Protecting cultural heritage is a global challenge, and balancing it with development is an issue many countries face. China is no different, and in recent years efforts have been strengthened to promote conservation. Ning Hong is in Tianjin, visiting researchers from a leading institute of literature and the arts, and brings this story.

In Tianjin, a commemorative event for Mazu, a mythical Chinese sea goddess, is taking place. It's the largest commemorative event for Mazu in northern China. Researchers from Tianjin University say it's an invaluable resource for their studies.

GENG HAN Researcher, Feng Jicai Institute of Literature and Art, Tianjin University "Research into intangible cultural heritage must be completed in the field, amid folk life. It allows students to truly enter into the specifics of the cultural event."

Tianjin University's intangible cultural heritage program is the first of its kind in China, and involves learning traditional skills from inheritors.

YU FENGYI Master's Student, Science of Intangible Cultural Heritage "We've truly experienced what can be considered a form of natural exploration. It involves a feeling of practicing and exploring the truth, and understanding true knowledge. It's left a very deep impression on me."

In recent years, some examples of traditional culture in China have faced the threat of extinction. Researchers at Tianjin University have established cultural archives for the inheritors of intangible cultural heritage, and set up teaching bases for five of the most representative forms. Tianjin's Yangliuqing New Year Painting, a traditional way to celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year, is one of them. Huo Qingyou is a sixth-generation inheritor, who still insists on making New Year Paintings through traditional methods.

HUO QINGYOU Intangible Cultural Heritage Inheritor "We should be patient in letting them fully understand the ancient techniques of Yangliuqing New Year Paintings, including how the old tools and pigments were made. They should be taught ancient knowledge, so they know the old ways and can innovate on that basis."

Making a New Year Painting is a complex and challenging task. It involves carving onto a wooden board, which is not only time-consuming but also requires technical skills. The commitment to traditional craftsmanship has earned Yangliuqing New Year Paintings both recognition and attention from researchers.

GENG HAN Researcher, Feng Jicai Institute of Literature and Art, Tianjin University "When you see the achievements of folk culture, you're moved. It generates cultural confidence and cultural pride, a recognition for the country and the cultural matrix itself. This is why intangible cultural heritage is so important to protect. On the one hand, it preserves what the culture used to be like for our country, and at the same time, it provides a traceable origin for our future."

With the establishment of the field research bases in Tianjin, findings are recorded in written form, through images, and orally. It's hoped this will establish strong foundations for future researchers who want to trace the long history of Chinese civilization, both locally and across the nation.

Ning Hong, CGTN, Tianjin.

 For more information, please refer to:
 Culture and Heritage Day: University in Tianjin conducts research into lived experience of China's rich cultural heritage - CGTN