Fujian at Work: Preservation of She minority culture in Banyueli Village

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China's southeastern Fujian province is proud of its farming culture. The ethnic She group is one of China's minorities that mostly reside in Fujian. In Ningde, Banyueli village is perhaps the best place to see the She culture. The villagers have even built a museum to showcase their farming culture. CGTN's Zhao Yunfei has the story.

Surnamed Lei, Banyueli village is home to a number of people of the She ethnic minority. Located in Ningde, Fujian province, this village has a distinct culture with over 300 years of history.

CHEN GUIJIN TOURIST I see the local people doing a great job of preserving the architecture. It is good to promote their own culture.

Tourists like Chen Guijin who live nearby, often visit Banyueli. Chen says in the past few years, he has witnessed how the village put great efforts in preserving this special culture of Fujian.

The ancestral hall of Lei represents the village's pride in showcasing its own life style. Curator Lei Qisong collected the items that portray She minority's own culture, such as clothes and farm tools.

LEI QISONG CURATOR, SHE MINORITY CULTURE MUSEUM She minority's language, music, wedding culture and martial arts the government has put a lot of money into supporting these areas.

The villagers are planning to take advantage of their cultural charm and attract more people to come and visit.

LEI GUOSHENG FORMER BANYUELI VILLAGE PARTY BRANCH SECRETARY 83 households from our village have participated in managing a company that specifically preserves Banyueli's culture. We develop our tourism industry and help make everybody rich.

ZHAO YUNFEI NINGDE More than 90 percent of the She minority in China lives in Banyueli village. Many locals believe that preserving she's cultural treasures are equal to preserving the special culture of the Fujian Province. Zhao Yunfei, Ningde, Fujian Province.