China forms intangible cultural heritage protection network

Zheng Guorong carves patten of a phoenix on a sword at Guyue Sword Studio in Longquan, east China's Zhejiang Province, May 21, 2019. For centuries, Longquan has been famed for its sword making industry. Zheng Guorong, 55, an intangible cultural heritage inheritor in Longquan Sword making, has been making sword for more than 30 years. Zheng regards sword as a symbol of spirit and devotes all to his career with awe. In his studio, the whole process of making a single sword takes two to three months, with steps including forming an idea, designing the sketch, preparing material and the final making and assembling. China has set up a nationwide intangible cultural heritage protection network comprising 2,467 institutions and 17,308 personnel as of the end of 2018, according to a government report. These institutions sponsored about 65,500 related performances and over 16,800 folk culture activities in 2018, attracting 98 million people to watch, said the report from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. (Xinhua/Weng Xinyang)