An intangible cultural heritage showcase organized by the Jiangsu Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism is held in Meili Ancient Town, Xinwu district, Wuxi. [Photo/WeChat account: xinwu_wx]

An intangible cultural heritage showcase organized by the Jiangsu Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism kicked off in Meili Ancient Town, Xinwu district, Wuxi on April 19.

The highlight of the event was a bustling market built around three themes: delicacies, handicrafts, and trendy Chinese creations. Signature foods from across Jiangsu's 13 cities, including Wuxi's green and white glutinous rice balls, Zhenjiang's pot cover noodles, Jingjiang's crab roe soup buns, and Nanjing's salted duck, attracted long lines of food lovers.

Traditional crafts were also transformed into trendy must-haves. From intricate fruit pit carvings and fragrant sachets to blue calibo cloth and the classic nine-ring puzzle, visitors explored the creative spirit behind centuries-old skills. At the Xuzhou sachet booth, young women crafted scented pouches, while a Wuxi artisan demonstrated grass-weaving by quickly turning straw into a lifelike grasshopper. At the erhu booth, a performance of the classic piece The Moon Reflected on Second Spring captivated passersby.

Visitors gather around a booth showcasing Wuxi's local delicacies. [Photo/WeChat account: xinwu_wx]

Other highlights included a Yixing purple clay pottery master shaping teapots into works of art, children laughing as they molded Huishan clay figurines, and a Suzhou embroidery artist stitching a blooming peony onto silk. The Wuxi fine embroidery booth, known for its delicate artistry, stood out as a crowd favorite.

Visitors also enjoyed a series of captivating live performances. Local intangible heritage acts such as Wuxi Opera and erhu performances shared the stage with Peking Opera, Kunqu Opera, Yueju Opera, and Suzhou pingtan in five engaging shows across two days.

The event features various intangible cultural heritage performances. [Photo/WeChat account: xinwu_wx]