An opening ceremony for a series of events taking place for the first Expo of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Shanxi takes place on the banks of the Yellow River, Jixian county, Shanxi province, Sept 16. [Photo/sxgov.cn]

A four-day intangible cultural heritage event themed around the Yellow River was launched on the banks of the famous waterway in Jixian county, Linfen city, on Sept 16.

The event highlighted the best of local cultural traditions, with the aim of promoting the area's culture and tourist industry.

Folk shows such as Weifeng Gong and Drums, which are popular in south Shanxi, jixian suona (double-reed Chinese horn performance popular in Jixiang county), and ballads from Xiangfen county were performed at the expo.

The event in Linfen city was one of three themed segments of the first Expo of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Shanxi, with the other two events themed around the Taihang Mountains and the Great Wall held in Jincheng and Xinzhou cities.

A city rich in cultural and tourism resources, Linfen now has more than 3,000 sites containing cultural relics under national, provincial and city-level protection; and 21 types of intangible cultural heritage under national protection.

The city has been working hard to integrate its culture into the local tourism industry, particularly cultural traditions related to the Yellow River and Hongtong Pagoda Trees –– often thought to symbolize the roots of Chinese people. Various folk customs and arts, including woodcutting and shadow plays, remain popular in the city, thanks to efforts to keep cultural traditions alive.