Tech firms promote content inspired by Chinese culture

BEIJING - If there was a list of things that China does not lack, culture would be at the top. Now Chinese tech companies are drawing from the rich cultural pool to create their digital content.

Chinese internet giant Tencent announced this week its new content strategy, highlighting a shift to cultural themed products.

Tencent, Asia's most valuable company with a market capitalization of $477 billion, is a major Chinese online content provider with products ranging from games, music, films, to books and cartoons.

Cheng Wu, vice president of Tencent Holdings Ltd, said the company will cooperate with cultural institutions to create culture-related digital content.

In the pipeline is anime themed on the history and culture of the Dunhuang grottoes, a UNESCO-listed world cultural heritage, and a TV series about Chinese antiques.

"Traditional culture will become more appealing to young people when presented in these forms," said Zou Zhengyu, head of Tencent's anime arm.

Dunhuang Academy and the Place Museum, more commonly known as the Forbidden City, have teamed up with Tencent to digitalize their art collections and archives.

Tencent is not the only tech firm promoting digital content based on Chinese culture.

Toutiao, a popular Chinese news app with 120 million daily active users, also announced this week it will add a column for content on Chinese classics, including classical literature, calligraphy, opera, and customs.

The company said it will give preference to distributing the content and will work with the government, media, and cultural institutions to create such content.

"China has 5,000 years of stories to tap into," Michael Uslan, producer of the Batman series, said during the Tencent conference, adding "the world wants and needs your superheroes."