Shanxi ramps up protection of rural cultural heritage

(chinadaily.com.cn)

Updated: 2019-11-20

Shanxi province is making moves to ramp up protection of its rural cultural heritage -- which includes traditional villages, courtyards and buildings -- that will become targets for preservation, according to local officials. 

The Standing Committee of the Shanxi Provincial People's Congress held a legislative meeting in Beijing on Nov 16. 

In it, the committee invited 16 figures from the legislation, architecture and cultural sectors to give advice on drafting regulations for the protection of traditional villages, courtyards and buildings in Shanxi. 

Long in history and rich in culture, Shanxi is representative of China's agricultural civilization. There are about 3,500 existing ancient villages and 550 traditional villages in Shanxi. 

Officials said that makes it the province with the largest number of traditional villages -- as well as having the most completely preserved, the highest concentration and the most variety of traditional village types.

Officials said the province has attached great importance to the protection and development of traditional villages, courtyards and buildings in recent years so as to promote rural revitalization. 

However, a number of problems remain -- such as the current imperfect protection system and a weak development foundation, prompting the push for special regional regulations.

Officials added that the move to draft a special law or regulation is the first innovative exploration for the protection of rural cultural heritage in China. 

At present, the draft has a total of seven chapters and 47 articles.

While insisting on the protection of traditional culture, the draft also involves establishing a hierarchical protection system, implementing overall protection and zoning protection and strengthening a funding policy guarantee mechanism.