"It's not just about the expertise of paper-cutting, it's also about the value of human connections," says Choi. "Zhao perfects a craft and then passes it down. I think that's something people should know about."
Apart from paper-cutting, other traditional activities like folk dance, embroidery, local operas and martial arts have also been covered by the 102 documentaries generated by the project this year.
Huang Huilin, a professor at Beijing Normal University who founded the project－as well as being a director of the Academy for International Communication of Chinese Culture－encouraged young participants to observe how customs and values have changed as society has evolved in the 70 years since the founding of the People's Republic of China. She added that their critical thinking and various interpretations would be presented, illustrating the theme of "time".
Filmmakers from 38 universities have stories to tell. These included the reconstruction of Shougang industrial park (originally Shougang steel mill) and its impact on the lives of former workers, and a female villager's 34-year dedication to tree-planting to tackle desert encroachment. They also included a hairdresser's efforts to help maintain the popularity of a long-standing barbershop.
Irene Rui Nabinger, a participant from Boston University in the United States says that the key word to describe this experience is "rewarding", and that she has learned a lot about the Chinese culture at the event. Her documentary Behind the Chair, explores the bonds between a hairdresser and an old barbershop.
