Yurt culture continues to stand the test of time
Brothers restore and manufacture nomadic structures to include modern updates, giving public a peek into history, Yang Feiyue reports.
Each earns 30,000 ($4,224) to 50,000 yuan a year from the business, according to the Ban brothers.
Although he joined the yurt business later, Ban Fenggong has become an expert in the trade.
"There are many details to consider when constructing a yurt. For example, the stove is made of clay and plant fibers for better heating and its walls are hollow so the sparks from burning cow dung can be precipitated and thus less likely to spill onto the grasslands outside," he explains.
In addition to yurt production, the brothers developed miniature yurt-making kits that enable students to appreciate the construction.
About 200-400 primary and middle school students will receive such training each year, according to them.
In March, their facility was named a national model site for production-based intangible cultural heritage protection by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
The Ban brothers say the title has given them a stronger incentive to continue the yurt culture.
"We are working on an intangible cultural heritage exhibition and have collected more than 100 old yurts, carpentry and daily tools from local herdsmen," Ban Fengbin says.
"Hopefully, more people will understand our culture better through yurts," he adds.
