A Fascinating Scroll of Jiangsu Intangible Cultural Heritage

Intangible cultural heritage is an important carrier of continuous Chinese civilization and the primary manifestation of the inheritance and practice of Chinese splendid traditional culture.

As one of the cradles of ancient Chinese civilization, Jiangsu Province boasts profound intangible cultural heritage, including ten cultural treasures that have been added on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

The nourishment of rivers and lakes and the cultural inheritance of thousands of years have created the charming land of Jiangsu, making its intangible heritage culture diverse and unique.

The characteristics of the intangible cultural heritage in southern Jiangsu are elegant, gentle and exquisite. The ballads, dances, operas, or folk handicrafts are conveying the spirit of grace and delicateness. In contrast, intangible cultural heritage in northern Jiangsu features simple and rough, revealing the strong and vigorous spirit of the Chu and Han dynasties. The dances and operas are cheerful and passionate, while the paper-cut art is exaggerated and unsophisticated. Jiangsu's central region, represented by Yangzhou, is a combination of the north and the south. There is the strength as well as grace in its intangible cultural heritage. The jade carving skills and lacquer crafts are superb, the storytelling and operas can suit both refined and popular tastes, plain but delicate. All these together paint a fascinating scroll of Jiangsu intangible cultural heritage.

Special thanks to Jiangsu Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism