The ongoing International Festival of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Chengdu has gathered the cream of China's rich cultural legacy, including many from remote ethnic regions.

The ongoing International Festival of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Chengdu has gathered the cream of China's rich cultural legacy, including many from remote ethnic regions

Many artists are taking the chance to reach out to the public, and in the meantime, searching for a viable development path. Zhang Nini has the story.

It's called the living fossil of Chinese typographic printing. The Dege Scripture printing technique dates back more than 1500 years in history. It's the only well-preserved and functional technique in the Tibetan speaking region. The future of the traditional art now falls on the hands of Pengcuo Zeren.

The fifty five year old inheritor is not only an earnest learner himself, having been in the trade for more than thirty years, he's also contented to see that he's not working alone.

Pengcuo Zeren, Inheritor of Scripture Printing, said, "My father has passed on the art to me, and me to the younger generation. I have around 60 apprentices now, the youngest is just over 10 years old. "

Zeren says it's most reassuring to see that the art form would not fall into oblivion. And he's positive that a wide social recognition from the expo will be a good start for some genuine attention.

"The Chengdu expo has given a platform to many lesser-known art forms, such as."

Also rooted in Tibetan culture, Silong Jiangze's masking making technique is blessed with religious connotations and a practical efficacy, but not so much of a bright prospect. As the fifth and the only inheritor of the art form, he's still in desperate search for an heir to the art. Both of his two nephews have already learned for six years, but none has so far touched upon the essentials--prescription.

Silong Jiangze, Inheritor of Tibetan Mask, said, "With the right precentage of the ingredients, the masks will have a curing effect, but a wrong step could lead to a stench, which is harmful to the human health. So it's actually more than a mask making technique. It embodies folk culture, religion, Tibetan handicraft and medicine. It's a prized art form. "

China has more than 1000 state-level cultural heritages, many of which are sharing the same lack of successors. The rich cultural legacy is getting legilative protection from the first intangible heritage law, but it was down to the individuals to take action.

The Wang family from the Qiang Minority group is making sure that their festive dance is and will be a living heritage. Sixty seven year old Wang Fushan is leading the trio, with two younger ones from the family.

Wang Fushan, Inheritor of Sheepskin Drum Dancie, said, "It's a dance performed at every festive occasion, when a child's born, marriage, and at sacrificial ceremonies. "

Wang Xiaoyong, Nephew of Wang Fushan, said, "We attract quite a lot of attention during the festival. Many visitors would enquire after the history of the dance and our costumes. "

By putting together performances and demonstrations, the Chengdu expo aims to do more than satiate curious minds. Experts hopes that the expo generates more than a fleeting occasion, but a start for long-term and systematic protection.