The 7th Forum on the Protection and Inheritance of the Qiqiao Girls Festival kicked off in Beijing on August 18th. [Photo by Mi Xingang/China.org.cn]

Themed as "Chinese Qiqiao -- Bridge to the World," the 7th Forum on the Protection and Inheritance of the Qiqiao Girls Festival kicked off in Beijing on August 18th. Government officials, ethnic culture scholars, experts, envoys and ambassadors to China from 27 countries attended the forum. Several representatives made speeches on the protection and development of the festival.

Qiqiao culture is seen namely as a blessing, a means of endowing females with farming and handicraft skills. The culture originated in Xihe County of Longnan City in western China’s Gansu Province, and has a history of over 2,000 years. Various related ritual customs, including distinctive songs, lyrics and dances remain intact and have been passed down from generation to generation, according to the forum. Lasting for seven days from July 1st to the 7th of China’s lunar calendar, the young women involved will pray to “the Queen of Skills,” the incarnation of Vega, for wisdom, good luck and a happy marriage.

Recently, as industrialization has gradually replaced household handicraft workshops, the core notion of the culture has focused more on revering nature, respecting labor, nurturing ingenuity and showing gratitude towards the community. This culture plays a significant role in promoting equality between men and women, nurturing women’s working skills, helping to foster young women’s development and building harmonious families, said Soegeng Rahardjo, the Indonesian ambassador to China speaking at the forum.

The previous six sessions of the Qiqiao Forum have inspired the general public to better preserve the culture and also encourage it to spread globally, said Chen Qing, the mayor of Longnan City. The China (Longnan) Qiqiao Girls Festival is currently applying for the enrollment of a world intangible cultural heritage so as to further protect and preserve Qiqiao folklore culture. Many government officials and ambassadors have signed their names and left handprints to show their support for the campaign during the forum.

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