The State Council approved of China's fourth?batch of intangible cultural heritage items on Nov 3, and 21 of them are from Shanxi province.

There is one folkloric item (a story about Marquis Guangchan in Yangcheng county), one traditional dance (the “Little Flower Dance” in Zuoquan county); two traditional operas (Xian Opera in Ruicheng county and Jin Opera in Jinzhong city); one item of ballad singing (Lishi singing in Luliang city); eight traditional techniques (bronze ware making in Datong, ancient architectural modeling in Taiyuan, millet vinegar making in Xiangfen county, papermaking in Pingyang, earth ware making in Pingding county, silk weaving in Gaoping city, gold and silver ware making and lacquer making in Jishan county); one traditional Chinese medicine (traditional Chinese medicine preparations in Taigu and Xinjiang counties); two folk customs (fire play in Yuci district in Jinzhong city and mountain-worshipping in Puxian county); two items about traditional music (surna playing in Linxian county and drum beating in Wanrong county); and three items of traditional fine arts (paper cutting in Jingle county, flour sculpture in Lanxian county and wood sculpture in Ruicheng county).

To date, Shanxi is home to 157 items on the national list of intangible heritage, including 32 ones in the first batch, 64 in the second batch and 40 in the third batch.

Edited by Michael Thai