Three Wenzhou Sites Selected as First Batch of Zhejiang Provincial Intangible Cultural Heritage Themed Tourist Attractions

The Zhejiang Provincial Tourist Attractions Association has announced the first batch of provincial intangible cultural heritage (ICH) themed tourist attractions, with a total of 28 scenic areas selected. Among them are the Langqiao Culture Park in Taishun County, Zailiaoxi Scenic Area in Wenzhou, and Ming Shan Village Scenic Area in Pingyang. These selected scenic spots have successfully integrated ICH elements with tourism experiences, offering visitors a unique travel experience. While enjoying the beautiful scenery, visitors can also experience the charm of ICH, participate in the inheritance and innovation of ICH skills. This integration not only enriches the connotation of tourism but also opens up new pathways for the protection and inheritance of ICH.

Langqiao Culture Park, Taishun

Langqiao Culture Park, Taishun. Photograph provided by Wenzhou Daily

Located in the core area of the first national-level resort in southern Zhejiang and eastern Fujian— the Langdong National Resort, the Langqiao Culture Park is home to the"Beijian Bridge" and"Xidong Bridge," which are acclaimed as the world's most beautiful covered bridges. At the end of last year, UNESCO transferred the"Traditional Craft of Chinese Wooden Arch Bridges" from the"List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding" to the"Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity." This marks the transition of this craft from"endangered" to"revival," and it has gained higher recognition in the international community.

While building the brand image of Langqiao tourism, the culture park places great emphasis on the inheritance of intangible cultural heritage. It regularly holds unique tourism performance projects such as ICH puppet shows and bullfighting competitions, and launches a series of cultural and tourism activities like"Langqiao Market" and"Langdong New Year's Fair." Here, visitors can not only appreciate the beauty and uniqueness of the covered bridges but also experience the rich historical and cultural atmosphere as well as the upgraded fashionable business formats.

Zailiaoxi Scenic Area, Wenzhou

Zailiaoxi Scenic Area, Wenzhou.Photograph provided by Wenzhou Daily

Zailiaoxi Scenic Area is renowned for its clear streams, beautiful valleys, emerald pools, cascading waterfalls, strange cliffs, grotesque rocks, and dense forests with secluded caves. It comprises several attractions, including the Jiuzhu Pond Scenic Area, Huayan National Forest Park, and the Dongyuan Chinese Movable-Type Printing Museum. Dongyuan Village, leveraging its ICH advantages such as the Chinese movable-type printing technique and papercut woodblock printing, has created experience spaces like the Dongli Living Room, Dongli Folk Art Museum, Natural Creators' Base, and Chinese Herbal Dye Garden. These spaces form a complete ICH industry chain that integrates cultural tourism, study tours, leisure sightseeing, and the development and sales of cultural and creative products.

In 2024, Dongyuan Village held more than 60 study tour activities, receiving over 100,000 students and tourists. It also promoted the development of more than 150 types of cultural and creative products, such as clothing and seals, with annual sales exceeding 20 million yuan.

Ming Shan Village Scenic Area, Pingyang

Ming Shan Village Scenic Area, Pingyang. Photograph provided by Wenzhou Daily

Ming Shan Village is a millennium-old village in Kunyang Town, Pingyang County. It boasts two national-level ICH items: Wenzhou Drum Ballads and Pingyang Puppetry; four provincial-level ICH items: Pingyang Taiping Dian Paper-cutting, Pingyang Nursery Rhymes, Pingyang Street Performance, and Pingyang Wind and Percussion Music; and five municipal-level ICH items, including Qian Cheng'en Wontons, Wenzhou Egg Painting, Pingyang Lotus, and Pingyang Southern Fist.

In recent years, Ming Shan Village has clarified its development positioning of"water town + ICH." It has integrated traditional music, dance, opera, food, and handicrafts to launch several unique brands, such as"ICH Night Market,""ICH Street," folk festivals, and youth innovation farms. These initiatives have brought more"ICH+" cultural and tourism activities that are popular among local residents and tourists.（Ran Mengdie）