Explore Intangible Cultural Heritage Space in Shihu Garden

Weifang is a famous historical and cultural city abundant in intangible cultural heritages such as Weifang kites, Yangjiabu woodblock New Year pictures, Gaomi clay sculptures, Zhucheng black pottery, Laomao lanterns, archaizing bronzes, etc., which come from the masses and are closely related to the production and life of the masses.

Since 2018, in order to better do the work related to Weishui National Eco-Cultural Protection Experimental Zone, an open platform for intangible cultural heritage cooperation - Shihuyuan Intangible Cultural Heritage Space, which combines protection, dissemination, exchange, display, inheritance, research and training, has been built jointly by Weifang Bureau of Culture and Tourism, Weicheng District People’s Government and Weifang Investment Group.

After nearly one year of hard work, Shihuyuan Intangible Cultural Heritage Space has gradually made achievements. Recently, the reporter walked into the Space to feel the charm of intangible cultural heritage.

Ritual "First Writing Ceremony”

With the arrival of the school season, First Writing Ceremony and other research courses have been officially launched at Shihuyuan Intangible Cultural Heritage Space, the national Weishui Eco-Cultural Protection Experimental Zone & Weifang Intangible Cultural Heritage Cluster Area. Nearly 100 children dressed in Hanfu, guided by the teacher, ushered in their "first lesson in life" in classical and solemn ritual.

Zhucheng Black Pottery Shows Art of Earth and Fire

"Zhucheng black pottery is a kind of pottery art. As an ancient Han pottery technique, it has the reputation of being colored like ink, sound like a bell, thin as paper, bright like a mirror, and hard as porcelain. This kind of clay pottery made in Zhucheng city, which can be traced back to more than 4,000 years ago, belongs to the famous Longshan culture in the late Neolithic period.” In the east of the exhibition hall on the first floor of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Space, Ma Zhiyong, deputy director of Hanwangshan Black Pottery Institute in Weishui Eco-Cultural Protection Experimental Area, is explaining the history of Zhucheng black pottery to the children who come to study.

 Kites and New Year Pictures being Highlights

Kites and New Year pictures are the intangible cultural heritage that best represents Weifang. They are also the pride of every Weifang people.

The T-shirts with traditional New Year pictures, storage bags and backpacks decorated with New Year pictures... amazed on-site citizens by the infinite charm of New Year pictures art.

"New Year pictures must be diversified in order not to be forgotten. Here, some of our own works and ideas are displayed, and the citizens once again feel the essence of Yangjiabu woodcut New Year pictures in each work, so that more people like it. This is a very good way of inheritance." said Yu Youyang, who has 30 years of experience in making woodblock New Year pictures.

Let Intangible Cultural Heritage Reappear, Reproduce, Rebirth

To inherit and protect intangible cultural heritage, we must strive to promote it in our life. The Intangible Cultural Heritage Space provides a better display and communication platform for the extensive and profound intangible heritage culture. On-site display and performance have improved citizens' participation in intangible cultural heritage protection and inheritance.

"To protect and inherit intangible cultural heritage well is to let it return to our lives so that it can be passed on naturally." said Zhang Xinxing, a staff member of Shihuyuan Cultural Block. "There are 20 projects (inheritors) being selected for Shihuyuan Intangible Heritage Space & 2019 Weishui Intangible Cultural Heritage Partner Program, which, by reproducing and inheriting the story of yesterday, the traditional crafts and integrating modern design, pass on and give new life to intangible cultural heritage crafts and traditional skills."

"The first phase focuses on recruiting ten representative intangible cultural heritage projects, namely, kites, New Year pictures, pottery, printing and dyeing, paper-cutting, embroidery, pit-carving, guqin, silver embedding, and archaizing copper, aiming to  better promote intangible cultural heritage projects, and comprehensively assist the innovative development of intangible cultural heritage of Weifang, by providing policy support and professional operation guidance." Zhang Xinxing said.