A humble cheongsam (qipao in Mandarin) shop in Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui autonomous region, is bridging cultural connections with its exquisite handmade wedding dresses tailored to local and foreign brides-to-be.

Zhu Xuexiang, a cheongsam inheritor and the owner of the shop, has been attracting customers who cherish the elegance of traditional Chinese attire and her traditional custom designs.

Zhu's journey into the art of cheongsam began in 1997 when she moved to Beijing. Having previously learned modern tailoring in her hometown in Yanchi, Ningxia, she worked in a cheongsam company.

Creating cheongsam samples proved demanding, requiring precision, skill and patience. Her passion and curiosity about the art inspired her to take on the challenge. She returned to Yinchuan and opened her own shop in 2019.

In 2020, she welcomed a British bride who ordered a cheongsam as her wedding dress.

Since then, she has served more than a dozen international clients from countries including Germany and France.

In Zhu's view, the cheongsam symbolizes Chinese culture.

"It brings me great pride to see cheongsam embraced internationally, " Zhu shared. "Showcasing this art to the world helps to promote our Chinese culture and keep the cheongsam heritage alive."