Cultural expert at the Romanian Cultural Institute Andreea-Ema Stoian introduces exhibits to visitors at the exhibition opening session in Beijing, on June 24, 2025. Photo: Dong Feng/GT

The Romanian Cultural Institute (ICR) in Beijing opened an Ethnographic Exhibition on the Făgăraș Traditional Costume titled Heritage on June 24. The exhibition is dedicated to promoting the Romanian traditional blouse - known as ie, - inscribed in UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and aims to valorize the national heritage.

The exhibition showcased a remarkable collection of 17 traditional Romanian blouses, hand-stitched on loom-woven cotton fabric and embroidered with silk, metallic thread, and cotton, inspired by models over a century old. The pieces are accompanied by traditional garments and crafts.

The visitors watched an ethnographic documentary titled Fagaras Country, Land of Open Skies - Wonderful Appearance - Fagarasan Port (2022, directed by Constantin Păun and Raluca Jurcovan). 

Cultural expert at the ICR Andreea-Ema Stoian introduced the blouses along with the photographs that show Romanian people wearing various designs of traditional blouses at different ceremonies. Wearing a traditional blouse herself, Stoian told the Global Times that each blouse tells a story of the family, the blissful wishes for family, nature, and protection of house and iconic flowers in life. Her detailed narration impressed Chinese visitors. To help the visitors understand the value of the exhibits, Stoian said that the average price of traditional Romanian blouses ranges from 6,000 yuan ($838) to 13,000 yuan, as the traditional blouses are made entirely by hand. 

"It takes more than a year to make one blouse," she said. 

The photographic documentary exhibition depicts the Făgăraș costume and the traditions of Drăguș, Romania.

The exhibition will run until late August.