Cantonese cultural heritages displayed at Guangzhou airport

An exhibition featuring a wide range of Cantonese intangible cultural heritages was held at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport on Oct 30, offering passengers from around the world a chance to admire Guangcai ceramics, Cantonese lacquer art and other local artworks.

Artists were invited to display their techniques on the spot for those who were interested and teach those eager to try out the crafts for themselves.

One of the highlights was the Guangzhou ivory carving displays, the makers of whom are famous for creating hollowed out spheres, carvings on floral boats, sophisticated carved paintings and calligraphy. The craft focuses on specific techniques known especially for inlay and openwork carving.

Nowadays, ivory carving works are not actually made of ivory for reasons of endangered species protection. The "ivory" exhibits on show are instead made of mammoth ivory fossil or ox bones.

Other intangible cultural heritages such as clay sculpture and Lingnan yahua (an art form involving picking natural flowers, dehydrating the plant and storing them in vacuum condition) also gained great attention.