Pottery center showcases ancient skills, equipment(2)

It is estimated that Chinese museums only showcase 10 percent of their collections while the rest are in storerooms. Over 50 percent of the stored items have been damaged.

Intangible cultural heritage can be defined as song, music, dance, drama, crafts and similar skills that can be recorded but not touched or interacted with. Much of it is on the verge of disappearing due to an absence of protective measures and the gradual dying-out of practitioners.

While many are coming up with new gimmicks to make old culture more appealing, experts have called for care and sensitivity in how this is done.

"The most important rule of protecting cultural heritage is retaining its completeness and authenticity," said Sun Keqin, professor at China University of Geosciences (Beijing).

He believes that many historical sites in China have been over-developed, becoming "too modernized, urbanized, and commercialized."

Go to any Chinese mountain or ancient town and you will increasingly see cable cars, elevators and other 21st-century conveniences. These moves are changing the original appearances and damaging cultural credentials, Sun warned.

"PRODUCTIVE PROTECTION"

Mei Lianhua, a council member of the China Folklore Society, praised the type of initiative seen in Jingdezhen, where antiques are being brought back into use.

"Now, we are coming to expect a positive way of preserving cultural heritage. It can be called productive protection," said Mei.

"Instead of letting culture 'sleep' in corners or on the verge of disappearance, the country should find ways to let it re-enter our lives. Its vitality will be revived with proper utilization and appreciation."

Indeed, cities and cultural organizations around the country are making efforts along these lines.

In May this year, Nanjing Museum in east China's Jiangsu Province invited 100 citizens to its "core storeroom" to appreciate its large unexhibited collections.

Museums are also turning to modern technology to keep up with the times.

On New Year's Day 2014, the Forbidden City in Beijing launched a smart phone application and opened a public account on WeChat to encourage interaction with people.

"Cultural heritage is valuable for so many reasons. How sad would we be if it all disappeared and there was no trace of the past left?" Mei asked.