An industrial transformation, driven by "she power," is quietly blooming in Henglan, the town in Zhongshan (a city in south China's Guangdong Province) renowned as the "Hometown of Flowers and Trees in China." The "Flower Promoter Sisters" initiative, launched by local women's federation, brings a profound shift toward digital empowerment. As AI-powered short videos have showcased lush plants, a group of once-unnoticed women have been unlocking new opportunities. Armed with new editing and marketing skills, the women have been transforming their lives, and their hometown's primary industry. Some have even secured orders worth more than one million yuan (US $142,857). From the fields to the forefront of online sales, these "sisters" are painting a new picture of prosperity, and they are becoming a vibrant force in rural revitalization.
Henglan has the reputation of being the "Hometown of Flowers and Trees in China," as it is home to more than 2,000 hectares of flower- and tree-planting bases. In fact, the floriculture industry is a crucial pillar of the town's economic development. In 2020, Henglan Women's Federation conducted a research that found 60 percent of the area's flower and tree growers were husband-and-wife operations. The research also identified those growers generally lacked both professional marketing skills and multiple sales channels.
Henglan Women's Federation launched the innovative "Flower Promoter Sisters" training program in 2022, in part to counter such issues. The course offers practical, hands-on guidance, at no cost. Instruction, through both theory and practice, includes video editing, live streaming, plant care and sales techniques.
More than 300 "Flower Promoter Sisters" are working to expand the online market for Henglan's flower and tree producers. They are promoting their hometown's horticultural products in live-streaming rooms. In addition to increasing their own incomes, they are improving sales for the floriculture industry in greater Zhongshan area. Some of the "sisters" have secured million-yuan-plus (US $142,857-plus) "big orders" through their short videos.
New Career Paths
"Hello everyone. I'm a 'Flower Promoter Sister.' Today, I'll introduce a new variety ..." a "Flower Promoter Sister" says, to start her live broadcast. Amidst vibrant, fragrant flowers, the "Flower Promoter Sisters" enthusiastically introduce various plants to online audiences during their live-streaming marketing events. Three years ago, the women were homemakers and flower farmers. They knew little or, in most cases, nothing about either shooting short videos or hosting live-streaming sales events. Now, with just a mobile phone and a stand, they produce, shoot and edit their short videos, often in half an hour.
Huang Xueying, President of Henglan Women's Federation, says, "The 'Flower Promoter Sisters' Floriculture Shopping Guide Training Program includes empowerment-learning modules on floriculture-layering techniques, grafting techniques, cutting techniques, basics of AI short-video shooting and editing, and practical training, from plant identification to potting. The courses are precisely designed, based on research findings, and they feature scientific structure, strong practicality and instruction by renowned industry lecturers and experienced practitioners. Women, engaged in the floriculture industry, who are interested in entrepreneurship, employment or e-commerce marketing, as well as mothers needing to balance family and work, can sign up."
The program not only helps women broaden their horizons, and establish new concepts for promoting floriculture products online, but also enhances their confidence. "I used to be very afraid of facing the camera. Since taking the course, my mindset has changed significantly. Now, I can confidently and calmly introduce 'Colorful Dracaena' on camera, sometimes selling 300 pots in a single day," says Li Yuanman, a trainee and mother of two. "My mother-in-law also joined the live-streaming team. Now, my family members are all proficient at live streaming, and I have more time to shoot short videos."
Adds Cheng Jingjing, another trainee: "I wanted to expand my sales channels online, but I lacked professional knowledge and skills. The videos and pictures I posted rarely garnered attention. The 'Flower Promoter Sisters' course perfectly met my needs, and made me more determined to pursue online sales. Since 2022, I have received more than 40 orders (excluding retail) through Douyin, Kuaishou and major trading platforms, and my annual sales have exceeded one million yuan (US $142,857)."
Liu Huahua, also a trainee, says, "I originally disliked being filmed. Encouraged by the women's federation, I gradually overcame my psychological barriers. The professional knowledge, in the course on photography, short-video production and live-streaming techniques, was exactly what I wanted to learn. Now, I can film myself explaining bonsai landscaping, and promoting floriculture products."
