A bonanza of activities will take place during the National Intangible Cultural Heritage Quyi Week -- being staged on Sep 6-10 in Jinan, capital city of eastern China's Shandong province -- local officials announced.

Quyi is a traditional Chinese art form spanning a variety of categories such as ballad singing, storytelling, comic dialogue and Chinese crosstalk.

At a news conference, hosted by the Information Office of the Shandong Provincial People's Government on Aug 26, arrangements and schedule of the event were presented.

Hu Yan, deputy director of the intangible cultural heritage department under the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, said that quyi is an important category in the country's intangible cultural heritage.

"The inheritance and development of quyi is of great significance to carrying forward  fine traditional Chinese culture, enhancing cultural confidence, prospering literature and art and meeting the people's growing needs for a better life," Hu said.

Hu said that the event, which has been approved by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, will showcase the inheritance, protection and development results of the traditional folk art.

Hu added that the first Quyi Week was launched last year during the National Cultural and Natural Heritage Day celebrations, which covered all 127 quyi categories on the National-level Intangible Heritage List for the first time.

This year's edition will present 131 quyi categories from across the country, of which 60 are at national-level and 34 are provincial-level.

Folk artists from all over the country will stage performances in Jinan's theaters and residential areas, reaching out for more participants and helping inform the public about the traditional artform.

Professional forums and discussion activities will take place as well, getting folk artists, experts, academics and government officials to offer advice on the better protection and inheritance of the traditional folk art.

A poster for this year's National Intangible Cultural Heritage Quyi Week, which will be held on Sep 6-10 in Jinan, East China's Shandong province. [Photo/WeChat account: sdswltwx]

The Information Office of the Shandong Provincial People's Government hosts a news conference on Aug 26, detailing the arrangements and schedule of the quyi event. [Photo/WeChat account: sdswltwx]