An artist performs on a musical instrument during the Intangible Cultural Heritage Week folk music concert at Mission Hills Resort Shenzhen in Longhua District on Aug. 15. Photos courtesy of event organizer

The Intangible Cultural Heritage Week opened on Aug. 15 at the Mission Hills Resort Shenzhen, bringing traditional craftsmanship, folk music and cultural activities to the public.

Running through Aug. 23, the annual event features more than 20 activities across eight sections, including a handicraft festival, international workshops, a photography exhibition, a plant-dye fashion showcase, a cultural and creative market, tourism recommendations and an open day.

The event, which has received support from a special fund for the development of Shenzhen’s publicity and cultural programs, aims to make traditional culture more accessible through interactive and creative experiences.

Folk music gives ancient instruments a new stage

A musician performs onstage during the Intangible Cultural Heritage Week folk music concert at Mission Hills Resort Shenzhen in Longhua District on Aug. 15.  

A folk music concert featuring traditional Chinese and ethnic instruments kicked off the cultural week on Aug. 15.

The concert brought together professional musicians and amateur performers in six musical chapters. Performances included classic Chinese pieces such as “Fishermen’s Song at Dusk” while musical saw artist Li Yuanqing performed “Half Moon Serenade” on the instrument. Members of the Shenzhen Xun Players’ Association performed “Memories of Jiangnan,” while a choir made up of Mission Hills residents sang “Beyond the Horizon.”

“We hope to break away from stereotypes about intangible cultural heritage (ICH) music and allow it to shine both on professional stages and in community life,” said Chen Yadong, deputy general manager of cultural and educational affairs at Mission Hills.

Peng Xingzhou of the Shenzhen Xun Players’ Association also took the stage for the first time at the event, introducing the xun, an ancient wind instrument with a history of about 8,000 years.

“What made me happiest was seeing so many children come over to ask about the xun as soon as we brought it out. Some even tried playing it on the spot,” Peng said.

The combination of professional performances and public participation helped turn traditional music from something distant and formal into a living part of everyday life.

A choir performs during the opening concert of Intangible Cultural Heritage Week at Mission Hills Resort Shenzhen in Longhua District on Aug. 15.

World heritage meets local traditions

Another highlight is the World ICH Workshop, which brings traditional crafts from different parts of the world together with local Chinese heritage.

On the morning of Aug. 15, Hong Kong craft inheritor Luk Wing-shing introduced the traditional art of making large ceremonial paper flowers, known as “Dai Hung Fa” decorations. Dating back to the 1920s, the craft uses red paper and gold foil motifs and reflects shared festive traditions across the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao region.

Twenty families joined the workshop, constructing the flower structures and decorating them with auspicious patterns.

Other workshops showcased Russian matryoshka painting, French découpage and Italian glassblowing, alongside Cantonese dim sum making, plant dyeing and traditional mortise-and-tenon construction.

The organizers said the combination of international and local heritage has created a platform for cultural exchange and mutual learning, particularly in the context of APEC China Year.

Tang Guangyan, a Guangdong Arts and Crafts Master and a representative inheritor of the qipao-making technique, has participated in the workshops since the first edition.

She described the event as a high-level platform for professionals in the field to exchange ideas, while also providing opportunities for local ICH projects to grow and gain wider attention.

Tradition meets creativity

Now in its seventh edition, ICH Week has grown from a district-level event in Longhua to a city-level cultural program supported by Shenzhen's special publicity and cultural development fund.

By integrating ICH with tourism, cultural experiences and leisure activities, Mission Hills is also creating a new form of “ICH micro-vacation” for local residents.

The organizers said preserving heritage requires both respect for tradition and the courage to innovate. By bringing traditional craftsmanship into dialogue with contemporary creativity, and local culture into conversation with the wider world, they hope to keep centuries-old traditions alive in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.