Recently, a Miao embroidery tiger-head hat from Shibadong Village went viral online, showcasing the Miao embroidery—an intangible cultural heritage from Huayuan County—to the world. During the Dragon Boat Festival, consumer interest in folk cultural products continued to rise.

Embroiderers are busy working to fulfill orders at the Shibadong Miao Embroidery Rural Revitalization Demonstration Base. (Photo/Wu Xiangshen)

The workshop in the Shibadong Miao Embroidery Rural Revitalization Demonstration Base is bustling with activity. Embroiderers are working at full speed to produce 1,000 Forbidden City co-branded mugwort hammers. Dozens of embroiderers work together, selecting aged sun-dried local mugwort, stuffing the hammers, hand-stitching the Miao-embroidered covers, and reinforcing the handles. Every stitch comes from the hands of Miao embroiderers, carrying the warmth and dedication of craftsmanship.

Mugwort is a signature symbol of the Dragon Boat Festival. Since ancient times, Chinese people have hung it over doors to ward off evil and pray for peace. As the Chinese character 艾 (mugwort) shares the same pronunciation as 爱 (love), it carries the blessing of "where there is love, there is good fortune." Unlike mass-produced products from production lines, each stitch of the handmade mugwort hammer is filled with warmth, offering both health benefits and sentimental value.

In 2023, Shibadong Village's Miao embroidery team partnered with the Palace Museum design team to launch co-branded products. The same year, Miao embroidery cultural creations made their debuts at the cultural and creative space and intangible cultural heritage exhibition halls inside the Palace Museum. Mugwort hammers and Miao embroidery butterfly brooches are the two flagship products. The viral tiger-head hat also comes from the same Miao embroidery industry system, designed by a post-2000s designer from Xiangxi Vocational and Technical College for Nationalities. Using the thousand-year-old classic "dog-tooth stitch" technique and blending it with modern aesthetics, the tiger-head hat has secured over 10,000 orders.

Hand-made mugwort hammers. (Photo/Wu Xiangshen)

Wu Manjin, director of the Miao embroidery base, said, "Since the mugwort hammer launched, we have received repeat orders during festivals every year, making it a perennial bestseller. The deadline for this batch of 1,000 hammers is quite tight, so all embroiderers are racing against time to fulfill the order. Although handmaking is time-consuming, we strictly control quality for every piece and never skip any step, ensuring that Miao craftsmanship and the blessings of the Dragon Boat Festival are fully reflected in each hammer."

Leveraging the traditional cultural IP of the Palace Museum and integrating the unique stitches in Xiangxi's Miao embroidery intangible cultural heritage, this mugwort hammer has enjoyed a lasting reputation as one of the top-rated cultural creative products in its category. In the Palace Museum's official creative product online store, such Miao embroidery mugwort hammers maintain a 100% positive review rate. Many consumers have left comments praising its auspicious meaning and exquisite workmanship, considering it both a great health product for relaxing neck and shoulders and a distinctive Dragon Boat Festival gift for friends and family.

Embroiderers are busy working to fulfill orders. (Photo/Wu Xiangshen)

A small mugwort hammer connects Miao embroidery—a national-level intangible cultural heritage, the Palace Museum creative brand, and traditional Dragon Boat Festival customs. Behind the enduring partnership lies the market's sustained recognition of handcrafted intangible cultural heritage items. Wu Manjin said that, in addition to the mugwort hammer, the two sides have also jointly developed a range of creative products such as Miao embroidery handbags and embroidered accessories, continuously bringing intangible heritage out of the mountains to a wider market.

"The hammers are filled with wild mugwort growing in Xiangxi's mountains. Once finished, they'll be delivered to Beijing. Knowing that people from all over the country can enjoy our Miao products, we are truly happy," said embroiderer Long Xiangjin with a smile.

Wu Manjin shared the figures,"Miao embroidery products have been repeatedly sold out since their debut at the Palace Museum, with the wellness set achieving a 100% sell-out rate. The project has benefited over 500 women in eight villages, boosting their average monthly income by over 2,000 CNY. The sales of the Palace Museum mugwort hammer alone exceeded one million CNY in 2025, making it a key driver of income growth."

From the viral tiger-head hat to the popular mugwort hammer, Shibadong Miao embroidery is stepping out of the deep mountains and onto the national stage with a series of hit cultural products. Traditional festivals empower intangible cultural heritage creations, and intangible heritage crafts add color to rural revitalization. This Dragon Boat Festival, Miao embroidery mugwort hammers are continuously being sent from Xiangxi's mountains to across the nation, allowing more people to experience the warmth and vitality of intangible cultural heritage.

This article is from Hunan Provincial Government. www.enghunan.gov.cn.

Translator: Pang Yuehui

Chinese source: hunantoday