On June 1, Chongqing's main venue activities of China's Cultural and Natural Heritage Day kicked off at Yangjiaping Pedestrian Street, Jiulongpo District, to showcase local time-honored brands and intangible cultural heritage (ICH). Plenty of residents and visitors immersed themselves in special activities. The 2024 "Chongqing Gifts" Tourism Commodities Competition & Foreign Affairs Gifts Collection selected 10 gold, 20 silver, and 50 bronze winners of "Chongqing Gifts" and 49 foreign affairs gifts.

Chongqing have been carrying out 210 online and offline ICH promotion and display activities for 2024 Cultural and Natural Heritage Day from June 1. All parts of Chongqing will comprehensively showcase ICH's profound deposits and unique charm in a characteristic, diversified, and innovative way. In combination with such festivals as Children's Day and Dragon Boat Festival, Chongqing's main venue activities will highlight three major characteristics: the co-presentation of cultural relics and ICH, the deep integration of culture and tourism, and the art linkage between Chengdu and Chongqing.

Citizens and visitors are experiencing intangible cultural heritage projects. (Photo/ Chongqing Municipal Commission of Culture and Tourism Development)

On the morning of June 1, Yangjiaping Pedestrian Street was crowded with visitors. Chongqing's time-honored brands, such as Chengkou Preserved Meat, Shancheng Tuo Tea, Jinshan Black Tea, and Laobaigan, attracted plenty of consumers. At the Jiulong Intangible Cultural Heritage and Funny Intangible Cultural Heritage Interactive Experience Area, Li Qingyang, inheritor of the ICH southern-style horn bow, led a team to promote and display traditional archery techniques. This experience program attracted many visitors.

Citizens and visitors are experiencing intangible cultural heritage projects. (Photo/ Chongqing Municipal Commission of Culture and Tourism Development)

As one of the most representative and influential "Top Ten Folk Arts of Bayu Region," "Jinqiao Chuida (wind and percussion music)" from Wansheng also enjoyed high popularity. Inheritor Shang Shishuan played a 7kg suona horn, surrounded and photographed by crowds of visitors.

 "Cultural heritage is an irreplaceable part of excellent Chinese civilization." According to Ran Huazhang, Director of Chongqing Municipal Commission of Culture and Tourism Development, Chongqing main venue activities of Cultural and Natural Heritage Day include exhibitions and performances such as the 9th Chongqing Intangible Cultural Heritage & Time-honored Brands Exposition, 2024 "Chongqing Gifts" Tourism Commodities (Cultural and Creative Products) Competition & Foreign Affairs Gifts Collection, Achievement Exhibition of Pilot Development of Cultural and Creative Products of Chongqing Cultural Relics Units, etc.

 The featured exhibitions are divided into four sections: "A Bite of Intangible Cultural Heritage", "Fun of Intangible Cultural Heritage", "Shopping for Intangible Cultural Heritage" and "Cultural and Creative Products of Intangible Cultural Heritage". High-quality cultural and creative products from Chongqing China Three Gorges Museum, Chongqing Art Museum, and Chongqing Natural History Museum will bring an unforgettable creative experience to the achievement exhibition of cultural relics units.

 In addition, excellent cultural performances such as "Sound of Chongqing" Chongqing Quyi Exhibition and Performance, "Splendid Scenery in Operatic Circle" Peking Opera Special Performance, "Sichuan-Chongqing Happiness" Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle Comedy Exchange Exhibition and Performance, and "Dance in Mountain City" Square Dance Exhibition and Performance will bring a splendid cultural feast to the public, together with immersive ICH exhibitions and performances on the street. These activities will last until June 20.