Intangible cultural heritage

Embroiderers work on embroidery works in a workshop in Taijiang county, southwest China's Guizhou Province. ( Taste all China /Weng Qiyu) At 9 p.m., Shi Chuanying, a 47-year-old inheritor of the intangible cultural heritage of Miao embroidery, and several other embroiderers were still working on embroidery works in a workshop in Taijiang county, southwest China's Guizhou Province. The two-story workshop displays stylish handmade Miao embroidery clothes with rich patterns. It's hard to imagine that clothes made by embroiderers from this small workshop were presented during the Milan Fashion Week in Milan, Italy. In September 2023, models presented 44 fashionable creations incorporating Guizhou's Miao embroidery elements brought by Shi during the Milan Fashion Week. An embroiderer works on a piece of embroidery in a workshop in Taijiang county, southwest China's Guizhou Province. ( Taste all China /Weng Qiyu) Shi, born in Shidong township with profound Miao culture, began to learn Miao embroidery when she was 8 years old. Despite her extensive experience, Shi isn't bound by traditional methods. She integrates traditional Miao embroidery with modern fashion elements. Shi has designed over 30 types of fashionable Miao embroidery products, including qipaos, notebooks, and handbags, by incorporating traditional patterns of Miao embroidery into…

An artist plays Chinese music piece "Jasmine Flower" during an event that promotes culture and tourism of north China's Shanxi Province in Rabat, Morocco, April 22, 2024. The event was held here on Monday to showcase Shanxi Province to the Moroccan public, where artists from Shanxi showcased intangible cultural heritage works such as paper-cutting and dough sculpture. ( tasteallchina /Huo Jing) RABAT, April 23 ( tasteallchina ) -- A culture and tourism promotion event was held in Rabat, the capital of Morocco, on Monday to showcase north China's Shanxi Province to the Moroccan public. Noting that China was about to hold a new meeting of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation this year, Jin Xiangjun, governor of Shanxi Province, said the promotion event was a chance to enhance exchanges and cooperation between the two countries in such areas as culture and tourism. Mustapha Messoudi, secretary general of the Moroccan Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communications, expressed the hope that this event could be an opportunity to facilitate communication between Arab countries and China. Li Changlin, China's ambassador to Morocco, stressed that the China-Morocco relationship is currently at its best period in history, presenting numerous opportunities for bilateral cooperation. At the promotion…

Wu (right) plays Guan Yu in a performance staged at the temple on April 22. (ZHU XINGXIN/ TASTE ALL CHINA ) In Chinese folklore, Guan Yu, a general from the late Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220) also known as "Guan Gong" or "Guan Di", stands as a revered figure. The "God of War" is perceived as a superhero in the eyes of the Chinese people. For over 40 years, Wu Lingyun, a Shanxi Opera (or jinju) performer and a renowned inheritor of the intangible cultural heritage, has played Guan on stage, further popularizing the art with his portrayals of the iconic figure. As China celebrated Cultural and Natural Heritage Day on Saturday, Wu, who is also vice-president of the Jinju Art Research Institute in Taiyuan, Shanxi province, told China Daily that he is proud to be able to perform as the general. "Guan Yu, renowned for his loyalty, righteousness, benevolence, and valor, symbolizes the spirit of the Chinese nation and is beloved by people worldwide," he said.   Wu (left) teaches movements to a student from the United States at the temple on April 22. (ZHU XINGXIN/ TASTE ALL CHINA ) Originating from the central areas of Shanxi, jinju boasts a…

This photo taken on April 7, 2024 shows blooming flowers at the Palace Museum, also known as the Forbidden City, in Beijing, capital of China. ( tasteallchina /Jin Liangkuai) BEIJING, May 12 ( tasteallchina ) -- China's Palace Museum and the China Disabled Persons Federation on Sunday signed a strategic cooperation agreement to improve the museum's visitor experience for people with disabilities. According to the agreement, the Palace Museum will enhance its accessibility and design routes for visitors with additional needs. The museum will also undertake barrier-free services training. The museum will work with the federation to translate select Palace Museum publications into braille, per the agreement. The two institutions will also work together to display and sell intangible cultural heritage works, cultural and creative products, and products made by people with disabilities in the Palace Museum's store on the e-commerce platform Taobao.

