The 2018 Chinese Traditional Village Conservation (Hainan) Summit Forum is held in Danzhou on May 3. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

Over 150 famous experts, scholars and authorities from around the country discussed current situations, dilemmas and solutions for Chinese traditional village conservation at the 2018 Chinese Traditional Village Conservation (Hainan) Summit Forum held in Danzhou on May 3.

The appeal to protect traditional villages was sent out by experts and scholars over a decade ago and the result was the Xitang Declaration compiled in Xitang town, Jiaxing, Zhejiang province. Over the years, protecting traditional villages has become a common understanding of the whole of society. Its urgency has been rising since the fast development of urbanization.      

According to Qiu Yunhua, vice chairman and secretary general of the Chinese Folk Literature and Art Association, the association has always been devoted to rescuing and inheriting traditional village culture. The project of rescuing Chinese folk cultural heritages initiated by the association has listed traditional village protection as a national key item. The expert committee composed of master's holders in anthropology, architecture, folklore and heritage has established a complete information system and database of Chinese traditional villages with protection standards, methods and examples.    

The association also carried out a survey to record the art history, natural landscapes and all other original ecological information of selected state-level villages. 

Li Xiankui, professor of the National Architecture Institute of China, addresses the 2018 Chinese Traditional Village Conservation (Hainan) Summit Forum. [Photo/ce.cn]

In recent years, Hainan has declared 47 Chinese traditional villages on the basis of thorough province-wide investigation. In 2016, it compiled a development plan to put forward specific requirements for the targets, tasks, contents and measures of traditional village conservation. 

Moreover, the Hainan Folk Literature and Art Association has taken over 1,700 photos and collected data of more than 50,000 words for seven traditional villages.

Huang Bin, associate researcher of the Development Research Center of the State Council, said that thriving businesses are the foundation of rural vitalization. He suggested internet platforms should be fully used to offer smart services to enhance the value of characteristic agricultural products. 

The forum was jointly sponsored by the Chinese Folk Literature and Art Association, the Hainan Federation of Writers and Artists, and the publicity department of the Danzhou municipal Party committee.