Frog button designs blend traditional crafts with modern creativity. [Photo/Tide News]

In the Ruyi Shaohua Common Prosperity Workshop, located in Longyou county, Quzhou, East China's Zhejiang province, silk qipao — traditional Chinese dresses — hang gracefully. Yet, the spotlight is on the intricately handcrafted frog buttons, a piece of intangible cultural heritage.

These buttons have evolved from qipao accessories into standalone art pieces, including earrings, rings, brooches, and decorative items, that tell a contemporary narrative of Eastern aesthetics.

Yan Limei, the workshop's director and a third-generation inheritor of the Longyou qipao tradition, finds inspiration in everyday life. Her innovative frog button designs earned a spot on the 2025 Zhejiang Specialty Souvenirs list, recognizing her 38 years of dedication and creativity.

The 2003 World Dragon Boat Invitational in Longyou opened Yan's eyes to the global appeal of qipao and its buttons. She has creatively transformed these buttons into independent cultural products, suitable as easily portable gifts.

These exquisite buttons are now sold across Europe, the United States, and the Middle East, and are even available on Amazon’s cross-border e-commerce platform.

In the workshop, dedicated women workers meticulously craft each button, a process that involves over 20 steps and uses high-quality materials such as silk and cotton.

The workshop now aims to incorporate Longyou culture into its handicrafts, and Yan plans collaborations to train jobless women, giving employees a better work-life balance.