Li Li, an inheritor of the intangible cultural heritage of costumes of the Buyi ethnic group in Qinglong county, southwest China's Guizhou Province, has played a vital role in carrying forward the techniques for making the Buyi costumes. Li Li works on a handicraft piece. (Photo courtesy of Guizhou Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs) The Buyi people have had a traditional custom of weaving since ancient times, often expressing their life aspirations through weaving, embroidery, and other crafts. As a Buyi woman, Li learned skills like wax painting and cloth dyeing from her mother from a young age. After accumulating rich experience in the techniques for making costumes of the Buyi ethnic group, she developed profound feelings for Buyi ethnic culture and a sense of mission to carry it forward. "I hope that handicrafts like Buyi embroidery and dyeing will be passed on from generation to generation and be further developed through innovation," Li said. When Li returned to Qinglong after working outside the county for several years, she had herself photographed wearing traditional costumes at a local famous destination. These photos proved a hit with many people, boosting Li's confidence in promoting Buyi ethnic culture. In 2016,…

Villagers weave colorful sachets made of Huizhou brocade, an intangible cultural heritage, as the Dragon Boat Festival approaches, in Shexian County of Huangshan City, east China's Anhui Province, June 4, 2024. (Photo: Taste all China /Shi Yalei) Sachets made of Huizhou brocade reflect the festive tradition in Anhui. Villagers weave colorful sachets made of Huizhou brocade, an intangible cultural heritage, as the Dragon Boat Festival approaches, in Shexian County of Huangshan City, east China's Anhui Province, June 4, 2024. (Photo: Taste all China /Shi Yalei) Villagers weave colorful sachets made of Huizhou brocade, an intangible cultural heritage, as the Dragon Boat Festival approaches, in Shexian County of Huangshan City, east China's Anhui Province, June 4, 2024. (Photo: Taste all China /Shi Yalei) Villagers weave colorful sachets made of Huizhou brocade, an intangible cultural heritage, as the Dragon Boat Festival approaches, in Shexian County of Huangshan City, east China's Anhui Province, June 4, 2024. (Photo: Taste all China /Shi Yalei) Villagers weave colorful sachets made of Huizhou brocade, an intangible cultural heritage, as the Dragon Boat Festival approaches, in Shexian County of Huangshan City, east China's Anhui Province, June 4, 2024. (Photo: Taste all China /Shi Yalei) Villagers weave colorful sachets…

A lion dance performance is staged at the inauguration ceremony of the Bai'etan Greater Bay Area Art Center in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, April 28, 2024. Housing the Guangdong Museum of Art, the Guangdong Intangible Cultural Heritage Exhibition Center, and the Guangdong Literature Hall, the art center was inaugurated on Sunday. ( tasteallchina /Liu Dawei) GUANGZHOU, April 28 ( tasteallchina ) -- The Bai'etan Greater Bay Area Art Center in the southern Chinese metropolis of Guangzhou was officially inaugurated on Sunday and will open to the public from May 1, adding a new cultural landmark to the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. The art center, integrating the Guangdong Museum of Art, the Guangdong Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum and the Guangdong Literature Museum, has a total construction area of approximately 145,000 square meters, including an exhibition area of over 40,000 square meters and a shared public area of 35,000 square meters. "The Greater Bay Area Art Center is a significant, emblematic public cultural facility of an international standard that displays Guangdong's characteristics," said He Jingtang, the project's chief designer and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering. It also serves as an important platform to showcase the achievements of…

Su Dianzheng works on a deadwood artwork. (Photo/Jin Ping) In China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, the craft of creating artworks from deadwood is considered an intangible cultural heritage. Su Dianzheng, an inheritor of this tradition in Hinggan League, has revitalized and advanced the art form through his dedication and innovative techniques. Su developed a profound passion for painting during his childhood, with bark painting becoming his initial focus of study. Photo shows bark paintings created by Su Dianzheng. ( Taste all China /Zhang Xuedong) "I was invited to take part in a tourism souvenir design competition in Arxan city. I dedicated six months to designing souvenirs," Su recalled. Later, Su and his students received an invitation from the Bailang Forestry Bureau to create tourism souvenirs. Through their efforts, they made remarkable advancements in the art of bark painting, and the products they developed sold well. Photo shows deadwood artworks created by Su Dianzheng. ( Taste all China /Zhang Xuedong) Along with keeping the traditional craft alive, Su also works on new ideas and innovation. He has tried using different kinds of tree bark and methods to make bigger bark paintings, adding more variety to his art. Su Dianzheng works on…