Expanding Platforms
The primary task of a "Flower Promoter Sister" florist-shopping guide is to provide customers with plant-shopping guidance, and to promote and sell plants and flowers online, without a brick-and-mortar facility. "'Flower Promoter Sisters' have very flexible working hours, making it highly suitable for mothers, allowing them to earn money and care for their children simultaneously," Huang says.
The federation introduced various specific courses, including flower care, cultivation management, marketing skills and e-commerce live streaming. In addition, the federation brought together various resources to help "Flower Promoter Sisters" solve the practical problems they encountered in logistics, packaging and operations.
Mai Yuyu, a mother of three, has been selling plants and flowers since her third child was one month old. "Being a florist-shopping guide requires familiarity with flower varieties, growth habits and the distribution of plants at the bases. Usually, apart from going to the sites for inspections, all you need is a mobile phone and a ruler to handle customer orders for loading and shipping. My monthly income now is nearly 8,000 yuan (US $1,143), reaching almost 20,000 yuan (US $2,857) during peak season," Mai says.
Li Yong is also a mother of three. During the years she was essentially a stay-at-home mom, she anxiously watched as her husband struggled alone. After learning about Li's situation, the women's federation not only helped coordinate her time, but also encouraged her to persist in studying the "Flower Promoter Sisters" courses. Li persisted, and she eventually mastered filming and editing short videos, various live-streaming techniques and flower cultivation. Now, she can both care for her children and shoot and upload traffic-generating short videos that attract customers.
While traveling in Xizang (in southwest China), Liu was able to process orders from four new clients. "The clients told me they were attracted by my Douyin videos, which gave me a great sense of accomplishment. In my spare time, I can also earn extra income by providing flower-arrangement guidance and bonsai-landscaping services," Liu says.
'Warm Home'
The "Flower Promoter Sisters" project, through continuous empowerment, has helped more than 300 women, with an average age of 40-45, transform themselves into "Flower Promoter Sisters" and achieve re-employment. "They have formed a team model of 'supporting each other.' For example, if one 'Flower Promoter Sister' receives an order requiring 20 plant varieties, but she only has one herself, she sources the other 19 from other 'sisters.' Not only does she get the order, but she promotes sales for other sisters," Huang says.
In 2022, Chen Xiaojing secured a three-million-yuan (US $428,571) park-greening project. Chen's company provided 1.1 million yuan (US $157,143) worth of plants, while more than one million yuan (US $142,857) worth of plants were sourced from other "Flower Promoter Sisters"' nurseries. Since 2022, the annual sales of Chen's company have stabilized at more than four million yuan (US $571,429), and have driven more than two million yuan (US $285,714) in annual combined sales for surrounding floriculture businesses.
The "Flower Promoter Sisters" have realized their self-worth through mutual learning and support, and, together, they have become a brilliant name card for Henglan's floriculture industry. In October 2024, Henglan Women's Federation established a women's federation within the "Flower Promoter Sisters" group. Since then, the "sisters" have had their own "warm home." Chen was elected President of Henglan "Flower Promoter Sisters" Women's Federation. In her inaugural speech, she said, "I hope every 'Flower Promoter Sister' will find a sense of belonging, achievement and happiness in the warm family of the women's federation, and that each will enhance her confidence and creativity, and contribute greater women's strength."
About studying and implementing the spirit of the fourth plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, Huang says, "The Henglan Women's Federation will work to develop the digital economy and rural revitalization. Based on the 'guiding, serving and connecting' functions of the 'Flower Promoter Sisters' Women's Federation, we will focus on the needs of women in floriculture as we build a digital-marketing system. Aiming to build the 'Flower Promoter Sisters' IP (Intellectual Property), and acting as policy and floriculture promoters, skills trainers and online connectors, we will empower women's income growth and industrial development, and we will inject women's strength into rural revitalization."
Photos from Interviewee
(Women of China English Monthly February 2026)
Editor: Wang Shasha
