Recently, a journalist from the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development was informed that China has designated 8,155 traditional villages into a protection list across six batches. This effort has established a multi-level protection system that spans from national to provincial, municipal, and county levels, resulting in significant advancements in the conservation and utilization of these traditional villages.

The Ministry confirmed that these 8,155 villages, recognized for their critical preservation value, are now officially protected under the Chinese traditional village protection list. Additionally, 5,028 villages have been included in provincial protection lists across 16 provinces, safeguarding a total of 556,000 traditional buildings such as cultural relics and historical architecture. Furthermore, there are 5,965 items of intangible cultural heritage at the provincial level and above that are being preserved and promoted.

Dong Hongmei, a senior inspector from the Ministry’s Department of Village and Town Construction, stated, “We have implemented a series of supportive policies and funding initiatives, collaborating with the Ministry of Finance on pilot projects for the concentrated protection and utilization of traditional villages. Currently, there are 10 demonstration cities and 110 demonstration counties across the country exploring tailored approaches to protect traditional villages based on local conditions.”

The Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development emphasized that the next steps involve further enhancing protection efforts. This includes integrating traditional villages into the Chinese civilization mark system, conducting surveys and assessments, and promoting revitalization. Additionally, there are plans to address infrastructure and public service gaps in these villages while continuing initiatives like “designing for rural areas” to improve living conditions.