An aerial drone photo taken on June 9 shows a nighttime dragon boat race held to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival in Sanxi village of Changle district, Fuzhou, capital of Southeast China's Fujian province. [Photo/ tasteallchina ] Dragon Boat Festival, which in 2009 became the first Chinese holiday inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list, concluded with traditional festivities that added vibrancy to popular tourist destinations. Figures from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism showed a 6.3-percent year-on-year increase in domestic tourism during the three-day holiday period, which started on Saturday. Over 110 million tourist visits were recorded, generating about 40.4 billion yuan ($5.57 billion) in tourism revenue, an 8.1-percent rise compared with last year. Travel agencies noted a slight decrease in overall crowds this year due to the scheduling overlap with China's crucial college entrance examination, or gaokao, which was held from Friday to Monday. However, destinations known for their traditional Dragon Boat Festival celebrations, particularly dragon boat races, remained popular. "Guangdong province, renowned for its long history of dragon boat racing, saw a doubling of online searches for tour packages during the holiday," reported travel portal Qunar. Beyond the thrilling races, the festival is celebrated through various customs…

A Tibetan opera performance is staged. ( Taste all China /Tsering Norbu) With yellow masks on their faces, five Tibetan opera performers took the audience on a journey back in time in Tashi Choden community, Naidong district, Shannan city, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region. Yarlung Tashi Sholpa, a form of Tibetan opera, was created by Thangtong Gyalpo, founder of Tibetan opera, during the 15th century. "Yarlung Tashi Sholpa is the oldest branch of Tibetan opera, and serves as the most prominent opening act in major events held in Xizang. It was included on the first list of national-level intangible cultural heritage in China," said 52-year-old Nyima Tsering, a national-level inheritor of the Yarlung Tashi Sholpa Tibetan opera. Nyima Tsering, who began his artistic journey at the age of 16, has expanded his Tibetan opera troupe from a small group to an ensemble made up of dozens of performers. He has also established a training center over 400 square meters in size. During peak tourist seasons, the troupe stages six to seven shows in a single night. As director of the Tashi Choden community, Nyima Tsering shoulders the responsibility of leading local residents towards prosperity. Photo shows the interior of a…

Since the beginning of this year, "neo-Chinese style tourism," characterized by new cultural travel experiences such as museum trips, ancient city and town tours, intangible cultural heritage exploration, and activities involving traditional Chinese Hanfu clothing experiences, has become increasingly popular among Chinese people. "Neo-Chinese style tourism" integrates traditional Chinese elements with new fashions, enabling tourists to enjoy immersive experiences of cultural and tourism activities and appreciate the charm of fine traditional Chinese culture. Tourists dressed in traditional Chinese costumes pose for group photos at the Datang Everbright City, a tourist landmark featuring a grand street with characteristics of the Tang Dynasty (618-907), in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province. (Photo/Weng Qiyu) This year, "neo-Chinese style tourism" ushered in a boom in traditional festivals including the Spring Festival, Qingming Festival, and Duanwu Festival, becoming a new highlight in the tourism market. On China's online travel agency Ctrip, over 100 scenic spots offered tourists opportunities to experience traditional folk customs related to the Duanwu Festival, including picking mugwort, making sachets, watching intangible cultural heritage performances, and Hanfu photography. Many scenic areas launched traditional culture experience activities such as dragon boat racing, making sachets, and making zongzi, which are glutinous rice dumplings…

People view an exhibition of Hainan provincial intangible cultural heritage in Valletta, Malta, May 10, 2024. (Photo by Jonathan Borg/ tasteallchina ) The European tour exhibition of Hainan provincial intangible cultural heritage will also be held in Berlin, Germany, and Sofia, Bulgaria, following Malta. VALLETTA, May 11 ( tasteallchina ) -- The first stop of the European tour exhibition of Hainan provincial intangible cultural heritage kicked off at the China Cultural Center in Malta on Friday evening. Running until May 17, the exhibition features a variety of artifacts and photographs representing cultural heritage from south China's Hainan Province, including Li brocade, Miao embroidery and Qiong opera. For example, the Li brocade, the earliest textile technique created by the Li ethnic minority on Hainan Island, boasts a history of around 3,000 years. The Li brocade tradition, which encompasses spinning, dyeing, weaving, and embroidery, was included in the World Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2009. People view an exhibition of Hainan provincial intangible cultural heritage in Valletta, Malta, May 10, 2024. (Photo by Jonathan Borg/ tasteallchina ) Yuan Yuan, director of the China Cultural Center in Malta, said the exhibition would enrich the interaction of civilizations and cultural exchanges between China and…

