Experts and officials convened in Shenzhen on Friday to discuss strategies for the preservation and integration of China’s cultural heritage into contemporary urban development. The event was part of the two-day Forum on Building up China’s Cultural Strength 2026, which began Thursday in Guangdong province.

The subforum, titled “Building a Holistic Protection Framework for Cultural Heritage,” brought together scholars specializing in heritage conservation alongside government representatives to explore ways to strengthen systematic protection and promote coordinated conservation of both tangible and intangible cultural assets.

Zhang Jie, a professor at Tsinghua University’s School of Architecture, highlighted the need to adhere to core principles of cultural heritage conservation: authenticity, integrity, and dynamic inheritance. He urged that preservation efforts extend beyond well-known historical sites to encompass entire urban structures. Using Beijing as an example, Zhang stressed that heritage protection should not focus solely on areas like Nanluoguxiang but embrace the capital’s overall historical layout, conserving the full spectrum of cultural information and integrating it with modern urban life.

Yang Lihui, a professor at Beijing Normal University’s School of Chinese Language and Literature, emphasized the emerging concept of coordinating the protection of tangible and intangible heritage. She cited the example of ancient wooden covered bridges constructed with traditional mortise-and-tenon joints, a craft passed down through oral teaching and apprenticeships. Local governments and cultural institutions have partnered with artisans to restore these bridges and preserve their surrounding environments. In 2024, the traditional techniques for building these bridges were moved from UNESCO’s List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding to the organization's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Yang recommended compiling nationwide successful practices into a published collection to promote scalable and replicable models of integrated heritage conservation.

Representatives from local administrations shared practical approaches balancing heritage preservation with economic and social development. Wang Qiyong, head of Shexian county in Anhui province, described efforts to revitalize historic buildings by introducing new activities such as immersive night tours, themed coffeehouses, and hanfu experiences, which help marry cultural inheritance with tourism and business growth. Shexian’s Huizhou ancient city has also become a hub for cultural study tours offering workshops in traditional crafts such as ink stick making and paper cutting.

Similarly, Ding Hongtao, Party secretary of Weishan Yi and Hui autonomous county in Yunnan province, emphasized prioritizing protection while encouraging residents to remain engaged with the ancient city’s heritage. Weishan preserves its Ming and Qing dynasty urban layout, with around 90 percent of the original inhabitants still residing in the historic core. Ding noted that local residents are encouraged to renovate their own homes and participate actively in conservation efforts, enabling a sustainable coexistence of tradition and modern life.

The forum underscored the need for an integrated approach that respects the authenticity and living nature of cultural heritage while promoting its compatibility with contemporary urban development and socioeconomic progress.