BMW caravan in colorful Guizhou

Buyi people are among some 50 ethnic groups in the province.LI FUSHENG/CHINA DAILY

"They are so strong that have survived for thousands of years," he said. "We must treasure them and protect them so that our offspring can still have the chance to see these precious things."

Guizhou is also known for its cuisine. Spicy and sour dishes are the most obvious feature. Seasoned sour vegetables and sour fish soup are famous around the country.

Food varies among ethnic groups, with Miao people holding the so-called long table banquet and the Dong proud of their sticky rice, sweet rice wine and seasoned vegetables that are enjoyed with toasting songs.

To help protect the vitality of the diverse cultures, BMW donated 1 million yuan to preserve several intangible heritage items in the province. It has donated 8 million yuan that benefited 77 such items across the nation since the program began in 2007.

The program has so far covered more than 210 cultural heritage items along a combined journey of 17,000 km across 21 provinces.

The road trips have included the Silk Road, grasslands in northern China, the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal and riverside towns in the south.

The project has set "an example on how social powers can take part in the protection of intangible cultural heritage", said William Valentino, deputy director of the China Institute of Social Responsibility at Beijing Normal University.