Reed flower shoes are comprised of reed flowers, which form the upper parts of the shoes, and straw, which make up the soles. They are unique handicrafts from Nanfeng town in Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu province. Though there remain few people wearing them, the shoes have been well preserved as handicrafts by locals.

Reed flower shoes are unique handicrafts from Nanfeng town in Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Shi Fenggao, 76 years old, is among the few craftsmen specialized in making reed flower shoes. He relished every opportunity to explain the history of the folk art, which is listed as an intangible cultural heritage in Zhangjiagang.

To allow for greater flexibility and comfort, the soles of the shoes are made from soft straw. The upper parts of the shoes are made from reed flowers, which can easily be found along the Yangtze River Delta area. The ideal time to collect the reed flowers is when they start to bloom. After being dried, the reed flowers are twisted together into ropes by rubbing them together rapidly between palms. The reed flower rope is then weaved into the straw sole in a circular fashion until the shoe is fully formed. Each pair of the shoes requires 500 grams of reed flowers.

The soles of the shoes are made from soft straw, and the upper parts of the shoes are made from reed flowers. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]