Students from the Jiangsu Normal University Kewen College study local cultural heritage in Huai'an. [Photo/jsenews.com]

Students from Jiangsu Normal University Kewen College in Xuzhou recently participated in a four-day social practice program in Hongze district, Huai'an. The purpose of this initiative was to revive the vitality of the area's intangible cultural heritage.

During field surveys, students carried out questionnaires and household interviews. Their results showed that awareness of ICH items like the Hongze Lake Fisherman's Drum Dance and Hongze woodcarving was under 30 percent among residents, with even less awareness among younger people. The team understood that protecting ICH involves not only conserving craftsmanship but also reviving the public's cultural memory.

At the Hongze District Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum, students learned about the origins and techniques of different ICH items. They visited local heritage workshops and met woodcarving master Zhou Yongfa, hearing about his lifelong devotion to craftsmanship. Through hands-on activities like paper-cutting and woodcarving, the team documented these traditions on film, capturing skills that are at risk of being forgotten.

Students interview local cultural inheritors. [Photo/jsenews.com]

To connect ICH with young people, the team partnered with a local summer camp. Students created animated videos to share ICH's history, taught children traditional fisherman's folk songs, and incorporated heritage themes into origami and painting activities.

The program raised heritage awareness among local youth and encouraged the wider community to value their cultural roots. The Jiangsu Normal University Kewen College team demonstrated how young people can inject new energy into heritage preservation, ensuring China's traditional culture remains vibrant in the modern age.