Flower power

Two years ago, another local entrepreneur, Huang Yue, opened a shop in Xunpu that offers headdress-making, makeup and photography services.

"We want to give customers an authentic experience of the tradition, with the headdresses made from scratch to go with traditional costumes," says Huang Yue, who was born and brought up in the village.

At its busiest, her shop can receive 100 clients a day, each of whom is willing to pay 300 to 400 yuan for the service.

Huang Yue says that her clientele are mostly those who don't want to miss a step of the custom but want to experience it the local way. She is pleased that many of them have also recommended her to their friends.

Huang Liyong is proud to see the headdress tradition return, and says that many young people not only wear the headdress, but also learn about its culture and pass it onto people around them.

"Since I was a child, my elders have always told me that no matter how hard life gets, as long as there are flowers in your hair, life won't be too difficult," Huang Liyong says.

"I hope I can help convey to more people the enduring culture, spirit and strength of our fishing village," she adds.

Contact the writer at yangfeiyue@chinadaily.com.cn