Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily (Reporter Abiba) news: On the afternoon of January 5, 2026, the crisp clinking of copper crafts being hammered echoed through the alleyways of Resitan Street in Kuqa City, Aksu Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The sound led to Mamat's Handicraft Copperware Shop. There, Mamat Kader, an inheritor of the autonomous region-level intangible cultural heritage, the Kuqa copper-making craft, was bent over his workbench, meticulously carving and refining a nearly finished copper plate. Rhombus patterns from the Kizil Caves shimmered brightly on the plate.

"This is a blend of Qiuci patterns and modern design," Mamat said, pointing to the exquisite scroll grass patterns along the plate's edge. On the workbench lay a stack of manuscripts: the flowing sleeves of Apsaras in the grottoes, the pure lotus patterns of Subashi Buddhist Temple Ruins, and the vivid Apsaras in the Qiuci music and dance murals... In recent years, he and his younger brother Yusup Kader have often visited the grottoes to copy these ancient murals, hoping to transform them into carvings on copperware.

Photo shows Mamat Kader (L) and his younger brother Yusup Kader explain copperware during a live stream. (Photo by Tursun Tohti)

Mamat explained that material selection is crucial for copperware making, and annealed copper, known for its flexibility, is mostly used. A finished piece requires more than 20 processes, including cutting, forging, quenching, polishing, and carving. Artisans first design the shape based on functionality and aesthetics to create a basic outline, then hammer, mold, polish, and refine it until the object takes shape. The most demanding part is pattern carving: wielding the knife within a small space demands extraordinary craftsmanship and patience; a slight mistake could ruin all previous efforts. Most patterns are inspired by natural flowers, leaves, and vines, complemented by geometric shapes. Through techniques like relief carving, intaglio carving, line engraving, and openwork, a unique and harmonious artistic language is formed.

"I started learning the craft with my younger brother Yusup Kader from our father at an early age," Mamat recalled. "In the beginning, my hands were covered with burns and calluses layer upon layer. Now, just like the older generations, I have learned to feel the temperature and texture of copperware with my hands."

Photo shows Yusup Kader teaches his son to make copperware. (Photo provided by Yusup Kader)

To sustain the vitality of this ancient craft, Mamat Kader and his younger brother have continuously sought innovations. They have delved deep into Qiuci culture, reinterpreting traditional patterns from the grottoes such as honeysuckle patterns, interlocking branch patterns and pearl roundel patterns in a modern way to revive them on copperware. "Take the patterns on this teapot for example," Mamat said. "They are derived from the canopy patterns in Cave 38 of the Kizil Caves. I transformed the colored paintings into intaglio and relief carving techniques of copper sculpture, which not only retains their artistic charm but also matches the texture of copper."

What makes him even prouder is the "Music and Dance Series": the contour lines of the utensils mimic the graceful postures of dancers, the curvature of the spout is inspired by the agility of the reverse pipa playing posture, and the curve of the handle resembles fluttering colored ribbons. As light shifts, the carved patterns seem to move with it, exuding vivid charm.

The brothers also use live streaming to showcase the production process and accept personalized customization. In collaboration with cultural and tourism authorities, they have launched the "Portable Qiuci" cultural and creative series. These include copper bookmarks engraved with simplified grotto patterns, business card holders with embossed Qiuci auspicious inscriptions, and tea scoops carved with miniature Buddhist temple patterns. These innovative works integrating Qiuci culture have been highly favored in various exhibitions in recent years and collected by many institutions and tourists.

Photo shows Mamat Kader makes copperware. (Photo by Yusup Kader)

Fulat Mamatming, an intangible cultural heritage protection staff member at the Kuqa Municipal Cultural Center, introduced that in 2021, to support the inheritance of copperware craftsmanship, the local government provided free venues to help the brothers expand their workshop and officially established the "Copperware Making Craft Inheritance Base." This base not only displays works but also recruits apprentices extensively. While inheriting the ancient craft, it has also created employment opportunities for more people.

"Riding on the tide of Kuqa's cultural and tourism development, as new forces in intangible cultural heritage inheritance, the Mamat brothers have integrated their family inherited craftsmanship into tourism experiences, allowing tourists from all over to personally feel the warmth and ingenuity of handcrafted copperware and achieve a double harvest of cultural value and economic benefits," Fulat said. Currently, their intangible cultural heritage workshops have expanded to five stores, local copperware has developed into more than 100 styles, and nearly 100 people are engaged in this industry. The ancient craftsmanship is moving towards a farther future along with the crisp clinking of hammers.

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