The Potala Palace in Lhasa, Xizang autonomous region. [Photo/IC]

Since 2012, the Chinese central government and Xizang autonomous region have invested 473 million yuan ($65.78 million) to support the protection and promotion of intangible cultural heritage (ICH) in Xizang.

This investment has funded 10 specialized heritage facilities and helped establish a four-tier heritage system. Now the region boasts 2,760 recognized items and 1,790 inheritors — including 106 items and 117 individuals on the national registry.

Following the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, Xizang's ICH protection efforts have expanded significantly. Three emblematic traditions — the Gesar epic tradition, Tibetan opera, and Tibetan medicinal bathing — are now recognized by UNESCO. Five national and 12 regional productive protection demonstration bases have been designated, alongside 224 artisan workshops, 29 campus-based demonstration hubs, and 159 heritage training centers.

Xizang is also preserving traditions through digital documentation, having archived the knowledge of 74 inheritors via text, audio, photo, and video. The preservation model was also shifted from individual practice to broader community engagement.

By the end of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30), Xizang aims to surpass 3,000 heritage items and 2,000 practitioners, ensuring that its traditions continue to thrive amid modernization and globalization.