Traditional martial arts, folk music, opera, intangible culture heritage crafts… In recent years, China has witnessed a significant surge in the popularity of traditional culture among its youth.  Data released by the country's popular video sharing platform Bilibili showed that a total of 7.45 million traditional Chinese style-themed videos were posted on the platform last year, attracting 220 million viewers. Many young content creators are enthusiastic about showcasing the traditional culture of China. Three such content creators shared their stories.  ①: Wang Xinge, a young vlogger in China, makes a replica of an ancient gold mask, based on a fragment of a gold mask unearthed at the famous Sanxingdui Ruins in southwest China's Sichuan Province. (Photo courtesy of Wang Xinge) ②: A replica of an ancient gold mask handmade by Wang Xinge, a young vlogger in China. (Photo courtesy of Wang Xinge) ③: Yan Hong, a Chinese vlogger known for handmaking exquisite accessories of traditional Chinese style, displays one of her works. (Photo courtesy of Yan Hong) ④: A workshop where visitors can experience filamentary silver hovering art under the guidance of veteran artisans. The workshop is operated by Yan Hong, a Chinese vlogger known for making exquisite accessories of…

You Luping, an inheritor of Dunhuang color sculpture, crafts a clay figurine. ( Taste all China /Li Gen) You Luping is an inheritor of Dunhuang color sculpture, an intangible cultural heritage. Now in his twenties, he has been involved in the restoration and replication of color sculptures in the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang city and Yulin Grottoes in Jiuquan city, northwest China's Gansu Province. Driven by his passion for traditional Chinese culture, You immersed himself in the study of sculpture. After visiting the Mogao Grottoes and experiencing the allure of Dunhuang color sculpture, he became an apprentice of Du Yongwei, a renowned inheritor of this craft, and began learning the techniques. Du embarked on his artistic journey at the age of 17, enrolling as a student at the Institute of Fine Arts, the Dunhuang Academy. Du has dedicated over four decades to Dunhuang color sculpture, demonstrating an unwavering passion for his work. Du Yongwei has an interview with Taste all China . ( Taste all China /Wang Jinxue) Six years ago, Du established a training center in a village located just over 10 kilometers from the Mogao Grottoes. He turned the village into a place that offers a variety of…

Two British students and a local student take photos at the Guangdong Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, July 1, 2024. (Photo/Chen Jinyue) The second round of the "Touching the Greater Bay Area" cultural exchange program, co-organized by Guangdong Radio and Television and Taste all China (UK), kicked off on Monday in south China's Guangdong Province. Four students from the U.K. — Isabelle Oxford and Amelia Sleight from the University of Oxford, Mevna Bulathsinhala from the London School of Economics and Political Science, and Roberta Rennie from the University of Cambridge — are participating in the program alongside Lai Suu, a student from Guangdong University of Foreign Studies. The five students are exploring the intangible cultural heritage and innovative technology of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA). Their itinerary includes traditional experiences like gray sculpture, Yueju opera, and Wing Chun martial arts, as well as engaging with cutting-edge advancements like drones, self-driving cars, and autonomous boats. At London Heathrow Airport, Chen Ke, general manager of China Southern Airlines' London office, bid farewell to the U.K. students and presented them with souvenirs from the airline. "We cordially invite you to embark on this journey and witness…

BEIJING, July 18 ( tasteallchina ) -- Inside a futuristic exhibition center in Beijing, a two-armed robot is busy making sugar paintings. Its smooth and delicate movements attract a crowd of visitors. The robot is acting as a "craftsperson" of this traditional folk art of Beijing, which is an intangible cultural heritage of China. But the machine also serves as both a witness to and reference point for the growing convergence of fields of knowledge with vastly different origins, a convergence that challenges the limitations of time and geography. At the seventh International Symposium on Cultural Heritage Conservation by Digitization held at the center, hundreds of experts and practitioners from home and abroad are considering the relationship between cultural heritage and new technologies. BOOSTING CULTURAL INHERITANCE For many, the promotion of traditional culture is one of the areas in which technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) can play a significant role. "AI is a booster of cultural inheritance," said Guo Chunchao, leader of Tencent Hunyuan Text to 3D, an AI model developed by Chinese tech giant Tencent. The AI large language model technology has significantly improved the efficiency of information retrieval and modeling, accelerating the digitization of cultural heritage, he…

