Traveling through time and space.

Chapter 235 Intangible Cultural Heritage Inheritance and Innovative Communication Strategies of Cultural Companies

Mu Yang emerged from a family business seminar on international talent strategy. Sunlight poured down unreservedly, bathing him in a warm glow, yet his heart was already preoccupied with the new mission of cultural heritage preservation. Currently, the surge of new media is sweeping across all sectors, and cultural companies are at the forefront of this era, shouldering the heavy responsibility of preserving and promoting intangible cultural heritage. As a treasure of national culture, intangible cultural heritage carries the wisdom and emotions of our ancestors, serving as a spiritual bond connecting the past and the future, shining with a unique brilliance. Fueled by a sense of mission and accomplishment in the preservation and implementation of innovative communication strategies for intangible cultural heritage, Mu Yang hurried to the cultural company, determined to forge a new path for the preservation and development of intangible cultural heritage.

As Mu Yang entered the studio of an intangible cultural heritage inheritor, he was instantly enveloped by a rich, mellow atmosphere of traditional art. The studio, small in size, resembled a magical art treasure trove, filled with a dazzling array of intangible cultural heritage works. Exquisite paper-cuts, with flowing lines and vivid patterns, adorned the walls, seemed to tell ancient stories. Lifelike wood carvings stood on display, each grain embodying the artist's meticulous care and radiating the unique warmth of the wood. And then there were the vibrant and colorful embroideries, where silk threads weave delicate patterns across fabric, the delicate stitching and exquisite color combinations captivating the artisans' exceptional skill. Master Li, an intangible cultural heritage inheritor, sat at his workbench, concentrating intently on a wood carving. His gaze was focused and determined, his chisel like a nimble brush, carving delicate, lifelike textures into the wood. Each stroke was imbued with a reverence and love for traditional craftsmanship.

"Hello, Master Li! I'm so sorry to disturb you while you're working. Our cultural company has always regarded the inheritance and dissemination of intangible cultural heritage as its own responsibility. I came to visit you today specifically in the hope of working closely with you to make your exquisite wood carving skills known and loved by more people." Mu Yang's face was full of sincerity, and his eyes were full of anticipation.

Master Li slowly put down the carving knife and looked up. His face bore the marks of time, but his eyes gleamed with a sense of mission and perseverance in passing on intangible cultural heritage. "Mr. Mu, thank you so much for your attention to intangible cultural heritage. This woodcarving skill has been passed down from my ancestors for generations, but now there are fewer and fewer young people willing to learn it. I often lie awake at night, worried that this craft left by our ancestors will be lost to me."

Mu Yang nodded slightly, his expression solemn and full of understanding. "Master Li, we sympathize with your concerns. We plan to conduct a comprehensive rescue record of your woodcarving skills. We will arrange a professional filming team, using high-definition cameras, to record every subtle step of design and carving, from material selection onwards, and provide detailed and accurate text descriptions. We must ensure that this precious skill can be preserved forever and passed down to future generations. Preliminary estimates indicate that the cost of this rescue record will be approximately [X] million yuan. Although the cost is not low, we believe it is worth it. This is an investment in cultural heritage. At the same time, we would like to invite you to participate in our subsequent creative development and dissemination activities, cleverly integrating ancient woodcarving techniques with modern design concepts to develop cultural and creative products that retain traditional charm while conforming to contemporary aesthetics, so that woodcarving can enter the lives of more people."

Upon hearing this, Master Li's eyes lit up instantly, and he said excitedly, "That's fantastic! I've been thinking about how to keep woodcarving techniques up to date, but I know nothing about marketing and dissemination. However, Mr. Mu, I'm a little worried. Our traditional intangible cultural heritage, which emphasizes master-apprentice inheritance and oral transmission, conflicts with your new media approach, which prioritizes traffic and rapid dissemination. What should we do?"

Mu Yang thought for a moment and said in an orderly manner: "Master Li, don't worry, we absolutely respect your way of inheritance. When spreading the word, we will focus on introducing the traditional master-apprentice inheritance and oral transmission, so that everyone can understand the profound heritage and cultural connotations behind the intangible cultural heritage. At the same time, we can cleverly use the powerful advantages of new media to let more people appreciate the unique charm of wood carving skills. For example, we can shoot a video of your teaching, fully presenting the process of hand-in-hand teaching between master and apprentice, and then disseminate it through major new media platforms, so that more people can see the warmth of this inheritance."

To help intangible cultural heritage reach the public through the power of new media, Mu Yang immediately headed to the cultural company's new media communications department. The atmosphere was vibrant, and sparks of creativity were flying everywhere. Staff members gathered together, enthusiastically discussing intangible cultural heritage promotion plans. With each voice offering their own, a variety of novel and bold ideas collided fiercely in the air.

"Hello everyone! The reason we gather here today is to discuss the new media communication strategy for intangible cultural heritage. In this era of booming new media, we must make full use of emerging forms such as short videos and live broadcasts to allow the intangible cultural heritage that has been hidden in the deep boudoir to truly enter the lives of the general public." Mu Yang's voice was full of passion and power, instantly igniting everyone's enthusiasm.

