The Shandong intangible cultural heritage month opened in large-scale on Feb 6 at the Lishan Theater in the province's capital city of Jinan, staging an array of vibrant and gorgeous artistic performances at the opening ceremony.

The ceremony also unveiled the intangible cultural heritage exhibition and performance from cities along the Grand Canal, which is also known as the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal. It is the world's oldest and longest canal.

The opening ceremony of Shandong intangible cultural heritage celebration month is held on Feb 6 at Lishan Theater in Jinan, capital of Shandong province. [Photo/Cultural Shandong]

More than 300 performers of 12 canal cities from provinces of Shandong, Zhejiang, Anhui, Heibei and Jiangsu staged their distinctive intangible cultural heritages at the opening ceremony, including Shandong Bangzi opera (wooden clapper opera), Yangzhou Tanci (storytelling to the accompaniment of stringed instruments in the Yangzhou dialect), Huangmei Opera and southwestern Shandong percussion music.

The gala evening was also broadcasted live online, attracting approximately one million viewers.

An array of vibrant and gorgeous artistic performances is put on stage during the open ceremony of the Shandong intangible cultural heritage celebration month in Jinan, Jan 6, 2018. [Photo/ Cultural Shandong]

The Great Canal plays a vital role in Chinese history, as a place for transporting foods and goods from South to North China which also greatly promoted the administration and defense of China as a union, strengthening economic and cultural exchange between the North and the South.

The Shandong intangible cultural heritage month, which will last through March 18, is the third of its kind organized by the Shandong provincial department of culture, in a bid to better preserve and showcase the province's rich intangible cultural heritages, enrich the lives of Shandong residents, and deepen people's understanding of Qilu culture.

According to the Shandong provincial department of culture, more than 700 activities related to intangible cultural heritages will take place during the month-long festival.