Wengang
Wengang Township (文港镇) is a Township from Jinxian County, east of Jiangxi Province.
The Township is known for their brush pen industry, being called "The Capital of Brush Pen in China".[1]
Characteristics
[edit]Zhoufang, a village of Wengang, has several buildings from Ming and Qing dynasty. In 2024, the population was 60,000.[2]
Economy
[edit]Wengang has been producing brush pens for more than 1,600 years. The craft has been passed through generations, but during the 80's there was a decline in popularity due the proliferation of low-quality, mass produced pens.[2] The rise of e-commerce was important for the recovery of the pen industry.[3] In the 2000's, the Township boosted their production to attract tourists. In 2021, their techniques were listed as a national intangible cultural heritage in China.[2]
In 2024, there were 400 companies and 2,200 workshops dedicated to calligraphy and half of the Township was employed in the industry. In 2023, the sales revenue of the Township was of ¥ 8.25 billion. In 2023, the Township received 82,000 tourists.[2]
The Township is also known for producing counterfeit pens from famous brands, including Parker Pens and Montblanc.[4]
References
[edit]- ^ "Wengang Brush Pen, intangible cultural heritage of east China's Jiangxi". Xinhuanet. 9 August 2019. Archived from the original on 25 June 2025. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
- ^ a b c d "Township in E China's Jiangxi revitalizes ancient calligraphy brush heritage through innovation". People's Daily Online. 14 May 2024. Archived from the original on 25 June 2025. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
- ^ "Small town in E China cultivates thriving calligraphy brush industry". People's Daily Online. 6 June 2024. Archived from the original on 25 June 2025. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
- ^ Lee, Don (17 December 2007). "Fake pens write their own ticket". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 25 June 2025. Retrieved 25 June 2025.