Wenzhou-Kean University Secures Joint First Place in Zhejiang with Three Intangible Cultural Heritage Projects

Three works from Wenzhou-Kean University (WKU) have been selected for the 2026 Zhejiang Intangible Cultural Heritage + AI/AR Innovation Cases program, earning the university joint first place across the province for the number of selected entries. A total of 35 submissions made the final cut after application, content screening and expert review.

The three winning works are A Touch of Celadon, a Thousand Years of Kiln Fire, A Grain of Rice: The Traditional Craft of Wuyi Red Yeast Rice (Hongqu), and Embroidered Vases. They fall into two categories: AI/AR video presentations of intangible cultural heritage, and AI-aided cultural and creative product and intellectual property (IP) design. Collectively, they demonstrate how WKU faculty and students are blending artificial intelligence and digital visual technologies with traditional culture.

A Touch of Celadon, a Thousand Years of Kiln Fire is an AI-produced short video featuring the time-honored firing techniques of Wenzhou’s Ou kiln ceramics. Charting the full workflow from clay preparation and shaping to glazing, firing, kiln transformation and inheritance, the piece combines footage of handcrafted techniques with contemporary East Asian graphic design and AI animation. It leverages AI to visualize hidden processes that cannot be directly observed — including shifts in clay moisture, glaze melting and flame evolution inside the kiln — offering a digital approach to showcasing and promoting this ancient craft.

Author:​ Ma Leyi (Graphic Design major)

Instructor:​ Huang Yaoyao (Associate Professor of Graphic Design)

A Grain of Rice: The Traditional Craft of Wuyi Red Yeast Rice (Hongqu) is another AI-produced short video documenting the age-old craft of red yeast rice production. Centered on the color transformation of a single grain of rice, the video tracks white rice through soaking, steaming, fermentation and temperature regulation. AI visuals, temperature curves and timelines render the invisible fermentation process intuitive, illustrating how microorganisms, temperature, humidity and time shape this traditional practice.

Author:​ Yu Xintong (Graphic Design major)

Instructor:​ Huang Yaoyao (Associate Professor of Graphic Design)

Embroidered Vases is a series of contemporary vase designs co-created by Maurizio VRENNA, assistant professor of industrial design at WKU, and Suzhou embroidery artist Zhang Lu. Rooted in classical Suzhou embroidery, the designs draw motifs from traditional lattice windows, bamboo and fish scales. Four vase prototypes, featuring gradient hues, geometric patterns and embroidered textures, are made to suit different floral arrangements. The project explores new pathways to integrate time-honored embroidery into modern home decor and creative merchandise.

Author:​ Maurizio VRENNA (Assistant Professor of Industrial Design), Zhang Lu

These three works embody WKU’s commitment to introducing traditional cultural heritage to wider audiences via digital innovation. The university will keep supporting interdisciplinary creativity among faculty and students, advancing deeper integration of digital technologies, cultural heritage and design. It aims to bring new dimensions to traditional culture and boost its global appeal.

Translator: Chenming Sun