The third Shandong intangible cultural heritage month was held in East China's Shandong province from Feb 8 to March 18, during which some 17 million people participated in over 700 cultural activities across the province.

During the month a series of performances was staged in province's 17 cities to promote intangible cultural heritage as well as enrich residents' lives.

A large-scale event "Our Chinese Dream" organized by the Shandong provincial department of culture was held across the province, which enhanced attendees' sense of participation and acquisition through wonderful interpretations of traditional Chinese culture.

The opening ceremony of the third Shandong intangible cultural heritage celebration month is held at Lishan Theater in Jinan, capital of Shandong province. [Photo/Cultural Shandong]

Jinan held intangible cultural heritage exhibitions, experience activities and traditional theatre special events. Qingdao held paper cutting activities themed on "Our Chinese dream, our Chinese New Year". Zibo held a Lantern Festival evening party, a large-scale lantern show and a coloured glaze firing skill exhibition. Zaozhuang held a folk culture activity. Yantai held a folk custom show, and Weifang hosted the Third China (Weifang) International New Year Pictures Festival. Jining staged the third "Millennium Canal Dawn" concert, while Tai'an put on a lantern show in Dawenkou Industrial Park to celebrate the New Year.

"My family has been doing paper-cutting for generations. When I participated in the exhibition and interactive exchanges during Shandong intangible cultural heritage month I felt that paper-cutting is getting more attention," said Luan Shujuan, a 62-year-old inheritor of the provincial intangible paper-cutting art.

It is worth noting that, in order to further expand the influence of intangible cultural heritages, many activities added audience interaction.

According to Luan, this year's provincial paper-cutting exhibition themed "walking into a new era and displaying a new look" featured a paper-cutting performance with audience participation.

"Intangible cultural heritages are the essence of Chinese culture and an indispensable part of our lives. The protection and inheritance of intangible cultural heritages plays a significant role in the strategies for rural revitalization," said Liu Chunhong, a CPPCC member of Shandong province.

He believes that intangible cultural heritages are the cultural epitome of a place and represents its cultural soft power. To protect and pass on intangible cultural heritages not only builds a solid foundation for cultural well-being, but also helps implement rejuvenation of the countryside.

"We should excavate and take advantage of intangible cultural heritages. We should protect and inherit these cultural 'civil goods' with distinct local features so that these cultural treasures left behind by our ancestors will not be eliminated in the era of development. They will make local culture more vigorous," Liu added.