On September 10th, the 2025 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) opened in Beijing. In the Sichuan Comprehensive Exhibition Hall, the "Yanbian · Lisu Ethnic Group's Costume" brand, part of the "Intangible Cultural Heritage of Sichuan · A Hundred Arts from A Hundred Cities" program, made its appearance at CIFTIS with the theme of "The Extraordinary Intangible Cultural Heritage". Through its unique display of intangible cultural heritage (ICH)-themed cultural and creative products, it has opened a new window for the international dissemination of Yanbian's culture.

The Yanbian · Lisu Ethnic Group's Costumes draw inspiration from the essence of nature. They are crafted using "huocao" (fire grass) weaving technique; their designs incorporate elements such as flowers from seventy-seven mountains (as patterns on clothing), rainbows (as belts), rolling mountains (as skirt patterns), and flowing rivers (as pillar-like decorative elements). The embroidered patterns on the costumes record "the journey of the ancestors when they arrived", and each garment and accessory takes a whole year (going through all four seasons) to complete. These costumes carry the ethnic group's history, beliefs, and ecological philosophy.

In 2023, the craftsmanship of making Lisu Ethnic Group's Costumes was included in Sichuan Province's list of intangible cultural heritage items. In 2024, the Yanbian · Lisu Ethnic Group's Costumes were selected into Sichuan's "Intangible Cultural Heritage of Sichuan · A Hundred Arts from A Hundred Cities" program, and also won awards such as the "Most Popular Award" at the INSPIRO Sustainable Consumption Creative Show organized by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the "Merit Award" in the (Start-up Category) of the National Women's Handicraft Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition. This year, the Yanbian Lisu Ethnic Group's Costumes have successively appeared at multiple international exhibitions and events, including China International Fashion Week, the 20th China Western International Fair, and the 12th World Games 2025. It has achieved a leap from being hidden in remote mountainous areas to stepping onto the international stage, and from static preservation to dynamic inheritance. Moreover, it has built an ecological chain of "cultural IP incubation - commercial transformation - international communication", providing a reference model for the innovation of ethnic culture and regional development.

At the exhibition site, a variety of ethnic-style items such as dresses, satchels, hats, and accessories won the hearts of on-site audiences and guests with their unique and bright color matching, as well as embroidery techniques that combine traditional craftsmanship with modern aesthetics.

The Yanbian Lisu Ethnic Group's Costumes have once again appeared on the international stage, transforming the profound ethnic memories into every stitch and thread. They have showcased the profound charm of Yanbian's culture to audiences around the world and injected vivid vitality into the inheritance and development of Yanbian's ethnic culture. Gu Yan, the person in charge of the brand, stated that they will continue to take opportunities such as participating in Sino-French Fashion Week, use the universal language of design in the world to tell the cultural stories of Yanbian, promote the innovation of intangible cultural heritage and international dialogue, and enable this intangible cultural heritage to be "worn on the body", go abroad, and step into the future.

In recent years, Yanbian has deeply explored its "cultural treasure trove" of 46 intangible cultural heritage items. Centering on the "a single flower of intangible cultural heritage" concept, it has innovatively implemented the "ICH +" integration strategy. It has successively built 2 ICH inheritance and learning centers and 7 ICH workshops, developed cultural and creative products such as Lisu ethnic costumes and Miao batik, and promoted the in-depth integrated development of agriculture, commerce, culture, tourism, and health preservation across the region. (Text/Photos by Yang Guofang)