On the second day of his inspection tour of Suide County in northwest China's Shaanxi Province, President Xi Jinping visited a local exhibition hall where some of the nation's finest art can be found.

One of the most fascinating things is stone carving which has a history of over 2,000 years in the county. Generations of locals have inherited the skill to sustain this ancient craft. There are also clay sculptures to be found here. For centuries, this art had been used to create celestial beings in Buddhist and Taoist temples. The county alone has hundreds of temples, allowing the art to thrive and be passed on.

Suide County is known for its rich cultural history. In addition to stone carving and clay sculpture, it is also famous for paper-cutting, Yangko, a popular rural folk dance, and Suimi Suona, a local folk art form. President Xi's visit underscores the importance of protecting the country's "intangible cultural heritages."

Since 2014, he has visited many cultural sites. In March, he visited an exhibition of cultural relics at the Dunhuang Academy. Last month, he inspected the Chengde Mountain Resort, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site. His footprint signals a new era for the country's protection of its traditional culture. This year, over 4,000 online and offline events will be carried out to promote intangible cultural heritage across the country.

Since 2006, China has celebrated a cultural heritage day on the second Saturday of June. In 2017, it was renamed Cultural and Natural Heritage Day.

Why is the protection of the intangible cultural heritage this important? President Xi has stressed many times that promoting traditional culture is preserving our quintessence. He believes it is crucial for the people to better understand Chinese civilization because the stories of the past can also influence the present and future.

He has said practice has proven that only the Communist Party of China can realize the great unity of the Chinese nation. And the role of our traditional culture is to bolster what he calls "cultural self-confidence." Some say all of a nation's pursuits are anchored in its history. Chinese civilization has a history of over 5,000 years. This serves as the source of our confidence and pride as a nation.

And let's not forget inheriting our own culture would also help the world better understand China. China is now walking its own path to build a strong and modern socialist country. The world needs to hear the voice and perspective of China. And President Xi has pointed out one way to do so – cultivating a contemporary China through the lens of its history and cultural heritage.