"Watching folk opera in Jinxiang" activity was launched in Jinxiang County, Jining City, east China's Shandong province, on March 1.

The activity is jointly hosted by Shandong Academy of Arts, Jining Municipal Administration of Culture, Radio, Television, Film, Press and Publication and Jixiang County and organized by sdchina.com. The three-day activity is one of the major events of the province's first "intangible cultural heritage month".

Reporters from all over the country, together with intangible cultural heritage experts, photographers of sdphoto.com.cn and foreigners from Japan and Indonesia will conduct a depth interview in Jinxiang. They will have a close contact with the brilliant achievement Jinxiang has made in the ecological protection of the intangible cultural heritage. In addition, they will also explore the new mode of "one town with one art" which is greatly promoted by Jinxiang county. The activity aims to build the cultural brand of "watching folk opera in Jinxiang".

Zhang Guilin, vice-director of Culture Department of Shandong Province, said at the launching ceremony that Jinxiang County increased input in the revitalization of local operas and the protection of intangible cultural heritage in recent years. It has worked out the mode of "one town with one art", an innovative for the protection and inheritance of cultural heritage, which is worth of publicity and promotion.

As one of the leading province in folk arts, Shandong has always attached great importance to the development of local operas. It has made great efforts to promote the revitalization of local dramas and significant achievements have been made.

Jinxiang County boasts rich folk cultural resources, where various sorts of traditional operas maintain a dynamic survival status. There are nearly 300 farmer opera troupes and performance teams in Jinxiang. Thanks to the great efforts Jinxiang has made, the traditional folk culture and art has gained great development.

"Watching folk opera in Jinxiang" activity was launched on March 1 in Jinxiang County, Jining City, east China's Shandong Province, on March 1. [Photo/sdchina.com]

Li Guiying, 73, is performing a classic Siping Diao Drama at the launching ceremony. [Photo/sdchina.com]