Celebrities Are All Sporting It! Three Hairpins Are Recognized as “The Most Popular Intangible Cultural Heritage Experience Project”
Celebrities have widely embraced this hairstyle, making it a new cultural and tourism icon for Fuzhou
Three Hairpins has been recognized as “The Most Popular Intangible Cultural Heritage Experience Project”
According to Douyin’s 2025 Intangible Cultural Heritage Data Report, Fuzhou’s traditional hairstyling technique “Three Hairpins” has been recognized as “The Most Popular Intangible Cultural Heritage Experience Project.”
The “Three Hairpins” were once a traditional adornment for women in Fuzhou. They embody the patriotic, family-loving, and resilient spirit of Fuzhou women, making them an essential part of Mindu culture. In her essay The Charm of My Hometown, writer Bing Xin admired the elegance and strength that Fuzhou women displayed while wearing it, calling them “the finest in the world.”
Tourists wearing the “Three Hairpins” visited Sanfang Qixiang.
In November 2024, Fuzhou’s traditional hairstyling technique, the “Three Hairpins,” was added to the city’s Eighth Batch of Intangible Cultural Heritage Representative Items, reviving this once “nearly forgotten” cultural symbol. Now, tourists are embracing the experience of wearing the Three Hairpins and traditional attire while wandering through the ancient streets and alleys, offering a fresh way to explore Fuzhou.
The “Three Hairpins” have become a cultural tourism sensation in Fuzhou, creating a buzz on social media. Since early last year, celebrities such as Li Ruotong, Chen Haoyu, Wan Nida, Lou Yixiao, Zhao Xiaotang, An Yuexi, and Wang Yiyao have jumped on the bandwagon, each showcasing the beauty of Fuzhou’s intangible cultural heritage in their own style, sparking widespread interest among netizens.
Last November, Li Ruotong, wearing the Three Hairpins, began her journey to explore Fuzhou. Captured on camera, she wore traditional attire, with the silver hairpins gleaming in her hair, radiating both grace and confidence. In April this year, Zhao Liying, adorned with lacquered Three Hairpins, appeared on the cover of Shang Cheng Shi, bringing Fuzhou’s Three Hairpins to a whole new level of popularity. In May this year, Liu Tao appeared on CCTV’s City Stories wearing the Three Hairpins as she toured Sanfang Qixiang and introduced the rich cultural heritage of Fuzhou to the viewers. Just last week, Chen Haoyu wore the Three Hairpins at the China Annual Trends Summit, showcasing the charm of Fuzhou’s intangible cultural heritage to a global audience.
A tourist wearing the Three Hairpins visited Jin’an Lake.
By blending tradition with innovation, the Three Hairpins have evolved into new forms, such as the lacquered and horn versions, showcasing the integration of different elements of intangible cultural heritage. This has allowed the Three Hairpins to radiate a new, distinct charm. Today, they not only represent Fuzhou’s intangible cultural heritage but have also become a fresh cultural tourism icon for the city. The Three Hairpins have seamlessly integrated with diverse industries such as makeup, photography, cultural innovation, and performing arts, creating a unique and dynamic cultural tourism industry chain. This serves as a compelling example of Fuzhou’s successful integration of culture and tourism for high-quality development. (Fuzhou Evening News Reporters: Ma Liqing/Text; Lin Shuangwei/Photo)