China Focus: Ethnic-group traditions stoke artistic passion in China

If you haven't tuned into Wang Haizhu's livestreams, it might be hard to believe that fish skin and bones can be transformed into paintings, jewelry and even clothing.

"The Hezhe people traditionally used fish skin and bones to make clothes, shoes and decorations due to their long-standing fishing heritage," said Wang, a 46-year-old artisan from Bacha Village in Tongjiang City in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province.

Wang belongs to the Hezhe ethnic group, which was once the only fishing and hunting community in northern China. They reside along the Heilongjiang, Songhua and Wusuli rivers, with their fishing traditions dating back 6,000 years to the Neolithic Age.

Although fish-skin clothes and shoes are no longer daily necessities, they have become fascinating works of art, breathing new life into the Hezhe culture and showcasing its rich heritage.

In 2016, Wang embarked on a systematic study of the fish-skin craft, recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage. Drawing on skills acquired since childhood, she saw the opportunity to modernize these traditions to suit contemporary tastes and founded a cooperative with several other local residents.