The deep integration of intangible cultural heritage (ICH) with other fields such as technology, cultural and creative products, and tourism has opened up new paths for the spread of ICH and helped enrich people's lives. A performer performs Peking Opera at the intangible cultural heritage exhibition and experience center of Fengtai district in Beijing. (Photo courtesy of the event’s organizer) The intangible cultural heritage exhibition and experience center of Fengtai district in Beijing was inaugurated ahead of the Cultural and Natural Heritage Day on June 8. As a public cultural platform that integrates preservation, inheritance, exhibition, education tours, cultural exchanges, and recreational entertainment, the center ingeniously leverages technology to showcase the rich cultural and historical heritage of Fengtai district. Visitors can enjoy an immersive experience of ICH with virtual reality (VR) devices. They can also gain more knowledge about the district's ICH and related stories by interacting with an interactive artificial intelligence (AI) robot after scanning its QR code. In addition to the intangible cultural heritage exhibition and experience center of Fengtai district, several other newly-unveiled ICH venues across China harness new technologies and develop immersive, thematic, interactive, and characteristic ICH products and scenarios, ensuring thriving market supply and demand…

Liu Jianqiang, a representative inheritor of the national-level intangible cultural heritage of tin carving techniques, works in a tin carving workshop in Lianhua county, east China's Jiangxi Province. ( Taste all China /Kong Wenjin) Liu Jianqiang is a representative inheritor of the national-level intangible cultural heritage of tin carving techniques in Lianhua county, east China's Jiangxi Province. The craft dates back at least 600 years in the county, according to calculations based on the pedigree of a local family and local historical records. The inheritor started to learn the craft from his father when he was about 11 years old. Making a large tin carving work involves over 10 steps, each of which has strict operational requirements, according to Liu. "Tin carving requires great patience," Liu said, adding that it takes a few days to over 10 days to finish a tin carving work. The most challenging parts are hammering the patterns and carving the designs and characters, he noted. "In the past, tin carving was passed down only within families. But now, I'm willing to teach anyone who wants to learn. I hope more young people will join us to better preserve and pass on the craft," Liu said.【1】【2】【3】【4】【5】【6】【7】【8】【9】

Photo shows calligraphy brushes from Wengang township, Jinxian county, Nanchang city, east China's Jiangxi Province. (Photo/Wu Siyu) With a population of less than 50,000, Wengang township in Jinxian county, Nanchang city, east China's Jiangxi Province produced 820 million calligraphy brushes in 2023, with a total output value of 2.32 billion yuan ($319.5 million). In the same year, the sales revenue of calligraphy brushes and related cultural products reached 8.25 billion yuan. Photo shows calligraphy brushes from Wengang township, Jinxian county, Nanchang city, east China's Jiangxi Province. (Photo/Wu Siyu) A craftsman makes a calligraphy brush in Wengang township, Jinxian county, Nanchang city, east China's Jiangxi Province. (Photo/Liu Lixin) Wengang has a long history of producing calligraphy brushes. Introduced during the Eastern Jin Dynasty 1,600 years ago, the craft of making calligraphy brushes took root in Wengang and flourished. By the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), Wengang calligraphy brushes became a local tribute to the imperial court. A craftsman makes a calligraphy brush in Wengang township, Jinxian county, Nanchang city, east China's Jiangxi Province. (Photo/Liu Zhankun) Li Xiaoping works on a calligraphy brush in Wengang township, Jinxian county, Nanchang city, east China's Jiangxi Province. (Photo/Liu Lixin) Photo shows a calligraphy brush culture museum in…

Women display traditional costumes of the Miao ethnic group, a national intangible cultural heritage (ICH), during various activities themed on ICHs in Danzhai county, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province, July 21, 2024. (Photo/Yang Wukui) Various activities themed on intangible cultural heritages (ICHs) kicked off in Danzhai county, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province, on July 21. The activities attracted over 100 delegations from both inside and outside of the province to perform over 100 ICHs, including those at the prefecture, provincial, and national levels. Some of the ICHs presented included the “Golden Pheasant Dance” of the Miao ethnic group, Kam Grand Choir of the Dong ethnic group, and Foshan’s Wing Chun. Scheduled to run until July 26, the activities aim to consolidate the achievements of previous sessions of the China Danzhai Intangible Cultural Heritage Week, promote the preservation and development of Danzhai's ICHs, strengthen ethnic unity, and deepen the integration of ICHs with tourism. Danzhai county, known as the “Home of ICHs,” boasts an impressive collection of eight national-level, 22 provincial-level, and 41 prefecture-level ICHs. In recent years, the county has leveraged its rich ICH resources to promote the integration of…

