Xuzhou Xiangbao (Scented Sachet)

Xuzhou xiangbao is a folk craft of the Xuzhou region, rich in form—hearts, circles, diamonds, ingots, butterflies, vases, teardrops, rectangles and little dolls. In 2008, as an extended entry, Xuzhou xiangbao was inscribed on the second national ICH list under traditional arts.

The outer faces carry auspicious motifs—dragon and phoenix, mandarin ducks on water, pine and crane for longevity, magpies on plum—while the interior holds medicinal herbs such as atractylodes, angelica and agastache, blending beauty with protection and healing; the stitching is mainly flat and chain embroidery in bold, vivid colours.

Xuzhou xiangbao carries the ancient Pengcheng custom—reaching back to the Han—of wearing scent pouches to seek fortune and ward off evil, an important vessel for studying the folk beliefs and traditional medicine of the Chu-Han region. In 2017 sachets by the national-level inheritor Wang Xiuying drew wide attention, carrying Xuzhou xiangbao to broader fame.

Xuzhou xiangbao can be seen and bought at places such as the Majhuang sachet heritage base by Pan'an Lake.