An exhibition displaying the achievements made by the northwestern Chinese city of Lanzhou in protecting its intangible cultural heritage opened on Thursday, attracting visitors with such draw cards as a huge fan of painted masks.

Xinhua News Agency reported that several hundred intangible cultural heritage projects are on exhibit, such as Lanzhou's traditional puppet shows and peace drums, which are called the "first drum under heaven" and used in folk dancing.
 

A visitor inspects a huge fan of painted masks at the 3rd Lanzhou intangible cultural heritage protection result exhibition on Thursday, July 5, 2007.

Jiang Haozhi (left), an inheritor and engraver of Nuo masks, introduces her creations to visitors at the 3rd Lanzhou intangible cultural heritage protection result exhibition on Thursday, July 5, 2007. The masks are an indispensable part of Nuo Opera, a unique kind of Chinese opera developed from folk ancestry.
 
A visitor admires a group of clay sculptures entitled "Outlaws of the Marsh" at the 3rd Lanzhou intangible cultural heritage protection result exhibition on Thursday, July 5, 2007.

(CRI.cn July 6, 2007)