In Zhaxi village of Rudong county, Nantong, Jiangsu province, Nantong Sinaifu Cosmetics is keeping a vanishing piece of China's history alive. The village is known for its clam-shell ointment, a hand cream popular in the 1970s and 1980s.

It is Nantong's only remaining production base and one of just two in Jiangsu still making the ointment the traditional way.

The packed clam-shell ointment products. [Photo/WeChat account: rudongfb]

The craft draws on Rudong's coastal resources. Each year, discarded clam shells are collected from local seafood markets and processing plants, then sorted, washed, steamed, dried and disinfected. The shells are filled with a mild ointment that protects skin from dryness and cracking — affordable and suited to all ages.

The workshop has been run by the same family for over 40 years, and in 2021 the craft was listed as an intangible cultural heritage. Production is deliberately kept small, with about 20,000 packs made per day in peak season. Nearby villagers are employed to do the skilled handwork.

For owner Zhang Gaozhun, the work is no longer just a livelihood. "My father did this for over a decade, I've done it for more than 40 years, and I want to pass it on to my son and grandson," said Zhang.

While honoring tradition, the business is embracing change. Once sold only at local markets, the ointment now reaches buyers across China, and the family plans to hand online sales over to a younger generation, using new channels to reach more buyers.