CCTV.com — In Zhangqiu, Shandong Province, a centuries-old craft continues to thrive. Amid roaring flames and the rhythmic dance of heavy hammers, ordinary alloyed bronze discs are transformed through thousands of strikes into ringing, resonant musical instruments of extraordinary power. Recently, China Central Television (CCTV) financial channel’s renowned program Ways to Get Rich (生财有道) turned its lens to this vibrant land of craftsmanship, broadcasting an in-depth feature on the “new artisans” behind the globally recognized percussion brand Arborea. Titled “Masters of the Craft: A Thousand Hammers Forging ‘Golden Sounds,'” the episode showcased how local artisans have successfully married traditional forging techniques with the modern global export boom, allowing Chinese cymbals and gongs to resonate across the world stage.
A Thousand Strikes in the Flame: Breathing New Life into Ancient Craft
Stepping into Arborea’s manufacturing workshop, one is immediately greeted by the blazing heat of the furnaces and a relentless symphony of clanging hammers. The crafting of bronze cymbals and gongs is far from a simple mechanical process—it is a true art form balancing raw power and delicate precision.
The CCTV segment captured the breathtaking skill of master coppersmiths at work. From strict alloy proportions and high-temperature smelting to hundreds of thousands of manual hammer strikes, precision lathe-shaping, and acoustic tuning, every single step embodies decades of accumulated dedication. “Every cymbal and gong has its own unique ‘temperament,'” an Arborea master craftsman explained during the broadcast. “The essence of pure hand-hammering relies on ‘listening to find the sweet spot.’ It depends entirely on decades of experience in the artisan’s hands to coax the most vibrant and pristine sound out of the metal.”
This uncompromising dedication to traditional techniques recently earned Arborea’s bronze cymbal-making process a spot on the Provincial Intangible Cultural Heritage list. The CCTV Ways to Get Rich production team praised the achievement, noting: “In an era of rapid industrialization, these ‘new artisans’ in Zhangqiu have stayed true to their craft, guarding the roots of traditional culture with fire and hammer while redefining true craftsmanship.”
The Globalization of Craft: From Local Artisans to an International Brand
Heritage needs not only preservation, but a bridge to the wider world. The CCTV program heavily highlighted how Arborea leverages modern digital cross-border trade and precise overseas marketing to propel Zhangqiu’s traditional bronze instruments onto international stages.
In the past, traditional craftsmen focused solely on production. Today, Arborea’s “new artisans” understand both traditional mastery and global market demand. From professional hand-hammered B20 cymbals tailored for heavy metal and rock musicians to an expansive lineup of effect cymbals and specialized gongs catering to diverse music genres, the brand utilizes independent e-commerce sites, social media ecosystems, and multi-channel global operations to export its products to over 80 countries and regions.
From independent musicians to international touring bands, countless overseas drummers regard Arborea as their secret weapon for carving out a signature sound. “We aren’t just selling an instrument; we are exporting Chinese sound culture and intangible heritage value to the world,” an Arborea spokesperson told CCTV reporters. “Through cross-border e-commerce and digital marketing, traditional craftsmanship has achieved a brilliant transformation from relative obscurity to a global audience.”
Rural Revitalization: Small Copper Cymbals Drumming Up Big Prosperity
CCTV’s Ways to Get Rich consistently focuses on grassroots economic development and stories of community prosperity. The thriving growth of Zhangqiu’s bronze percussion industry has not only polished a golden card for local specialty manufacturing but has also driven employment and income growth for nearby residents, paving a unique path of “culture-driven industry” for rural revitalization.
Motivated by Arborea’s success, a growing wave of younger “new artisans” are choosing to return to their hometowns to join the fields of instrument design, manufacturing, and international digital operations. The historic sounds of copper-hammering now intertwine with the modern clicking of computer keyboards, striking a powerful chord of shared prosperity in the new era.
The CCTV segment concluded with a close-up of a freshly completed bronze cymbal glowing brilliantly under the workshop lights. The furnace fires burn bright, but the artisan spirit burns even brighter. Moving forward, Arborea will continue to use cymbals and gongs as cultural mediums, led by its generation of “new artisans” to uphold uncompromising quality and innovation—ensuring the world hears even more magnificent symphonies originating from Zhangqiu, China.