On November 8^th, “Safeguarding the Spiritual Land--the 7^th Cross-strait Intangible Cultural Heritage Month” and a series of events of a Trip to Beautiful China were held in the Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum in Gaoxiong of Taiwan. Zhang Xu, chairman of Chinese Culture Friendship Association and of Cross-strait Tourism Exchange Association, gave a speech through video. Hong Mengqi, honorary chairman of Cutural Taiwan Foundation, attended the event and delivered a speech. Xu Jinrui, president of a council of China Cross-strait Travel Association, Lin Shoushan, president of a council of Shanxi Hometown Association in Kaohsiung, and other guests attended the opening ceremony.

    Zhang Xu said in his video speech that the pandemic would never change our determination to enhance our communication and cooperation between Taiwan and the mainland of China. We compatriots needed to work together with solidarity to inherit and promote outstanding traditional Chinese culture, so as to inject inexhaustible driving force into the integrated development of both sides of the strait! Hong Mengqi thanked Chinese Culture Friendship Association, Cross-strait Tourism Exchange Association and Shanxi Provincial Government for their amazing content. He also expected there would be further exchanges and cooperation between Taiwan and the mainland of China.

    Tian Qing, researcher of China Central Institute for Culture and History and expert of the protection of intangible cultural heritage, was the general designer of the expo whose mainstream was culture of Han Kingdom, Zhao Kingdom and Wei Kingdom. The expo combined item exhibition, pictures of intangible cultural heritage and videos of intangible cultural heritage to show more than 10 types of protection achievements, including changzi xiangtong instrument, xiaoyi wood puppet, bronze ware, tixi, embroidery and fabric, all of which were rarely-seen in Taiwan. The organizing committee set up an experience shop for visitors to learn from and communicate with experts to let more compatriots from Taiwan to make or use intangible cultural heritage from Shanxi province by themselves. There’s also an outstanding photo exhibition of tourism in Shanxi to present the lofty scenery of the Loess Plateau and the Yellow River. The expo also set up a desk to hand out tourism promotion material and to answer questions of people living in Taiwan, so as to encourage them to travel in Shanxi after the pandemic.

    Chen Chunlin, chairman of Tanwai Chinese Hanwei Cultural Promotion Association, said in the opening ceremony that he had been to Shanxi multiple times, so he had experience the pristine, progressive, historical and cultural beauty. The essence of Shanxi’s intangible cultural heritage was gathered in the exhibition. Audience from Taiwan could be exposed to rich atmosphere of Shanxi culture during their visit, just like tasting the rich flavor of Shanxi mature vinegar.

    Last year, Shanxi’s and Taiwan’s governments launched an online performance of Shanxi intangible cultural heritage named “Sanjin Culture·Admired by Taiwan”. Rich and diverse cultural heritage of Shanxi was introduced to compatriots in Taiwan through online and offline interaction. They participated in the event and experienced the culture, which was a new start for cultural communication between Shanxi and Taiwan.