Communities &
Geographies
34 heritage locations across 8 geographic regions — where traditions are practiced, preserved, and passed down.
34
Locations
8
Regions
23
With Masters
7
Heritage Clusters
Beijing
北京
The capital of China, Beijing has been the political and cultural center for over 700 years. It is home to Peking Opera, traditional craft workshops, and the Palace Museum.
Nanjing
南京
An ancient capital of six dynasties, Nanjing is the birthplace of Yunjin brocade and a center of traditional Chinese arts and scholarship.
Suzhou
苏州
Famous for its classical gardens and silk industry, Suzhou is the birthplace of Kunqu Opera and a major center of Chinese traditional crafts. Suzhou embroidery is world-renowned for its fineness.
Chenjiagou
陈家沟
A small village in Henan Province, Chenjiagou is the birthplace of Taijiquan (Tai Chi) and home to the Chen family martial arts lineage.
Fujian Province
福建省
A mountainous coastal province known for its wooden arch bridges, Mazu sea goddess temples, tulou earthen buildings, Nanyin music, and rich Minnan cultural traditions.
Kunshan
昆山
Located near Suzhou, Kunshan is the historic birthplace of Kunqu Opera, one of China's oldest surviving opera forms.
Hangzhou
杭州
The capital of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou is famous for West Lake, Longjing tea, and as a center of celadon ceramics, silk production, and tea ceremony culture.
Shanghai
上海
China's largest city and a global cultural hub, Shanghai has a vibrant tradition of Chinese opera, seal engraving, and contemporary heritage preservation.
Chengdu
成都
The capital of Sichuan Province, Chengdu is the center of Sichuan Opera (famous for face-changing), Shu embroidery, and Sichuan cuisine.
Xi'an
西安
An ancient capital of thirteen dynasties, Xi'an is famous for the Terracotta Warriors and as the birthplace of Xi'an drum music, preserving Tang Dynasty court music.
Lanzhou
兰州
The capital of Gansu Province and a key city on the Silk Road, Lanzhou is a center of Hua'er folk songs and cross-cultural musical traditions.
Lhasa
拉萨
The capital of Tibet, Lhasa is home to the Potala Palace and the spiritual center of Tibetan Opera (Ache Lhamo), a masked dance-drama tradition.
Guangzhou
广州
A major port city and cultural center of the Cantonese region, known for Cantonese opera, lion dance, dim sum culture, and traditional herbal medicine.
Weifang
潍坊
Known as the "Kite Capital of the World," Weifang hosts an annual international kite festival and has a kite-making tradition spanning centuries.
Shandong Province
山东省
A coastal province with rich folk traditions including Yangge dance, kite making, Chinese chess culture, and Confucian heritage.
Wuxi
无锡
A city in Jiangsu Province famous for Huishan clay sculpture, especially the iconic "Da Afu" (Big Lucky Boy) figurines made from local Huishan clay.
Quanzhou
泉州
An ancient port city and UNESCO World Heritage site, Quanzhou is the spiritual heart of Mazu belief and a center of Nanyin music preservation.
Foshan
佛山
A city in Guangdong Province famous for its southern lion dance tradition, martial arts heritage (Wing Chun), and traditional ceramic and lantern crafts.
Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region
新疆
China's largest province, home to the Uyghur people and diverse Central Asian cultures. The heartland of Uyghur Muqam music, Meshrep gatherings, and Manas epic tradition.
Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region
内蒙古
The vast grassland region of northern China, home to Mongolian long song (Urtiin Duu), Khoomei throat singing, and traditional nomadic felt crafts.
Guizhou Province
贵州省
A mountainous province in southwest China, home to diverse ethnic minorities including the Dong people, famous for their polyphonic Grand Song traditions.
Qinghai Province
青海省
The Tibetan Plateau province, home to the Regong art tradition (thangka painting, murals, sculpture) in the Tongren area.
Anhui Province
安徽省
Home to the historic production of xuan paper in Jing County, as well as Huizhou architecture and ink stone craftsmanship.
Hainan Province
海南省
China's southern island province, home to the Li people and their traditional textile techniques including spinning, dyeing, weaving, and double-face embroidery.
Zhejiang Province
浙江省
A prosperous eastern province known for Longquan celadon, Dongyang wood carving, Hangzhou tea culture, and movable-type printing heritage.
Guangdong Province
广东省
A southern coastal province, homeland of Cantonese Opera (Yueju), lion dance, and a vibrant center of Cantonese culinary and martial arts traditions.
Jingdezhen
景德镇
Known as the "Porcelain Capital" of China, Jingdezhen in Jiangxi Province has produced the finest imperial ceramics for over 1,000 years.
Shaolin Temple
少林寺
The legendary Chan Buddhist monastery in Henan Province, considered the birthplace of Shaolin Kung Fu and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Tibet Autonomous Region
西藏自治区
The high-altitude region known for Tibetan Opera, thangka painting, Lum medicinal bathing tradition, and the epic of King Gesar.
Heilongjiang Province
黑龙江省
China's northeasternmost province, home to the Hezhen people along the Amur River and their endangered Yimakan storytelling tradition.
Yunnan Province
云南省
A mountainous southwestern province with extraordinary ethnic diversity, home to the Dai, Yi, Bai, and Naxi peoples with vibrant dance, music, and textile traditions.
Henan Province
河南省
The cradle of Chinese civilization on the Central Plains, Henan is the birthplace of Shaolin Kung Fu, Henan Opera (Yuju), and numerous ancient cultural traditions.
Shaanxi Province
陕西省
An ancient imperial heartland centered on Xi'an, Shaanxi is famous for Qin Opera, the Terracotta Warriors, and the Ansai waist drum dance of the Loess Plateau.
Hebei Province
河北省
Surrounding Beijing, Hebei Province has a rich tradition of folk martial arts, including Duanquan boxing, as well as shadow puppetry and folk craft traditions.
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