Longyan in SE China's Fujian injects new vitality into intangible cultural heritage

An artist performs during a magic night of intangible cultural heritage in Liancheng county, Longyan city, southeast China's Fujian Province. (Photo courtesy of the media convergence center of Liancheng county)

Longyan city, a famous home of the Hakka people in southeast China's Fujian Province, boasts a rich tapestry of intangible cultural heritage (ICH). With 293 ICH items at the municipal level and above and 265 representative inheritors, the city has breathed new life into its cultural treasures.

In recent years, Longyan has developed cultural and creative industrial parks as a key driver for promoting the development of cultural and creative products inspired by ICH. These industrial parks not only gather cultural and creative resources but also serve as windows for people to learn about and experience ICH.

A cultural and creative industrial park located in Xinluo district of Longyan is home to various kinds of cultural and creative stores. One store in the park displays a wide range of stone carving and wood carving products.

"An increasing number of tourists are willing to buy cultural and creative products at my store. We also provide experience activities such as stone rubbing, an ICH item," said Fang Jingsheng, manager of the store, adding that the industrial park attracts crowds of young people and tourists for its rich cultural resources.

Longyan is intensifying the construction of a cultural and creative industrial park themed on ICH and folk culture, which has already attracted several programs on ICH items like the art of incense, guqin, and festive lanterns.

This year's "magic night of intangible cultural heritage," a major culture and tourism brand launched by Longyan, boosted the city's cultural and tourism market.

The event showcased nearly 200 ICH items from provinces like Fujian, Guangdong and Jiangxi, as well as the Taiwan region.

Photo shows a traditional wedding ceremony performance in the Yongding Tulou scenic area in Yongding district, Longyan city, southeast China's Fujian Province. (Photo courtesy of the media convergence center of Yongding district)

To prevent ICH from remaining hidden, Longyan has incorporated regular performances in scenic areas and neighborhoods. These performances have enhanced tourist experiences and enabled local residents to enjoy a cultural feast at their doorsteps.

Since 2020, tourism activities have driven 1.4 billion yuan (about $192.44 million) in sales of ICH products, according to an official with the Longyan municipal bureau of culture and tourism.

In recent years, Longyan has leveraged ICH to advance rural revitalization, building 56 ICH-themed villages and one provincial demonstration ICH workshop.

A standout example is Zhangping farmers' painting, included in Fujian's ICH list in 2019. Established in 2010, the farmers' painting academy in Zhangping, a county-level city administered by Longyan, now hosts over 100 farmer painters, who create more than 1,000 works annually.

Another example is Yongding Wanying Tea, which was listed as a national ICH and is a mixture of Chinese medicinal ingredients and tea leaves. A company that produces Yongding Wanying Tea in Yongding district of Longyan provides jobs for over 60 local people, according to Shen Hongmei, a provincial-level inheritor.

In addition, the company has a planting base of traditional Chinese medicinal herbs covering 885 mu (59 hectares) in the district, directly or indirectly creating jobs for 2,300 people, with their per capita annual income reaching 50,000 yuan.