Hechi advances cultural heritage protection with 'Three Innovations' strategy

In recent years, Hechi city in South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region has effectively promoted the construction of the Bronze Drum Culture (Hechi) Ecological Protection Zone through a "Three Innovations" strategy by innovating mechanisms, project implementation and integrated development, yielding fruitful results.

In July 2023, the zone received national recognition as Guangxi's only state-level cultural and ecological protection area. In 2024, it was selected as one of Guangxi's "Top 10 Cases" in the second Chinese Traditional Culture Inheritance and Development Projects, with the city's cultural and tourism bureau honored as a leading unit in intangible cultural heritage protection.

Hechi established a high-level leadership group for cultural and tourism work, integrating cultural and ecological zone development into broader economic and social plans. The city enacted seven local regulations and nine policy documents to protect intangible cultural heritage, with annual fund support exceeding 2 million yuan ($280,112).

Projects include delineating core protection areas and supporting key counties. The city has developed 20 intangible cultural heritage workshops and 125 experience venues, and digitized records for 55 heritage projects. Educational initiatives have reached 350 schools, with several recognized for excellence in cultural promotion.

Hechi's strategy also fosters economic growth through government support, enterprise involvement, and market operations. The city supports heritage holders with annual stipends and has invested in cultural and tourism infrastructure. These efforts have spurred tourism in the first half of this year, with a 15.61 percent increase in visitors to 34.5 million and a 15.11 percent rise in tourism revenue to 37.4 billion yuan.