Discussion on Sustainable Development Strategies of the Traditional Handicraft Industry Based on Su-Style Furniture in the Ming Dynasty

Abstract

The fabrication of traditional handicrafts is both an art creation activity and a social economic activity, meaning that the resulting works have dual artistic and economic characteristics. With the development of industrial mass production, the traditional handicraft industry is facing a series of challenges. For sustainable development of the traditional handicraft industry, first the establishment of its historical context and experience is necessary. Therefore, through an analysis of the competitive advantages of the Su-style furniture industry in the Ming Dynasty, this study first sorts out and summarizes the historical experience of the industry’s successful development. Next, sustainable development strategies for the contemporary traditional handicraft industry are explored, and opinions on the inheritance and development of the traditional handicraft industry at the present stage are put forward. Based on the diamond model, this study of Su-style furniture in the Ming Dynasty shows that its competitive advantages in this period included style, material, and skill, and the contributions of the government and consumer demand played important roles in these competitive advantages. Therefore, the current development of the traditional handicraft industry requires both external heritage protection of the government and the internal transformation and innovation of the industry.