"The historical forms of the villages should not be changed. So we have to launch a protection standard and build a supervision system. This year, I want to propose to the government to experiment on a few villages. Providing a sustainable economy for the villagers is essential to the protection of a village’s original culture." said Feng Jicai, CPPCC Member.

China is home to millions of historically significant villages, but once resourceful and diverse cultures are dying at a stunning speed. In 2009, Feng Jicai initiated the first Intangible Cultural Heritage Data Base Center, keeping a digital record of the folklore of ancient villages, including legends, operas, riddles and living customs. During the CPPCC, Feng presents his work to the participants.

"The data base is enormous. It now has 800 million words, including 800,000 entries on proverbs and 120,000 entries about legends. If it was printed in books and stored in libraries, young people wouldn’t learn much from it. So we put it online, so they can have easy access to it. The goal of our work is to carry on and spread traditional culture." said Feng Jicai.

Once a writer in his studio, now a cultural scholar that practices his social and cultural duty, Feng Jicai is living up to his responsibility as a CPPCC member.