The sixth Cross-Straits Yan Emperor Folk Ancestor Worship Ceremony is held on May 19 at the Yan Emperor Mausoleum in Gaoping, a county-level city in Shanxi province. [Photo/Shanxi Daily]

North China's Shanxi province has strengthened its cultural development in recent years by creating influential cultural brands based on its local resources.

The unique geographical advantages and historical context of Shanxi have nurtured a strong regional culture. A series of influential cultural brands such as the Pingyao International Photography Festival, the Cross-Straits Yan Emperor Folk Ancestor Worship Ceremony, and the International Jackie Chan Action Movie Week have sprung up in the province.

Chinese and foreign photographers talk at the Pingyao International Photography Festival in Pingyao county. [Photo/Shanxi Daily]

Meanwhile, mass cultural brand events have been launched by local authorities to improve people's spiritual and cultural experiences.

According to data from the Shanxi Department of Cultural Tourism, in 2020, there were 2,164 mass cultural service brand events and 123,280 events by rural mass art teams staged in Shanxi, inspiring people to participate in cultural activities. 

In addition, the province has attached heavy importance to the development of the cultural industry, achieving fruitful results. 

An artist paints on a piece of pottery at the Shanxi Cultural Industries Fair. [Photo/Shanxi Daily]

The biennial Shanxi Cultural Industry Fair is a typical example. 

At the 4th Shanxi Cultural Industries Fair held in Taiyuan in 2019, more than 1,000 companies from 15 countries and regions, as well as 25 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities in China displayed over 10,000 types of exhibits. Agreements for a total of 96 cultural projects with financing of over 28 billion yuan ($4.32 billion) were signed at the fair.