China's Jiangsu guides protection of traditional villages

NANJING - Authorities have issued a notice on the protection of traditional villages in East China's Jiangsu province.

Five governmental departments in Jiangsu have publicized a list of 107 provincial-level traditional villages in a notice, and urged localities to formulate plans to protect the villages based on each village's specific condition.

"Protecting traditional villages involves more than preserving some buildings, wells or trees," said Zhao Qinghong, with the provincial department of housing and urban-rural development. "We need to protect the villages' traditional layout, their history and the natural environment."

The province has also prioritized passing on traditional craftsmanship by cultivating a new generation of artisans. They encouraged the artisans to join in the protection of the villages.