The history of Fuxin agate in Liaoning can be traced back to the Chahai site 8000 years ago. The hundreds of agate scrapers unearthed at the site bear witness to the ancient use of agate. With the passage of time, Fuxin agate has gradually become a cultural symbol on this land, injecting vitality into the development of the city's cultural and tourism industry. At the end of September this year, the 19th Liaoning Fuxin Agate Culture and Tourism Festival, also known as the "Autumn Tour of Liaoning" in 2024, opened in Fuxin City. Since the first Fuxin Agate Festival was held in 2006, the Fuxin agate industry has undergone a transformation from scattered small workshops to large-scale industrial parks, and from masters leading apprentices to professional carving schools. This year's Agate Culture and Tourism Festival is an exploration of cherishing and inheriting cultural heritage, and deeply integrating 'agate+cultural tourism'. It is of great significance to enhance the popularity of Fuxin agate and promote industrial development Yang Jianxu, Secretary of the Party Group and Director of the Culture, Tourism, Radio and Television Bureau of Fuxin City, said. At the Agate Cultural Tourism Festival's Agate Jewelry Hundred Product Launch Conference, carefully selected from tens of thousands of agate cultural and creative jewelry pieces, a hundred agate cultural and creative pieces were presented for the first time. We have been collaborating with the local community for several consecutive years to hold events such as the Fuxin Agate Cultural Tourism Festival, the preliminary selection of entries for the Tiangong Competition, and the 'Red Agate Cup' Jade Carving Competition, in order to deeply explore the unique charm of Fuxin agate, "said Bi Lijun, Vice President and Secretary General of the China Jewelry and Jade Industry Association. Under the careful carving of generations of skilled craftsmen in Fuxin, numerous agate artworks are presented to the world. There is such a young person among them. More than ten years ago, with his passion for agate, he resolutely returned to his hometown after graduating from university and embarked on the entrepreneurial path of inheriting Fuxin agate culture. He is Cao Hui, the director of the Fuxin Agate Culture Museum and a young jade carving artist. Cao Hui focuses on independent innovation, leading his team to constantly explore new technologies, materials, and design concepts. He collaborates with museums to create distinctive agate jewelry, offers customized services, and cultural activities, striving to combine the essence of agate culture with modern aesthetics and promote agate to a broader modern consumer market. Cao Hui said, "Previously, agate usually appeared as a craft exhibit, but in recent years it has gradually become a tourist souvenir, and the design concept of designers is also gradually changing." During this year's National Day holiday, the Fuxin Agate Culture Museum launched the "Tell the World about My Hometown" boutique course, inviting tourists from all over the country to learn about Fuxin's profound cultural heritage as the "World Agate Capital" through on-site inspections, craft experiences, and other methods. Tourists can not only design and make their own agate jewelry with the help of professionals, but also gain a deeper understanding of the history, craftsmanship, and cultural heritage of agate. Industry insiders believe that the thriving agate industry has paved an important path for Fuxin to explore, enhance its cultural and artistic atmosphere, and promote the high-quality development of the cultural and tourism industry. (New Society)