Xunpu is a small fishing village in Fujian Province. Last year, a few ladies took pictures there and shared them online. In the photos, their hair was tied into buns(发髻) and they wore a wreath(花冠). There were fresh, plastic and silk flowers on the wreath. It is called "Zanhuawei. " The photos were widely spread online. Many tourists started to come to the village. In less than six months, the number of zanhua stores there grew from less than 10 to more than 150.
The tradition of wearing flowers has been a part of local life since the Tang Dynasty. The village is famous for its good seafood. When female villagers sell their seafood at the local market, they put flowers in their hair. This way, buyers can distinguish(识别) them from sellers in nearby villages.
The tradition is also seen at happy events such as weddings. Locals send out invitation cards along with flowers. In turn, their female guests wear the flowers to the event.
★ Kids braid(编织) their hair and put flowers on their temples(鬓). Teenagers tie their hair into a round bun and put flowers in it. Middle-aged women often wear spiral(螺旋形的)buns. They put flowers and gold ornaments(金饰) in their hair. As for elderly women, they prefer red flowers, head scarves and other ornaments.
"If you put flowers in your hair in this life, " the locals believe, "you will be pretty in the afterlife!" In 2008, the tradition was listed as part of China's intangible cultural heritage(非物质文化遗产).
