A themed session focusing on the preservation of outstanding farming civilization was held on July 17 in Zhucun village of Linyi, Shandong province, as part of the 2026 conference on social etiquette and civility in rural areas.

The session brought together experts, scholars, and representatives from across China to explore how traditional farming culture can contribute to rural development and enrich modern life.

The event featured the release of a research report on the spiritual characteristics and contemporary value of Chinese agricultural civilization, as well as the launch of initiatives to preserve and promote the 24 solar terms and collect rural oral histories from around the nation.

Representatives from Yunnan, Fujian, Shandong, and Beijing shared their local practices in preserving and revitalizing agricultural heritage. Their experiences covered the protection of the Hani rice terraces, traditional village landscapes, and coastal seaweed-roofed houses, where cultural preservation has been combined with tourism programs. They also introduced village rules rooted in traditional virtues.

Five guests, including Yang Jinbang, a national-level intangible cultural heritage inheritor of Shandong's Linshu willow weaving, and Li Denghai, director of the National Maize Engineering Technology Center (Shandong), shared stories from their careers and research, highlighting the lasting value of agricultural traditions in modern life.

Artists perform at a themed session on preserving farming civilization in Linyi. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

A launch ceremony is held for a program to collect rural oral histories from across China. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]