Artists carving out lucrative livelihoods on Hainan coconuts

Coconut carving in Hainan province — a traditional art form added to China's national intangible cultural heritage list in 2008 — is gaining renewed value as both a cultural emblem and a tourism commodity amid the Hainan Free Trade Port international tourism boom.

The craft has roots in the Li ethnic group, and was later developed by the Han ethnic people, with its origins dating back millennia.

China is one of the world's largest consumers of coconut raw materials, with annual domestic consumption reaching 2.5 billion to 3 billion coconuts. The tropical island province of Hainan accounts for 99 percent of the country's coconut planting area and is home to two geographical indication products — Wenchang coconuts and Wanning golden coconuts — yet its supply meets only about 10 percent of demand. Haikou Customs statistics showed that ports in Hainan imported 592,000 metric tons of coconuts in 2025, up 17.3 percent year-on-year, the highest volume in the country.

This rich supply of raw material underpins a craft with deep local roots. The craft has three main forms. Coconut shell carving, the oldest and most widely used, produces items such as bowls, tea sets and wine vessels through cutting, polishing, engraving, inlaying and oiling. Carving techniques include relief, intaglio and openwork, with designs often featuring flowers, landscapes and figures. Coconut wood carving is used for practical objects and accessory parts. Coconut coir carving, developed in the 1970s, creates round, whimsical figures and animal sculptures using the fibrous husk.

Higher prices and greater collector value are associated with pieces having more complex workmanship and finer detail. Durability is a key feature: the finished products resist mold and degradation, said Wu Mingju, an inheritor of coconut shell carving who has devoted more than 30 years to the art's inheritance and promotion by exploring technical innovation, setting up coconut shell carving courses in schools and cultivating young artists.

Over the past two decades, as Hainan's tourism economy expanded, traditional coconut carvings pivoted toward the souvenir market. Today they hold a steady share of the island's tourist retail sector and stand as a signature local product exported to Southeast Asia and Europe.

To maintain competitiveness, the industry is pursuing innovation. Under Hainan FTP talent and duty-free policies, authorities are recruiting more artisans and younger designers to infuse traditional techniques with modern, personalized aesthetics. At the same time, cross-sector collaboration with international brands and foreign designers is bringing fresh ideas to product development.

Huang Liangmin, a coconut carving expert, has begun designing items that reflect local culture and current events. His works incorporate not only coconut trees and seascapes, but also rocket motifs tied to the Wenchang Space Launch Center. "More tourists come to Wenchang with each launch," Huang said. His carved pieces, often sold with display bases, retail for about 200 yuan ($30).

Coconut shell carving often combines shells with inlaid mother-of-pearl and assembled designs, yielding products like bowls, ashtrays and collage art. Coconut coir carving uses cutting, burning and shaping to exploit the natural texture of the husk, producing animal forms such as monkeys. Each piece requires extensive hand labor. "You have to stay focused and patient," Huang said. "After thousands of cuts, a delicate artwork emerges."

Tourists are also engaging with the craft firsthand. "I experienced coconut carving at a hotel in Sanya and really felt the charm of intangible heritage and the spirit of craftsmanship," said Malaysian visitor Lee Ni. "Every piece is unique. It reflects the maker's thinking and the artisans' skill and wisdom."

With coconut cultivation in Hainan spanning more than 2,000 years, the craft draws on deep local imagination and tradition. Once known as a "tribute product of the southern sky", Hainan coconut shell carving remains a cultural emblem of the island, valued both as cultural heritage and as a viable tourism commodity. Its simple elegant style and strong regional character give it enduring economic and cultural significance.