Experts from Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) recently visited Suzhou, Jiangsu province, to explore how the city is nurturing its cultural traditions while engaging the next generation.
As part of the "Suzhou in the Eyes of International Experts" program, they visited cultural landmarks and experienced intangible cultural heritage (ICH) first-hand on June 12. Several members of the group shared insights about culture preservation and drew comparisons to their own countries.
Angela Fitzgerald, an Australian professor at XJTLU's Academy of Future Education, reflected on her experiences in Jordan, noting that when young people engage directly with their cultural heritage through hands-on activities, they develop a sense of ownership and belonging. To her, the preservation of ICH is not merely about keeping the past alive but about encouraging active participation.
This approach resonates in Suzhou, where the China Kunqu Opera Museum stands as a testament to centuries of artistic knowledge. Its future relies on making Kunqu Opera relevant to younger audiences, a task where education plays a pivotal role.
After seeing a local teenager's Kunqu performance, Emily Williams, a British academic leading the Department of China Studies at XJTLU, addressed the balance between the commercialization and authentic transmission of ICH, using the teen as an example of how young people can be involved in cultural transmission.
Though Williams sees economic benefits to integrating ICH into cultural industries and tourism, she warns against the risks of commodification.
As if to answer Williams' concerns, the museum presented a rendition of Kungqu Opera's The Fifteen Strings of Cash, a story that has enthralled audiences for six centuries. During the performance, Daniel Yonto, an American assistant professor at XJTLU, gave credit to the use of the Suzhou dialect and traditional costumes. Having been revived in the 1950s, the opera now thrives in a city that celebrates its historical roots and modern aspirations in tandem.
The potential for those roots to integrate with technology is apparent, according to Wai Kit Leong from Malaysia, an assistant professor at XJTLU's Academy of Film and Creative Technology. She envisioned using AI and immersive technologies to make Kunqu Opera accessible to global audiences, while cautioning that technology should enhance, not replace, the human artistry at the heart of cultural traditions.
In Suzhou, the challenge is not whether young people value cultural heritage, but whether meaningful opportunities are created for them to engage with it.
