The First Chinese Farmers' Skills Competition was Held in Liaocheng, Shandong Province

LIAO CHENG, China, July 17, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- This is a report from Shandong Office of Hong Kong Business Daily. Ordinary dough, in the hands of skilled craftsmen after production processes such as binding, patting, pulling, decoration, and kneading, gradually presents the shapes of butterflies, flowers, leaves, etc., which are lifelike and pleasing.

This is what people saw at the first China Farmers' Skills Competition held in Liaocheng, Shandong Province, on March 3. Liu Limin, a contestant from Sanlipu New Village, Gulou Street, Dongchangfu District, Liaocheng, said that the making of dough flower is a test of strength. If it is not handled properly, the surface of the work will be wrinkled.

"Dough can also be made into art, carrying my imagination and creativity. I hope that through this competition, more people will become familiar with and love this skill, " Liu Limin said.

The theme of this competition is "Cultivating talents with ingenuity, Strengthening industries and Promoting revitalization". 300 contestants from 31 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) and Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps competed in six competitions, namely, hand embroidery, hand knitting, hand paper cuttings, clay sculpture, dough making, and farmer painting, to exchange and display the wisdom and creativity of farmers.

In the hand embroidery competition, Zhang Xiumin, a contestant from Anshan, Liaoning Province, is creating a work with the theme of farming. With silver needles flying up and down and colored threads flying back and forth, a variety of crops leap on the embroidered cloth. Zhang Xiumin said, "Although I was born and raised in the countryside, we farmers not only know how to farm, but also love art. I enjoy the fun of embroidery very much, and every plant and tree in my hometown is my creative object."

Corn piles, flocks of chickens and ducks, donkey pulling mills... People saw lots of works showcasing agricultural production and life scenes in the embroidery exhibition area, full of agricultural interest and flavor.

Ding Chunmei, a villager from Wanghua Village, Shazhen Town, Dongchangfu District, Liaocheng, came to the exhibition with her paintings. Unlike the other exhibitors, she has a black burning stick in front of her drawing board. Ding Chunmei said: "The stick is my brush, I can draw as I want."

This competition aims to select a group of skilled craftsmen, promote the rejuvenation and release of new vitality of traditional rural handicraft skills.