Opening ceremony of Wuxi Intangible Cultural Heritage Park kicks off on May 9. (Photo by Pan Yu/Huaihua Daily)
The Wuxi Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) Park, covering a total area of 26,000 square meters, is located in the core zone of Huaihua International Land Port. It is a multi-dimensional intangible cultural heritage ecosystem, comprising three core sections: an outdoor ICH plaza, an indoor digital experience space, and a workshop for study tours. The outdoor plaza serves as a venue for ethnic festivals and live performances. The indoor digital space features 42 technology-enabled intangible heritage projects that are “touchable, experiential, and perceptible”, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in the unique charm of Huaihua’s intangible cultural heritages through technological means. The workshop for study tours presents a comprehensive chain from skill transmission to the development of cultural and creative products. Additionally, the park collaborates with over 5,000 businesses citywide to create a unique consumption ecosystem, establishing a new cultural and tourism landmark under the “ICH Lights up Huaihua” initiative.
Liu Chunlin, Party secretary and chairman of Huaihua Culture, Tourism, and Sports Group, explained that the park is not only a carrier for cultural heritage preservation but also an innovative pilot ground for cultural-tourism integration. The park offers zero rent to invited intangible cultural heritage inheritors and related groups, while implementing a strategy of co-creation, co-construction, and co-management with intangible cultural heritage practitioners. It allocates an annual special fund of 4.5 million yuan for development and operation, providing financial support for resident inheritors and groups in areas such as research and study course and materials development, instructor training, cultural and creative development and production, and promotional activities. A professional operation team has been established to provide expert services in product development, marketing, and product promotion. Collaborating with cultural and tourism authorities, the park is included in the “Huaihua Tourism Marketing Incentive” program, aiming to host key intangible cultural heritage festivals and events and organize competitions such as design contest of cultural and creative products to raise its profile.
During this year’s May Day holiday, the park launched trial operations, attracting crowds with an average daily visitation of 3,000 people. Huaihua will use the park to attract surrounding cultural and tourism resources, work with intangible cultural heritage inheritors and tourism enterprises from various regions to build an industrial ecosystem combining intangible cultural heritages, tourism, technology, and education, expanding both the depth and breadth of the development of the intangible cultural heritage industry.
(Translated by Yang Hong)