Tuntou: China's Lantern Capital

0:00On March 3rd, here's the latest in global news. Red lanterns are a big part of Chinese culture, lighting up lunar New Year celebrations and symbolizing everything from safety to tradition. In a small town called Tonto, in Hebei Province, workers handcrafted about 80% of all lanterns used across the country. This dusty village hums with activity, where families turn out these colorful decorations using age-old methods that have lasted for hundreds of years. Years, open doors reveal groups chatting and weaving frames right in their courtyards. Local start learning the skill young, often picking it up around age 10 by watching family members at work. They take pride in keeping this craft alive amid modern factories elsewhere. For now, Tonto's handmade lanterns offer more variety and hold off machine-made rivals that can't quite match the quality or price yet, that dominance keeps the town thriving, but challenges loom as younger residents chase city jobs, potentially leaving a labor shortage down the road.

1:00Still, folks there remain proud to be known as China's lantern capital. This DNA story comes to you thanks to our sponsor. Soley Pillow is a pillow with built-in headphones, lay back, press play, and disappear into what you are listening to. S-O-L-L-I, soleypillow.com