TAIYUAN — Although introduced to China from the Middle East, the art of glass-blowing has taken root in an ancient Chinese county and evolved into a vibrant specialty industry.
In Qixian county, Shanxi province, glass-blowing has not only integrated deeply into modern industry but also preserved cultural heritage and achieved global reach as it upgraded its industrial chain.
Tian Jian, director of the Qixian County Jin Merchant Culture Research Institute, says that the county's connection with glass-blowing began via the "tea road" pioneered by Shanxi merchants during the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911).
While trading across Eurasia, they brought back glass products and blowing techniques from Syria and other regions. After more than a century of development, Qixian has become China's core production area for hand-blown glassware, accounting for over 60 percent of domestic output. More than 70 percent of its products are exported to over 80 countries and regions worldwide. Qixian is also a major source of blown glass for Middle Eastern countries, according to Tian.
Beyond manufacturing, local glass enterprises have established intangible cultural heritage experience centers, attracting primary, secondary and university students to join study tours, thereby promoting and preserving this ancient craft.
Beside a 1,300-C furnace, waves of heat wash over the workspace as artisans wield two-meter-long blowpipes, skillfully turning glowing molten glass into delicate cups and vessels through blowing, rotating and pulling. Children gather around, watching intently, and gasping in awe.
This vivid scene unfolds at the study tour classroom in Qixian's Honghai Glass Cultural Industrial Park. The immersive heritage experience makes the thousand-year-old craft accessible. Students watch promotional videos on glass-blowing, explore displays of exquisite glass artifacts, and learn about the craft's evolution.
Shanxi Qixian Honghai Glass Co., a renowned hand-blown glassware company, has innovated while preserving tradition. Using unique techniques like hand-applied color coating, patterned stems and color blending, its independently developed stacked-color technique has earned a national patent. The company creates products aligned with Arabic aesthetic tastes, successfully entering Middle Eastern markets.
Li Jiansheng, the company's chairman, notes that the company integrates production, exhibitions and cultural tourism, operating a triple-A-rated cultural industrial park and a heritage exhibition hall. It receives around 100,000 visitors and students annually, offering live glass-blowing demonstrations, DIY sessions and glass painting, transforming ancient skills into tangible cultural experiences.
Xizun Glass, a company located a short distance away from Honghai, highlights the high-end value of handicraft. With more than 500 skilled glassblowers, it blends decades of experience with youthful innovation. General manager Zhang Wenlei says that through masterful "blowing, rotating, pulling and pinching", each piece becomes both functional and artistic.
In 2019, a series of Xizun's glass products was recognized by a fashion magazine as a notable light luxury brand. Its hand-blown goblets sell for 2,000 yuan ($288) to 3,000 yuan each in European and American markets, shattering the stereotype of glass products as "low-end and cheap".
While preserving the essence of handicrafts, Qixian's glass industry is also embracing technological innovation. Addressing the inefficiency and high energy consumption of traditional production, Xifulai Glassware Co. pioneered the province's first intelligent production line for borosilicate glassware.
The company's Wang Naiwei explains that three such lines can produce 32 items per minute, with a daily output exceeding 70,000 pieces, doubling traditional manual capacity while reducing labor costs by 8 percent. Its products are now sold in over 20 countries and regions.
Today, Qixian has built a full industrial chain centered on 62 glassware manufacturers, supported by more than 230 upstream and downstream enterprises. Out of the county's 249,000 residents, 30,000 are engaged in glass-blowing. Since 2024, 11 new local companies have begun self-operated exports, with many expanding facilities or adding production lines.
Moreover, a national-level glassware quality inspection center has been established in Qixian, giving it a stronger voice in the industry. A dedicated glass industry academy trains craftsmen and livestreams demonstrations, injecting new energy into the craft.
