Cultural fair aims to promote understanding, appreciation

Beijing's intangible cultural heritage is being displayed at the ongoing 2019 China International Fair for Trade in Services to educate visitors on traditional Chinese culture.

With the theme of "Openness, Innovation, Intelligence and Integration", the 2019 CIFTIS, which opened on Tuesday, focuses on the service industry, including science, culture, healthcare and business affairs.

This year, the five-day event has an exhibition area of 150,000 square meters, with one main venue and 10 parallel venues, organizers said.

At the intangible cultural heritage section, more than 1,300 cultural and creative products are on display.

Some 40 cultural institutions plan to launch 28 interactive activities during the fair, with more than 100 inheritors expected to take part in showcasing their handicraft skills, organizers said.

"Trade is crucial to promoting the inheritance of intangible cultural heritage," said Qiao Shenqian, president of the Center of Oriental Chinese Cultural Heritage Protection, a co-organizer of the section.

Culture is an industry with higher added value, he said, adding it's important for China's intangible cultural heritage to have a better development in the world.

"The intangible cultural heritage will be a promising industry in the world because of its multiple functions," he said.

When heritage-inspired products become necessities in people's lives, they can generate economic benefits when entering markets, he added.

At the booth of Beijing juanren (silk doll), the exhibits feature China's 56 ethnic groups and cultures of members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

"We have adopted the essence of Beijing silk dolls and Japanese puppets to create the dolls with Chinese cultural characteristics," said Ren Fei, deputy general manager of Beijing Tangrenfang Culture Development.

"We are not only displaying the figurines and its skills, but also aim to introduce the intangible cultural heritage into life, and thus to promote its commercialization," he said.

Built by the mortise and tenon joint structures, the Chinese Spring Festival folk culture booth displays traditional ornaments incorporating lanterns, rattle drums and couplets of New Year paintings.

"We have injected modern elements into these products to attract people to learn more about Chinese culture," said Gao Feng, general manager of Furenfudi Culture Development.

The structure was simplified based on traditional architecture, which is also a part of the booth to promote the traditional culture, Gao added.

Foreign cultural products such as gold and silver ornaments and leather from Italy, and carpets from Iran are also being showcased at the fair.

Co-hosted by the Ministry of Commerce and the Beijing government, the event has attracted over 130 countries and regions, and 21 international organizations. Of these, 98 countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative have participated in the event, and 60 of them will launch exhibitions and forums.

Focusing on advanced technologies, the organizers have also set up exhibitions to demonstrate the latest fruits of artificial intelligence and 5G communication.

Themed exhibitions featuring China's pilot provinces and cities in innovation in trade services, culture export and pilot cities of service outsourcing have also made their debut at the fair.

liangkaiyan@chinadaily.com.cn