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Two sets of carved miniature boats, made from peach pits by artisan Hu Yinsong, are displayed on wooden stands in Jiaxing. [Photo/Tide News] 

The Tongxiang Archives in Jiaxing, East China's Zhejiang province, was presented with a unique gift on July 1.

The gift consisted of two sets of miniature Red Boats carved from peach pits by local intangible cultural heritage inheritor Hu Yinsong.

In 1921, 13 Party delegates gathered on a small boat on Nanhu Lake to conclude the Communist Party of China (CPC)'s First National Congress, which had been suspended in Shanghai due to police harassment. That vessel — now widely known as the Red Boat — is regarded as the physical birthplace of the CPC.

The donation coincided with the 104th anniversary of the founding of the CPC.

The miniature set includes two hollowed-out replicas about 4 centimeters long, each intricately sculpted to display detailed cabins, windows, roofs, and rudders.

It also features two smaller ferry boats with equally fine craftsmanship, demonstrating their structural elegance.

Hu explained that selecting the right peach pits was a meticulous process, with only two suitable ones chosen from over a thousand. Each replica took nearly six months to complete due to the natural complexity of the material.

At 76 years old, Hu has been carving peach pits for over five decades. His home is filled with handcrafted works ranging from animals to historical figures, all neatly displayed in glass cabinets.

For every major event — from the Beijing Olympics to the Shanghai World Expo — Hu has created commemorative works that reflect the era.

According to Lu Yafen, an official at Jiaxing Archives, the donation is both symbolic and a valuable addition to the institution's collection. She said the piece would be preserved and displayed when the time is right.