Xiao Wang, the head of the new media communications department, stood up excitedly. "Mr. Mu, we've already come up with some preliminary ideas. We plan to launch a livestreaming promotion featuring intangible cultural heritage inheritors selling products. Take the woodcarving cultural and creative products we developed with Master Li, for example. During the livestream, we'll demonstrate the woodcarving process and explain in detail the cultural connotations behind it, allowing viewers to appreciate the exquisite craftsmanship while gaining a deeper understanding of the cultural heritage, thereby attracting purchases. At the same time, we'll produce a series of interesting and informative short videos introducing intangible cultural heritage skills, such as using animations to demonstrate the steps of paper cutting, accompanied by light-hearted and humorous commentary, to make them more accessible and appealing to young people. However, Mr. Mu, new media operations are not a small investment, costing approximately [X] million yuan per month, which is inconsistent with our current business returns. Sales from livestreaming products are still unstable, sometimes high and sometimes low. We're worried that if this continues, we won't be able to recover our operating costs."

Mu Yang frowned slightly, and after a moment's contemplation, he said, "Xiao Wang, we have to take a long-term view. Although our current profits are not stable, as long as we persist in innovation and continuously improve our communication effectiveness, our commercial profits will surely increase slowly. In terms of content creation, we must deeply explore the cultural connotations of intangible cultural heritage and create more attractive and appealing works. In addition, we must strengthen cooperation with major e-commerce platforms to strive for more exposure opportunities and increase product sales."

During the discussion, the competition and conflict over the allocation of resources to the cultural company among the various intangible cultural heritage projects gradually surfaced. Xiao Zhang, who oversees the embroidery project, expressed anxiety and urgency: "Our embroidery project is also distinctive and has great potential for development. We particularly need more promotional resources and manpower. However, all the company's resources are currently being channeled toward our woodcarving project, which is truly unfair to us. Our embroidery pieces are incredibly exquisite. If we had sufficient resources to promote them, they would surely attract a great deal of attention."

Xiao Li, who is in charge of the paper-cutting project, quickly agreed: "Yes, our paper-cutting project also has many novel creative ideas that can be developed. For example, designing paper-cutting works that incorporate modern popular elements will definitely attract the attention of young people. I hope the company can treat every intangible cultural heritage project fairly."

Mu Yang quickly reassured everyone, "Don't worry, everyone. Calm down. We will develop a scientific and rational resource allocation plan based on the unique characteristics and market potential of each intangible cultural heritage project. We will establish a comprehensive project evaluation mechanism and regularly conduct comprehensive assessments of the communication effects and commercial value of each intangible cultural heritage project. We will then flexibly adjust resource allocation based on the evaluation results to ensure that each project receives the support and development it deserves."

To allow more people to experience the unique charm of intangible cultural heritage firsthand, Mu Yang visited the intangible cultural heritage exhibition. The place was bustling with activity, and visitors, drawn by invisible threads, gathered around the various display areas, their eyes filled with curiosity and wonder, as they watched with rapt interest the intangible cultural heritage performances and production processes. The exhibition was meticulously planned, featuring displays of physical objects, live performances, and interactive experiences, allowing the audience to experience the charm of intangible cultural heritage from a comprehensive and up-close perspective.

A young audience member, eyes sparkling, ran up to Mu Yang excitedly: "This event is amazing! I knew very little about intangible cultural heritage before, but through this event, I discovered how interesting and full of unique charm it is. Especially the wood carvings, each one seems to have a soul. I want to buy one and take it home."

However, differences in the acceptance of intangible cultural heritage presentation formats and content are gradually becoming apparent among audiences from different regions and age groups. A gray-haired elderly audience member approached slowly and said earnestly, "I think this kind of live performance is great. It allows us to see authentic intangible cultural heritage techniques and experience the charm of tradition. But I'm not very comfortable with short videos and livestreams. I still find traditional presentations more intimate and authentic."

A young and fashionable audience member expressed his own thoughts: "I think short videos and live broadcasts are particularly interesting. They can be watched anytime and anywhere, which is very convenient. However, the interactive experience of the on-site demonstrations can be enriched. For example, it would be even better if we could make our own things. This way, we can more deeply appreciate the charm of intangible cultural heritage."

Mu Yang listened carefully to every piece of feedback from the audience, then turned to the staff and said, "Everyone has heard it. We need to continuously optimize the display format and content based on the audience's feedback. For the elderly audience, we will arrange more professional and detailed on-site explanations so that they can better understand the profound connotations of intangible cultural heritage. For the younger audience, we will add more interactive experience sessions, such as setting up a hand-made area, so that they can participate in person and stimulate their enthusiasm and interest in intangible cultural heritage."

With the gradual advancement and implementation of intangible cultural heritage inheritance and innovative communication strategies, intangible cultural heritage, like a pearl that has been polished clean, has attracted increasing attention and love. Livestreaming sales have steadily increased, and the number of views and likes for short videos has soared, constantly breaking records.

"I am so happy to see that intangible cultural heritage has received so much attention and love from so many people. I have every confidence in the continued prosperity and development of intangible cultural heritage. In the future, we must continue to increase investment in the inheritance and innovative dissemination of intangible cultural heritage, delve into more intangible cultural heritage projects, and constantly innovate dissemination methods. In the coming year, we plan to reach cooperation with [X] intangible cultural heritage inheritors, launch [X] unique intangible cultural heritage cultural and creative product series, and hold [X] large-scale intangible cultural heritage exhibitions to further enhance the popularity and influence of intangible cultural heritage and let intangible cultural heritage shine even brighter in the new era." Mu Yang said with great ambition at an internal company meeting.

In the days to come, Mu Yang will continue to lead the cultural company and move forward firmly on the path of intangible cultural heritage inheritance and innovative dissemination, allowing traditional culture and new media culture to deeply integrate and promote each other, and continuously contribute to the inheritance and development of intangible cultural heritage.