Editor's Note: This article is produced in collaboration with the Chongqing Institute of Foreign Studies as part of a series of ongoing reports exploring the city's abundant resources in intangible cultural heritages.

Performances at the Xiaohe Gong and Drum Culture and Art Festival in Yubei District. (Photo/Yubei Culture Centre)

If history were a book, the history of Xiaohe gongs and drums would surely be a heavy one. This ancient tradition spans over 400 years and encompasses more than 300 songs.

To trace its origins, one must look to the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, when it was named in celebration of the construction of the Dawan field by the Jiang and Tang families. Since then, Xiaohe gongs and drums have been passed down through generations, from master to apprentice or father to son. This transmission has preserved its original flavor and strong regional characteristics, making it a vibrant reflection of Bayu's wind and percussion music culture.

Between 2005 and 2017, the number of Xiaohe gong and drum bands plummeted from over 50 to just five or six. In response, the government has made significant efforts to preserve the tradition. These efforts include conducting five surveys to record songs and musicians, organizing art festivals in key areas, and hosting competitions to select and train successors. Some musicians, too, have adapted, incorporating modern music theory or performing popular songs with traditional instruments in order to reach a broader audience and secure performance opportunities.

Thanks to the combined efforts of the government and musicians, Xiaohe gongs and drums bands have been reorganized. However, they still struggle to capture the attention of a larger audience.

In today’s rapidly changing world, how can Xiaohe gongs and drums survive and thrive? How can this ancient art form be revitalized?

General Secretary Xi Jinping once said, "Folk art is a precious treasure of the Chinese nation. Protecting, inheriting, and utilizing these treasures passed down by our ancestors is essential for continuing historical and cultural traditions and for building a thriving socialist culture in China." In the author’s view, Xiaohe gongs and drums could be actively integrated into modern audiences’ preferred forms of entertainment, such as square dancing, bringing the art form back into people’s lives. Additionally, short videos of performances could be shared on platforms like TikTok and Kwai. The model of "intangible cultural heritage + tourism" could also be explored as a way to promote and sustain the tradition.

Every piece of intangible cultural heritage is a bright pearl in the cultural crown of the Chinese nation. Promoting and protecting this heritage is essential to preserving the soil of Chinese civilization. Only in this way can we enrich Chinese culture, strengthen the cultural confidence of the people, and help China take its place in the world.

Photo: Cao Guangyu

Chinese script: Zhao Pingxin  Zhuo Xiaoyi

Tutored by: Tan Ruye

Translation: Wu Liang

Tutored by: Li Jie  Lu Siying  Hu Wei

Voice-over: Wang Xue

Tutored by: Ren Yi