In the ancient fishing village of Xunpu on the coast of Quanzhou, Fujian province, flowers don't just sprout in local gardens, but also atop the heads of the local women, nearly all of whom are crowned by colorful floral wreaths.

It is a daily practice that has continued for centuries.

In narrow stone alleys, the sound of knives shucking oysters can be heard, as grandmothers with thinning silver hair work while wearing wreaths of seasonal blooms.

This ancient art, called zanhua, transforms the grit of their laborious task into a display of grace and color.

Xunpu sits at the heart of the ancient Quanzhou port, serving as a microcosm of Maritime Silk Road culture.

On May 6, zanhua, or wearing flower hairpins, was showcased at a cultural event in Morocco to mark the 680th anniversary of the Moroccan explorer Ibn Battuta's visit to Quanzhou.

Many believe that during the Song Dynasty (960-1279), seafaring traders passing through the port brought exotic flower species to local women. An old local opera lyric also depicts the tradition: "In the fourth month, the floral crown is worn; it is heavy on both sides."

The first phrase describes how Xunpu women string seasonal flowers — Arabian jasmine, magnolia and the like — into a garland and encircle it around their coiled hair buns. The second depicts the headdress' shape: a hairpin, traditionally made of fishbone or ivory — or even a chopstick — is fixed horizontally through the bun, while clusters of blossoms sit heavily and abundantly on both sides.

The tradition is entwined with the worship of Mazu, the sea goddess. Fisherwomen believe in Mazu, who sacrificed herself to save others. Out of reverence, they wear fresh flowers when visiting her temple to seek blessings.

Today, fisherwomen continue to adorn themselves before facing the rigor of their work, carrying on a practice that, like the flowers themselves, continues to blossom.

And not just in Quanzhou.

Zanhua went viral in 2023 after actress Zhao Liying did a photoshoot in Xunpu attire, which garnered millions of views on social media, and later sparked a trend among celebrities, like Maye Musk, mother of Elon Musk, who donned the headdress during a visit to China in 2024.

These unique practices, together with local women's clothing and accessories, were collectively enshrined as a national intangible cultural heritage in 2008. Even groups of male visitors to the village now appear wearing traditional Chinese attire capped off with zanhua.

However, fresh flowers have sometimes been difficult to obtain.

"Women often wear silk flowers," said Huang Liyong, who runs a Zanhua studio near the local temple of the sea goddess.

"In earlier times, they even used paper, or white garlic skins, to create the floral shapes."

Huang, 37, who was raised in Xunpu, has never seen her mother with short hair.

To work while keeping her hair tidy, her mother coiled it up and adorned it with flowers.

She also recalled a childhood of mending nets and shucking oysters learned from her grandmother, as well as carrying buckets of water to keep the seafood brought home by her parents fresh.

"With flowers in our hair, we feel no bitterness, no matter the hardship," Huang said.

As a local saying goes: "Wear flowers in this life, stay beautiful in every life."

As an inheritor of the intangible cultural heritage, Huang has taken that beauty to nearly twenty countries. "Even when there is a language barrier, foreigners get excited to see the flowers. The pursuit of beauty is universal."

Huong Ly, a content creator from Vietnam, visited the village in April and filmed a video of her wearing the floral headdress. "It is so interesting. In Vietnam, it is very trendy, and I always wanted to come and try it myself," she said.

Georgia Tattersall from New Zealand, a student at Xiamen University, performed a dance wearing zanhua during an April campus event. Despite the nerves, she felt a sense of "beauty and courage" once she was adorned with flowers.

The experience, she said, helped her understand the spirit of the local fisherwomen who wear flowers while they work.

Ding Ziyan contributed to this story.