The Pearl of the Sea · China Intangible Cultural Heritage Story International Image Competition

1、 Project background and policy context

In the contemporary cultural development pattern, intangible cultural heritage, as an important carrier of national culture, not only reflects the continuation of historical civilization, but also carries cultural identity and public value. With the development of digital media and visual communication methods, the presentation of cultural content has gradually shifted from traditional texts to a diverse expression system centered around visual images. In this context, how to systematically record and effectively transform intangible cultural heritage in a way that conforms to contemporary communication laws has become an important direction in public cultural construction. As an important platform for cultural exchange between China and foreign countries, Hong Kong has obvious advantages in terms of institutional environment, professional service system, and international communication network. It has the important function of undertaking cultural projects and promoting cross regional cultural exchange. On this basis, relying on Hong Kong to carry out intangible cultural heritage image projects for the public will help promote the contemporary expression and international dissemination of Chinese intangible cultural heritage culture.

2、 Project positioning and objectives

This project is positioned as a comprehensive cultural project based on images and guided by public culture, with functions of recording, organizing, displaying, and disseminating. The project not only focuses on image collection and display itself, but also emphasizes the precipitation of cultural achievements and the establishment of long-term mechanisms, promoting the transformation of intangible cultural heritage from scattered records to systematic organization. Through organized solicitation and platform presentation, this project aims to promote public participation in the recording of intangible cultural heritage, gradually form a system of image resources with public cultural value, and promote the dissemination and recognition of intangible cultural heritage in a wider context.

3、 Organizational structure and operational mechanism

This project is coordinated and implemented by the Hong Kong Chinese Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Foundation, responsible for overall planning, resource integration, and execution management; The Hong Kong Photographers Association participates in professional support and collaborative activities; The China Film Association is responsible for the formulation of evaluation criteria and professional selection of visual works; Support media to enhance the social coverage and public participation of the project through collaborative content distribution and dissemination across multiple platforms. The overall operation mechanism is based on professional division of labor and collaborative promotion, ensuring the unity and stability of the project in terms of cultural attributes, artistic standards, and dissemination effects.

4、 Implementation method and content composition

This project is open to photography enthusiasts, cultural researchers, and record creators from both sides of the Taiwan Strait, the three regions, and internationally. It encourages the creation of visual works around themes such as intangible cultural heritage techniques, stories of inheritors, cultural scenes, and folk life. Participants submit their works through the official platform and indicate the location information of relevant intangible cultural heritage projects. During the solicitation process, the project will simultaneously construct the "China Intangible Cultural Heritage Image Map", presenting the participation and social attention of intangible cultural heritage images from various regions in a data visualization manner, creating an interactive relationship between image creation and cultural observation, and gradually establishing a dynamic image recording system with public cultural significance.

5、 Result precipitation and long-term mechanism

In addition to image collection and display, this project will focus on promoting the systematic organization and long-term preservation of intangible cultural heritage image data, gradually establishing an image database system with public cultural value and research foundation. The relevant image data will be classified, organized, and archived according to unified standards, providing continuous support for future cultural research, artistic creation, and public cultural construction. At the same time, the project will edit and organize excellent image works, and compile and publish the "Collection of Chinese Intangible Cultural Heritage Image Works" as a cultural achievement with characteristics of the times, further enhancing the depth of image content organization and dissemination value.

6、 Presentation of Achievements and Social Transformation

After the completion of the project selection, it is planned to hold an intangible cultural heritage image photography exhibition and related cultural activities in Hong Kong in November 2026, focusing on showcasing excellent image achievements and opening them up to the society in the form of public cultural exhibitions. On this basis, cultural exchange activities are combined to promote social participation and resource connectivity, further enhancing public attention to intangible cultural heritage. After the completion of its first exhibition in Hong Kong, the project will continue to promote touring exhibitions and related cultural promotion activities from the end of 2026 to May 2027, gradually expanding the display scope and social impact of visual achievements, shifting the project from centralized presentation to continuous dissemination, and forming a stable and long-term cultural influence mechanism.

7、 Overall project value

This project will construct a cultural transformation path consisting of image recording, data organization, achievement publishing, public exhibitions, and social participation, transforming dispersed cultural observations into public cultural resources that can be accumulated, researched, and displayed. Based on Hong Kong's institutional advantages and international cultural network, this project also helps to strengthen Hong Kong's platform role in cultural exchanges between China and foreign countries, promote the dissemination and recognition of China's intangible cultural heritage in a broader context, and provide a concrete and sustainable practical foundation for its long-term preservation and contemporary expression.