North China's Shanxi province witnessed a flourishing cultural scene in 2024, marked by the vibrant development of artistic creation, solid progress in cultural heritage protection, and the booming rise of the cultural industry.

Shanxi's artistic creation thrived with standout works such as the drama Youyu and the TV series Three-Body Problem, which gained widespread acclaim.

The fourth national cultural relics survey, conducted at the county level, entered its field investigation phase in May 2024. By Dec 23, Shanxi had discovered 712 new immovable cultural relics, with some significant findings filling gaps in the region's cultural heritage.

Cultural activities for public benefit were in full swing throughout the year. Thirty provincial-level public cultural service brands, rural teams, local talents, and rural leaders organized 2,718, 143,000, 32,000, and 71,000 events, respectively. These significantly enriched the public's cultural and spiritual lives.

Over 4,000 promotional reading activities were held across the province, with more than 7,000 book recommendations made online, fostering a strong reading atmosphere.

The 2024 High-Quality Development Conference on the Digital Cultural Industry (Taiyuan) was also held on Dec 21 in Taiyuan. This event showcased the "butterfly effect" of the digital cultural industry in Shanxi and provided a new window for society to understand Shanxi and China's rich historical culture.