Naxi people dancing in a Lijiang courtyard

China Living-Heritage on Film

Real footage of China's living crafts — watch, then read the full guide for each

What's here

A growing library of intangible cultural heritage filmed on the ground in China — three living crafts of Sichuan and two of Yunnan. Press play on any clip, then follow the link to its full guide and how to see it in person.

Sichuan · Chengdu

蜀绣 · Craft

Shu Embroidery

Shu embroidery up close — split silk stitched into one of China's Four Great Embroideries.
Read the Shu Embroidery guide →

川菜 · Cuisine

Sichuan Cooking

Sichuan cooking — spices bloom in hot oil to build the má-là tingle.
Read the Sichuan Cooking guide →

变脸 · Performance

Face-Changing Opera

Sichuan opera's bian lian — painted masks swapped faster than the eye can follow.
Read the Face-Changing Opera guide →

Yunnan · Dali & Lijiang

白族扎染 · Craft

Bai Tie-Dye

A hands-on tie-dye workshop in Dali — binding white cotton before it meets the indigo vat.
Read the Bai Tie-Dye guide →

纳西东巴 · Living culture

Naxi Dongba Keeper

A Naxi Dongba keeper in Lijiang writes pictographs beside the script chart.
Read the Naxi Dongba Keeper guide →

东巴文 · Script

Writing Dongba Script

Dongba script up close — the world's last living pictographs, drawn with a reed pen.
Read the Writing Dongba Script guide →

Explore the heritage hubs

Sichuan living heritage
Shu embroidery, Sichuan cuisine and face-changing opera in Chengdu.
Yunnan living heritage
Bai tie-dye in Dali and Naxi Dongba culture in Lijiang.
East China living heritage
Bamboo weaving, oil-paper umbrellas, paper-cutting and pearls.
Culture tours
Routes built around China's living traditions.
China landscape

PandaTouring Newsletter

Get Travel Tips in Your Inbox

Insider guides, hidden gems, and exclusive deals for your China adventure — delivered weekly.

No spam, ever. Unsubscribe anytime.