A trade fair of Intangible Cultural Heritage arts and crafts opened recently in Beijing, as part of the Third China Beijing International Cultural and Creative Industry Expo.

The fair aims to build a platform for the business development of China"s Intangible Cultural Heritage of Arts and Crafts.

Our reporter Yingying takes a closer look.

Reporter:
More than 100 "Intangible Cultural Heritage" crafts have been put on show for sale at the first Intangible Cultural Heritage Arts and Crafts Trade Fair.

Among them are brocade from the Li ethnic group, interior painted snuff bottles, stone carvings, buffed lacquer ware, clay figurines, coiled embroidery of the Tu ethnicity, Thang-ga from Tibet and other interesting items.

More than 50 heirs of Intangible Cultural Heritage Arts and Crafts were invited to display their skills.

Li Guifang is the organizer of the trade fair.

"In the past, the government has spent lots of money on protecting Intangible Cultural Heritage Arts and Crafts, but the result was not good enough. Now, we are trying to promote these arts and crafts through cultural innovation and trade."

Among the items on display, the brocade of the Li ethnic group has been praised as a "living fossil" in the history of Chinese textiles. These days, through product innovation and trade transaction, the ancient craft has gained popularity in the marketplace.

Huang Lianying from the Li ethnic group shows the traditional way of making the brocade while singing a Li folk song.

"We added lots of modern innovations in our products. We also design new products, like the Li brocade shawl, cardcase and pen container. In the past, the Li people used this brocade to make clothes. Since we can buy clothes now from markets more conveniently, the craft was almost lost. But now we"re aspiring to make it again, because we can earn money from it."

To the organizers" surprise, the trade fair draws a large number of young people. Xu Guang Mao is one of them. He is going to buy a coloured glaze necklace.

"The price is reasonable, only 80 Yuan. And I"ve witnessed how it was made by the master. So I don"t have to worry whether it"s real or not. I"m interested in Chinese traditional handicrafts. I think they should move with the times."

The Trade Fair is expected to boost information exchange, create more space for the marketing of cultural and creative products, and help China"s Intangible Cultural Heritage Arts and Crafts go global.

Source: CRI