Qingyang sachets featuring 12 Chinese zodiac animals designed by lineage holder Liu Lanfang. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Women from over 40 rural homes have become regular employees in her company, making around 2,000 yuan ($280) each month. Her workshop, during the past decade, has trained 20,000 women, and many still work there part-time.

"Now they don't have to depend on their husbands for expenses. Even for people with physical disabilities, we provide training so they can make money and build their self-esteem," the artisan added.

Ancient crafts, remade

Times are changing, and so is the craft. The artisan performs a careful balancing act, maintaining the essence of Qingyang sachet-making while adopting more flexible color palettes and fabric choices to satisfy the fast-changing tastes of consumers. "We now have developed several product lines based on age groups and geographical regions," Liu said.

She travels to at least 12 cities around China every year. "Different regions in China have their unique ways of expressing auspiciousness. The goal is to enrich my knowledge of various local customs."