Problems ahead

Diqing, in the northwest of Yunnan, is home to over 200 examples of intangible cultural heritage, with eight under State-level protection, according to the prefecture's protection center for intangible cultural heritage.

However, the prefecture's residents worry about the best way to pass down this heritage and use it to boost rural tourism.

Losang Shepa is concerned about the development of black pottery-making skills and heritage-driven tourism of his village due to poorly designed products, a shortage of talent, and a lack of infrastructure such as tourist accommodation and roads.

He said the 20-plus craftsmen in his father's workshop, founded in 2005, are mostly men who dropped out of school in their early 20s.

"What they've mastered is the skills my father taught them strictly, but not the history and artistic values behind the handicrafts, due to their illiteracy and insufficient awareness of the heritage," Losang Shepa said.

"The pottery will be considered the work of bumpkins or just average Tibetan family supplies if it's not created with modern design and sold through modern ways－online shops, for example. But we don't have creative staff or a professional team for promotion."

He said rural tourism development may be the best way to revitalize heritage and bring vigor to traditional skills by unleashing their potential economic value, but that has been hindered by insufficient financial support, with a lack of money meaning that road construction and accommodation improvements in the village have not been completed.

"Infrastructure is rather important for rural tourism development," he said. "However, buses can't get access to the village because of the narrow road, while tourist accommodation remains the weakest part when receiving tourists. We don't have enough money to build quality inns to let travelers stay over in the villages."

Song Bin, director of the culture, radio and tourism bureau in the prefecture's Weixi Lisu autonomous county, said the area is rich in natural and cultural resources.

"Take Achi Mugua, for example, a traditional Lisu ethic dance performance that was recognized as State-level intangible cultural heritage in 2008," he said. The dance performance is composed of six sections and includes more than 10 movements, with the music and dance steps imitating the sounds and movements of goats.

Song is also concerned about poor infrastructure.

"The poor transport conditions block the inheritance of that heritage and tourism development," he said.

Tongle village, where Achi Mugua dance originated, is about three hours' drive from downtown Weixi along a narrow road that winds through the mountains.
Song said the village is home to about 1,300 residents in 300 households, but over 400 residents, from 102 households, still live in poverty. The promotion of rural tourism is their great hope for improving their livelihoods.

"We have cooperated with a number of travel agencies to bring tourists to Tongle village to appreciate the beautiful dance, with its thousand-year history," he said. "However, we should first offer them easy access."