Local Activities

Hainan is the birthplace of Li ethnic culture, home to a rich heritage of intangible cultural treasures. At our hotel, immerse yourself in hands-on experiences of traditional Li textile techniques, primitive pottery-making, coconut shell carving and rattan weaving, and discover the millennia-old wisdom and artistry of this living culture.

Traditional Li textile techniques: spinning, dyeing, weaving and embroidering

Li Brocade, inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, represents the age-old textile craftsmanship passed down among the Li people. Li craftswomen work with back-strap looms using cotton and hemp fibres and plant-based natural dyes. More than one hundred totem patterns including the Great God and rain-forest fauna are woven into textiles. These patterns record Li legends, beliefs and folk customs, forming a living epic stitched into fabric and serving as a vital carrier of Hainan Li culture.

At Banyan Tree Gallery, a curated collection of Li Brocade works is on display and available for purchase. Admire the artistry of this intangible cultural heritage up close, and take home a unique piece of Li ethnic culture.

Primitive Pottery-Making Techniques of the Li Ethnic Group (Li Pottery)

Li Pottery is China's National Intangible Cultural Heritage, known as the "living fossil" of ancient Chinese pottery with a history of over 6,000 years. Artisans adopt the ancient coiling-building and open-air bonfire-firing method without pottery wheels. Vessels are shaped and finished with shells and bamboo strips, then fired outdoors with coconut husks and rice straw. Each piece bears unique texture, embodying the ancestral wisdom of the Li people living in harmony with mountains and sea.

Heitu Village in Sanya's Tianya District is a key inheritance site. Our concierge can arrange a hands-on pottery-making experience, where you can shape and fire your own unique piece under artisan guidance and immerse yourself in this millennia-old craft.