“Ancient Chinese Civilization and Good Sceneray in Shanxi”。Shanxi Province is a major province of intangible cultural heritage, with a strong historical and cultural heritage, but also has local charm full of intangible cultural heritage skills. Today, let's walk into the bright world of Shanxi intangible cultural heritage, look down to the star and reach the moon, and feel the unique beauty and charm. Let's enjoy these excellent intangible cultural heritage skills with Xiaobian and witness this amazing intangible cultural heritage "feast"!

1.Jin Opera

Jin Opera in Shanxi is one of the important representatives of traditional Chinese opera art. It originated in the Qing Dynasty, known as the “Pearl of Chinese Classical Opera Art”. Jin Opera is famous for its unique music, vocal music, and performance style. The Opera has enchanting and lingering sounds, and it pays special attention to emotional expression and character creation.

2.Pingyao Hand-polished Lacquerware Techniques

Pingyao hand-polished lacquerware originating in the Spring and Autumn Period more than 2,000 years ago has become a representative of Shanxi because of its lacquer surface as bright as a mirror and magnificent paintings. It occupies an important position in the history of Chinese lacquerware and is one of the four famous Chinese lacquerwares. The rise of Shanxi merchants during the Ming and Qing Dynasties made Pingyao hand-polished lacquerware sold overseas.

3.Lu Silk Weaving Techniques

Jincheng City, Shanxi Province is famous for its sericulture silk in northern China. Lu Silk, which was born here, was once as famous as Hangzhou satin and Sichuan brocade in history. As a royal tribute in the Ming and Qing dynasties and the main product supporting the development of Shanxi merchants, Lu Silk not only represents the exquisite silk weaving techniques at that time but also integrates imperial court culture and folk culture. It is festive but not garish, solemn but not dull, vivid but not luxurious. The patterns of the silk embody some elements of traditional Chinese auspicious wishes such as “Fu, Lu, Shou, Xi”, which means blessing, wealth, longevity, and happiness, forming a fabric style that “pictures must have a meaning, and the meaning must be auspicious”.

4.Pingding Purple Clayware

Pingding County is known as “the Hometown of Clayware”. Pingding Purple Clayware was born in the early years of the Republic of China. Under a profound historical atmosphere of making clayware in the local area, the clayware is made of unique high-quality clay through multiple processes. Common Pingding Purple Clayware involves many aspects of people's lives, such as teapots, pen holders, flower pots, soup pots, etc. Most of the products are engraved with famous poems, mountains and rivers, flowers and birds, which reflect the natural and elegant charm of the place. Pingding Purple Clayware is non-polluting without leaching any heavy metals and is practical, displaying the environmental awareness and quaint cultural charm in the place.

5.Jiangzhou Chengni Inkstone

As one of the traditional Chinese calligraphy stationery, Jiangzhou Chengni Inkstone, which has a history of more than 1,000 years, is known as one of China's “Four Famous Inkstones” together with Duan Inkstone, She Inkstone, and Tao Inkstone. Chengni inkstone is the only pottery inkstone among the four famous inkstones in China. It is made of fine mud that has been washed and filtered for many times before firing, so the texture of the mud skin of Chengni inkstone is as delicate as infant skin. At the same time, this kind of mud skin does not absorb water, is cold-resistant, and it will not fade when it's colored, so it has won praise from countless Chinese ancient people and is known as “Gentle Inkstone”.

6.Molten“IronFlower”Fireworks

Performing molten “iron flower” fireworks is a traditional Chinese activity held to celebrate the Spring Festival, and it is a unique way for people to “pray for blessings by doing some Shehuo activities”(Shehuo is a spontaneous traditional festive occasion for songs and dances and is also a mass entertainment that involves a lot of performers). The process of making the fireworks is to add coal into a furnace to melt iron, then use a blower to let the furnace fire to burn until the iron is molten, which can reach a maximum of 1,000 degrees Celsius, and next dip the steel wire rope with the metal liquid and then hit the liquid to the sky with a board. Then the sparks fly everywhere and a wonderful firework blooms in the sky.