Tangshan, an important industrial city in China, also boasts a long and splendid tradition of arts and culture, which fuels the local tourism industry.
Tangshan is a place where traditional arts like shadow theater, Pingju Opera and Laoting drumming continue to thrive.
These art forms are known as the "three blossoms" of folk art in eastern Hebei. Shadow theater was named an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in 2011.
Chinese shadow theater is a form of theater in which colorful silhouette figures perform traditional plays against a back-lit cloth screen accompanied by music and singing.
The committee officially recognized that shadow theater spreads knowledge, promotes cultural values and entertains the community, especially youth.
In addition to the world-famous art of shadow plays, the city has many other folk arts, such as the papercutting techniques of Qian'an and the clay sculptures of Yutian county. These art forms have passed from one generation to another for centuries in the city.
Over the course of its long history, the city has been home to many famous cultural figures. The most notable is probably Cao Xueqin (1715-1763), author of A Dream of the Red Chamber, one of the great classics of Chinese literature. He was born in Tangshan in the Qing Dynasty (1644 -1911).
Eileen Chang (1920-1995), a female writer in modern China famous for romantic novels, is another major figure from the city.
In addition to these two titans of Chinese literature, the city also fostered many other prominent intellectuals. One of the most well known is Li Dazhao (1888-1927). He was the first person to spread communism in China and was a cofounder of the Communist Party of China in 1921.
Tangshan is located to the north of Beijing, close to northeastern China, where the royal family of the Qing Dynasty originated. Many emperors and members of royal families have been buried in the city at such sites as the Eastern Qing Mausoleum, which has been listed as a World Culture Heritage. The winding Great Wall, also close to the city, has been added to the list as well.
The city has become a hot tourist destination thanks to its two cultural heritages, 10 sites under national protection, six national intangible cultural heritages and one national geological park. Thousands of tourists come for the culture and scenic spots annually, making the tourism an important part of local development.
Tangshan will pursue for more chances to promote tourism and spread its traditional culture to the whole world. In 2016, the city will host the World Horticultural Exposition, providing a good opportunity to introduce the city to the world.
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