Intangible culture competitions boost Nagchu's rural economy

Tibetan residents grind roasted highland barley flour with traditional milling stones in Nagchu city of the Xizang autonomous region. [Photo by Palden Nyima/chinadaily.com.cn]

Since 2022, Nagchu city in the Xizang autonomous region has run a rural vitalization project by combining cultural preservation and income generation.

The "Advancement of Nagchu in Rural Vitalization" project has unearthed various intangible culture heritages and cultural inheritors via intangible culture skill competitions.

Liu Qiang, deputy director of the office, highlighted how the competitions have played a role in preserving these intangible cultures.

Phuga, a Tibetan-style clothing tailor from Driru county of the Xizang autonomous region, has gained reputation by participating in the government's rural vitalization project in recent years. [Photo by Palden Nyima/chinadaily.com.cn]

One example is Phuga, a Tibetan-style clothing tailor from Driru county. He comes from a renowned lineage of tailoring artisans in the area and is a fourth-generation inheritor.

Operating a Tibetan-style clothing workshop in Nagchu's city center with support from the government's rural vitalization efforts, he competed in Tibetan tailoring skill contests from 2022 to 2024. He achieved second place in 2022 and 2023 and secured first place in 2024. His victories have increased his visibility and earned him acclaim.

"Before 2022, consumers had low trust in me, leading to various business challenges such as difficulties in paying employee salaries," said Phuga, adding he now has eight permanent employees with salaries ranging from 4,000 yuan ($563) to 8,000 yuan. Over the past three years, his cumulative net profit has exceeded 6 million yuan.

Dawa Lhamo (left), an official of the office of rural vitalization in Driru county, Nagchu city, Xizang autonomous region, chats with Dardzo, a pottery-making intangible cultural inheritor (right) in Nyinang village. [Photo by Palden Nyima/chinadaily.com.cn]

Dawa Lhamo, deputy director of the county's office of rural vitalization, said her county has a pottery-making cooperative that primarily produces daily items such as teacups and bottles.

"The cooperative has been in operation for more than five years, employing six individuals on a long-term basis from the rural village where the cooperative is based," said Dawa Lhamo.

A Tibetan herder weaves using yak hair to make yak hair tents in Nagchu city of the Xizang autonomous region. [Photo by Palden Nyima/chinadaily.com.cn]

She said that pottery making was passed down by the Tibetan ancestors and is now recognized as an intangible heritage project. "By participating in city-level intangible heritage skills competitions in recent years, the cooperative's visibility has increased," she said, adding officials and residents from surrounding areas, as well as individuals from other regions, have flocked to purchase their products.

"Through activities like the intangible heritage skills competition, there has been a significant enhancement in public awareness regarding the inheritance and protection of traditional culture."

A Tibetan herder (left) demonstrates how to use yak hair to weave yak hair tents in Nagchu city of the Xizang autonomous region. [Photo by Palden Nyima/chinadaily.com.cn]

Tibetan herders demonstrate yak dairy production skills in an exhibition hall in Nagchu city of the Xizang autonomous region. [Photo by Palden Nyima/chinadaily.com.cn]