In Baiyin City, Gansu Province, ancient cultural traditions are being revitalized and shared with new audiences.
On June 13th, at the Cultural Industry Center Square in Jingyuan County, a vibrant display of intangible cultural heritage (ICH) items was held. Artisans demonstrated their skills, and creative cultural products captivated visitors, offering an immersive experience into the region's millennial cultural heritage.
This event was part of Gansu Province's 2026 "Cultural and Natural Heritage Day" main venue activities, held from June 13th to 16th in Jingyuan County under the theme "ICH, Making Life Better."
Preserving Rhythmic Heritage
The event opened with powerful, rhythmic drumming, showcasing the spirited character of the local people. Liu Kexian, an inheritor of the Baiyin Yellow River War Drum tradition, grew up surrounded by these sounds. He began formally practicing after retiring from the military in 2015.
"The drumming is not easy to learn," Liu explained. "It seems simple to watch but is difficult to master. You must memorize the sequences and hit the precise beats. Practice makes perfect, until it becomes muscle memory." He noted that today, the Yellow River War Drum is primarily used for cultural performances, emphasizing the need for innovation in formations and presentation to attract younger generations while preserving its core essence.
A Rich Tapestry of Cultural Heritage
Located by the Yellow River, along the ancient Silk Road, and in a key area of the Long March, Baiyin has nurtured a rich and diverse array of intangible cultural heritage.
Wang Juan, a member of the Baiyin Municipal Government, highlighted the city's comprehensive ICH protection system. Baiyin currently boasts 2 national-level, 47 provincial-level, and 214 municipal-level ICH items, with a total resource pool exceeding 500 items. Over a thousand inheritors at various levels are dedicated to preserving this millennia-old cultural lineage along the Yellow River.
A Dynamic Showcase of Tradition
The exhibition featured a wide spectrum of Baiyin's intangible heritage. Performances included the melodious Baiyin folk opera, which tells local stories through song; the intricate Huining paper-cutting art, capturing landscapes and folk customs on paper; and the evocative Huining shadow puppetry, narrating ancient tales through light and movement.
Other highlights included the ingeniously crafted Jingtai rolling lanterns, the durable and natural Pingchuan willow weaving, and the meticulously forged Baiyin copperware. Together, they presented a complete picture of the region's cultural heritage, blending dynamic and static arts.
Charting a Path for the Future
Wang Juan stated that Baiyin is committed to both protecting and utilizing its cultural heritage, balancing preservation with innovation to elevate ICH safeguarding from mere existence to excellence. She expressed hope that inheritors would uphold tradition while innovating, deeply integrating intangible cultural heritage with cultural tourism, creative industries, and local agricultural specialties.
The goal is to create a series of influential, widely appreciated, and enduring ICH brands, allowing this excellent cultural heritage to thrive with new vitality in the modern era.
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