To date, Shinan has issued six lists containing a total of 28 district-level intangible cultural heritage items. There are 19 representative inheritors of intangible cultural heritage at all levels, including one at the national level, three at the provincial level, as well as five at the municipal and 10 at the district level.

Art of paper cutting

Present throughout China and in various ethnic groups, it is a popular art that is integral to the everyday lives of people. A predominant female pursuit, it has been faithfully passed on over the generations from mother to daughter starting in childhood and is particularly common in rural areas. It earns the most skillful artists great respect and admiration.

Many techniques are used: the paper can be cut or engraved with a chisel, colored or left blank. Increasingly, modern technologies are used. Motifs, which vary greatly, are often devised by the artist. They depend on the region of origin (for example, in southern China fine and delicate motifs predominate) and the purpose of the product -- which might be used for interior decor (windows, beds and ceilings), festivities (weddings, birthdays and ceremonies), or prayers (invoking the rain, warding off evil and so on).

As a key part of Chinese social life in all ethnic groups, paper cutting expresses the moral principles, philosophies and aesthetic ideals of its exponents. It continues to provide an outlet for creative feelings and is experiencing an unprecedented revival.

The art of paper cutting was selected for the representative list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Shinan District in 2009.

The art of paper cutting, a part of Qingdao people's lives especially during traditional Chinese festivals, reflects their understanding and expectations of life. [Photo/WeChat account: qdweishinan]

Art of seal carving

For thousands of years, seals have been used as a symbol of imperial power and in certifying a person's good faith. Over the ages, seal carving – also known as seal cutting or engraving -- has evolved into a unique form of Chinese art, closely related to Chinese calligraphy.

Cheng's Seal Cutting, which was developed by seal carving master Cheng Hongzhang, features a unique style of 16 methods and joined the collection of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Shinan District in 2017.

Cheng Hongzhang, an intangible cultural heritage inheritor – one entrusted with passing on the precepts and techniques of a folk craft or folk art – has developed a group of 16 methods for seal engraving with his Cheng's Seal Cutting characters. [Photo/WeChat account: qdweishinan]