain Clothing" generated by AI. Provided by Longquan Convergence Media Center

Standardization construction escorts industrial development. Longquan has built the country's first industrial chain standard system for swords and daily-use knives, released Zhejiang's first Guidelines for the Graphic Expression of Intangible Cultural Heritage Projects and the National Standard for Ceramic Craft Artists, and formulated and implemented more than 10 provincial local standards.

Policy dividends and platform construction activate innovation momentum. Longquan has built a full-chain policy system for attracting, cultivating, retaining and utilizing young talents, and constructed over 100,000 square meters of maker spaces. Since 2022, 1,682 youth teams and more than 20,000 college graduates have come to Longquan to start businesses and work, with an increase of 12,000 highly skilled talents.

Market expansion enables "Made in Longquan" to go global. Leveraging enterprise resource advantages, Longquan's sword and celadon products have added 8 new overseas display points, launched on multiple cross-border e-commerce platforms, and obtained a permanent seat at the Canton Fair. In the past three years, Longquan has organized enterprises to participate in 676 domestic and foreign exhibitions, reducing exhibition costs by nearly 50%, accelerating the entry of Longquan cultural products into the global market.

Transformation: Cultural Vitality Infiltrates Urban and Rural Areas

Longquan has broken down the barriers between culture and industry, cities and life, promoting the transformation of sword and celadon culture from "heritage" to "resource" and its extension from "appreciation by a minority" to "sharing by the public", continuously releasing the practical value of cultural empowerment for a better life.

Urban construction brings culture to "life". New landmarks such as Wang'ou · Taoxichuan Cultural and Creative Block and Longquan Sword Museum (New Hall) have been opened to the public, while West Street Historical and Cultural Block and Dayao Longquan Kiln National Archaeological Site Park are accelerating quality upgrading, connecting cultural tourism routes spanning ancient and modern times. Sword and celadon charm is evident everywhere in urban architecture and public facilities, allowing citizens to feel the cultural appeal in daily life.

The traditional "Eternal Kiln Fire" Dragon Kiln Ignition Ceremony. Provided by Longquan Convergence Media Center

The integration of culture and tourism enriches the people's lives. Longquan has launched more than 40 experiential cultural tourism routes such as "Play with Clay" and "Forging Swords"; Xitou Village in Baoxi Township was successfully selected into the 2024 list of the World's "Best Tourism Villages", driving the development of homestays and cultural and creative industries in 26 surrounding villages, forming a positive cycle of "cultural experience - product consumption - brand communication".

The level of equalization of public cultural services continues to improve. The cultural service network composed of city study rooms, public fitness centers, urban football fields, cultural stations, etc., meets the needs of "15-minute accessibility, full-age coverage and multi-format integration", enabling Longquan citizens to truly realize the beautiful vision of "stepping out of home and encountering culture".