It’s peak lychee season in Zhongshan—China’s famed “hometown of overseas Chinese”—and villages across the region are infused with the sweet aroma of ripe red shells and crystal-clear flesh. But beyond simply savoring the fruit, locals are transforming lychees into a springboard for boundless creativity through a new “lychee culture” industry.

This vision took center stage at a launch event in Caobian Village, where residents and creatives gathered to unveil a series of homegrown cultural projects rooted in both lychee heritage and overseas Chinese history. The goal is to integrate local identity into products designed to both delight and inspire.

Highlights include lustrous ceramic ornaments glazed in “lychee red,” each piece capturing the fruit’s signature rosy glow. Equally enticing is a specially crafted lychee red tea—fresh lychee juice blended with premium black tea, gently smoked at low temperatures to balance floral sweetness with the tea’s rich depth. These and other lychee-themed innovations showcase how tradition can spark fresh ideas.

Adding a playful touch, Zhongshan introduced its first overseas Chinese lychee mascot, “Qiaozai.” An inflatable figure now stands at the Caobian Tourism Center, drawing visitors eager to snap photos. As ancient village culture meets modern creativity, Zhongshan’s lychee lore is blossoming into a thriving cultural treasure.