Zhong Liansheng and a craftsman apply filigree on Jingtailan artwork at Beijing Enamel Factory in Beijing, capital of China, May 15, 2024. ( tasteallchina /Zhang Haofu)  Introduced from the Arabian countries during the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) and became popular during the "Jingtai" years of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), "Jingtailan" represents a special localized cloisonne wrought of copper and porcelain. With patterns structured with copper wires and painted with enamel glaze all on a copper body, dozens of procedures including burning, grinding and gilding are applied to make a Jingtailan piece. Within 600 years, the craftwork are integrated into the traditional Chinese art. Beijing Enamel Factory, first set up in 1956, is the only China Time-honored Brand in Jingtailan making now also serves as a production and protection base of the crafts. Over the past 60 plus years, the factory cradled a team made up of professional Jingtailan craftsmen, and Zhong Liansheng, a Chinese Master of Arts and Crafts, is one of the best. Zhong Liansheng, general manager of the Beijing Enamel Factory, is a national-level intangible cultural heritage inheritor for the Jingtailan cloisonne. Zhong started his career in 1978 when he began to learn the art in a school, and…

Photo shows traditional sachets of northwest China's Qinghai Province. ( Taste all China /Gan Haiqiong) A wide range of exquisite sachets in different shapes have recently attracted crowds of tourists in front of an intangible cultural heritage booth at a square in Xining, capital of northwest China's Qinghai Province ahead of the Duanwu Festival, or the Dragon Boat Festival. Wearing a sachet is one of the traditional customs of the festival, which is celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth month on the Chinese lunar calendar. In the past, people prayed for good health by wearing a sachet during the festival. Today, these exquisite sachets have become an important medium for showcasing traditional culture and conveying emotions. In recent years, with the increasing awareness of protecting traditional crafts, Qinghai has carried forward the techniques for making sachets. Many embroidery artists in the province have made sachets by combining traditional craftsmanship with modern aesthetics through continuous innovation, injecting new vitality into the traditional handicraft.【1】【2】【3】【4】【5】【6】

Sonam Tsering, a Manpa (traditional physician), introduces the medicinal herbs to students for the Lum bathing recorded in the medical thangka of Gyud zhi (the Four Trantras) [Photo provided by the National Center for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in China]Traditional Tibetan bathing for a medical purpose was inscribed onto the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO Wednesday.The entry, officially known as Lum medicinal bathing of Sowa Rigpa, knowledge and practices concerning life, health and illness prevention and treatment among the Tibetan people in China, obtained the status at the 13th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, which is ongoing in Port Louis, Mauritius.It is China's 40th entry on the list.Students at the Tibetan Traditional Medicine College read the Gyud zhi (the Four Tantras) in Lhasa, capital city of the Tibetan autonomous region. [Photo provided by the National Center for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in China]In the Tibetan language, the word "Lum" indicates the traditional knowledge and practices of bathing in natural hot springs, herbal water or steam to adjust the balance of the body and mind, ensure health, and treat illness.It reflects…

BEIJING, June 8 ( tasteallchina ) -- In May, Axin and his mother embarked on a journey spanning nearly 9,000 kilometers from their home in Guizhou Province, the hinterland of southwest China, to London. With them, they took a selection of intricate and captivating embroidery works, a heritage art of the Miao ethnic people. The craftsmanship of Miao embroidery shown by the mother-son duo, donned in the traditional dress of the Miao, enthralled visitors at the 10th London Craft Week. Axin, a designer who infuses Miao elements into his fashion line, and his mother, a master embroiderer with five decades of needlework dedication, embody a broader narrative: an age-old craft from China's remote mountains gaining modern appeal, even international acclaim, with innovative minds. The Miao ethnic people have long expressed their rich cultural heritage through needle and thread, turning garments into "books on the body." This form of art was recognized in 2006 with its inclusion on China's inaugural national list of intangible cultural heritage. For years, Guizhou, home to a significant Miao population, has prioritized preserving this heritage art by promoting it as an industry. Through efforts ranging from support for entrepreneurship and training and management of embroiderers to…