Secret script an act of female independence

Edge of extinction

Although it has existed for hundreds of years in the 1,540-square-kilometer county, nvshu only became known to the public in the 1980s, and soon made a stir worldwide. In 2005, it was accepted into the Guinness World Records and the next year it was listed by China as an intangible cultural heritage.

Nvshu works are rare. The oldest remaining ones are from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), because the custom was to burn all nvshu works of the writer after she died. Now, there are only seven inheritors of nvshu recognized by the government.

Hu Xin, 33, is one of them. She has learned nvshu since 2000 and because she knows the local dialect, learning it was easy for her.

She said nvshu and its associated culture can be accepted in modern times. Composer Tan Dun created a symphony based on the script and the performance was welcomed in over 30 countries, she added.

While Hu said the script has few practical applications nowadays, the local government has made efforts to protect the cultural heritage.

Four villages in Jiangyong have been delegated as nvshu protected zones, where traditional architecture and natural landscapes have been restored. Old local customs related to nvshu are practiced in the villages, according to the local government.