Scattered Scenes Along Mei Creek

According to a local family’s book of records, Mei Creek has more than 1,000 years of history, the beginnings of which can be traced back to the Song Dynasty. A number of important scholars and members of the literati originate from the village, their poems having been recorded in the aforementioned family’s chronicles. One series of poems describes 10 scenes along the Mei creek — “Stone horse carrying the mist” and “Snow covering the bamboo forest next to Mei Creek” are just two of several beautifully crafted images inspired by the village. Time has passed, the water of Mei Creek is still running, but these picturesque scenes are long gone. Now characterized by white “snow,” red balls, green belts and a myriad of other holiday ornaments, the village now produces more than 50% of China’s Christmas exports. All of them are handmade; some are designed and manufactured by the villagers themselves, despite the fact that most of the tools they use to make these Christmas ornaments are actually designed for farming. Somehow, they manage to utilize these misplaced tools to create perfect final products!

 
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