Cultural connections

A new documentary series on traditional craftsmanship across China places a special focus on the similarities between folk art on both sides of the Taiwan Straits, Wang Kaihao reports.

When former advertising executive Luo Yicheng launched a project to record and revitalize traditional craftsmanship across China in 2015, he didn't expect it to go this far.

The 42-year-old from Hunan province smiles when he recalls how his 8-year-old child talked about him in front of his classmates: "I don't know what my father's job is."

Indeed, it's not easy to give a clear definition of what he does to this day. Since quitting his lucrative position in the advertising industry, he has traveled to every Chinese provincial-level region over the past four years looking for ways to save disappearing intangible cultural heritage.

"Only when the techniques survive will we have a place where we can hold onto our memories," Luo says.

He has interviewed over 200 craftspeople nationwide, delivered lectures and published books on his cultural explorations to arouse public interest. Luo's most recent project was released on Saturday.