When millennia-old craftsmanship meets key industrial chains, what kind of developmental momentum can emerge? Xianyang, using "cultural IP" as its brush, has crafted a high-quality response to the dual challenges of "preservation" and "development" in the intangible cultural heritage economy. Located in the central Guanzhong Plain of Shaanxi Province, Xianyang is the core area of Qin culture. In recent years, the city has deepened its exploration of cultural resources to enhance regional visibility and distinctiveness, strengthened cross-sector integration of culture, commerce, and tourism, and accelerated the growth of its cultural tourism industry. According to statistics from Xianyang's Culture and Tourism Bureau, from January to September 2025, the city received 90.846 million domestic tourists, a year-on-year increase of 5.6%, with total domestic tourism revenue reaching 61.878 billion yuan, up 7.17% year-on-year.

**Unearthing Unique Culture to Build Distinctive IPs** The cultural and tourism industries are inseparable. In recent years, as China's domestic tourism market has gradually upgraded, the focus has shifted to how to leverage unique regional cultural IPs for differentiated competition. As the capital of the Qin dynasty, Xianyang boasts national cultural landmarks such as the ruins of the Qin Xianyang City and the Han Yangling Mausoleum, along with over 600 intangible cultural heritage (ICH) resources, including Fuzhuan tea-making techniques, Xianbanqiang opera, and Xunyi paper-cut art. Anchored in Qin culture and revitalizing ICH, Xianyang has explored a new path for high-quality development in cultural tourism under the dual themes of "preserving tradition" and "innovation."

"The core of Xianyang's cultural tourism IP strategy is the 'Qin Culture+' approach," explained a representative from the city's tourism bureau. In recent years, the city has built a "one-core, multi-faceted" brand system centered on Qin culture, supplemented by IPs like "Silk Road Culture" and "Imperial Mausoleum Culture." Under the umbrella of the "Qin Culture IP," "Xianyang Fuzhuan Tea" has become a new symbol of national trend consumption, while the nighttime tourism project "Qin Moonlight: Dreaming Back to Xianyang" has emerged as a blockbuster attraction. Cultural experiences at sites like the Qianling Mausoleum and Zheng Guo Canal have also captivated visitors.

**"Traditional Craftsmanship + Modern Technology" Drives ICH Innovation** As a core carrier of Chinese cultural heritage, ICH has entered a new phase of "innovative development" in recent years, propelled by policy support, technological empowerment, and consumption upgrades. Public data shows that by 2024, China's ICH industry had surpassed 450 billion yuan in market size, with projections estimating 580 billion yuan by 2025—a compound annual growth rate exceeding 30%, making it a key growth driver in cultural consumption.

This growth is inseparable from the inheritance and innovation of ICH techniques. For example, the once-endangered Fuzhuan tea-making technique was successfully revived in 2008 and listed as a national ICH item in 2021. Xianyang has since integrated Fuzhuan tea into its key industrial chains, with nearly 70 producers now achieving an annual output of 30,000 tons and a comprehensive industry value of nearly 3 billion yuan in 2024, exporting to over 30 countries and regions.

"We aim not only to restore the craft but also to make Fuzhuan tea a living symbol of Silk Road culture," said Hu Xin, CEO of Xianyang Jingwei Fuzhuan Tea Co., Ltd. By tapping into its cultural significance, the humble tea brick has become a "golden name card" for Shaanxi's international exchanges.

Technology has also breathed new life into ICH. At Jingwei Fuzhuan Tea's smart factory, robotic transporters move seamlessly, while controlled microbial fermentation technology enables year-round production. Staff monitor the entire process with a simple screen tap. The 570-million-yuan industrial park houses China's largest tea enterprise R&D center and has contributed to a "black tea quality enhancement" project that won a national scientific advancement award. This "traditional craftsmanship + modern technology" model exemplifies Xianyang's approach to ICH revitalization.

Additionally, in the Qinba Mountain area, Jingwei Fuzhuan Tea has established thousands of acres of organic tea bases, purchasing over 1,500 tons of raw tea annually and boosting local farmers' incomes by more than 33 million yuan per year. By transforming grand cultural narratives into tangible industrial practices—using technology to standardize ICH, converting production sites into tourist attractions, and integrating farmers into the supply chain—the company has created a "touchable, experiential, and sustainable" development model, offering a "Fuzhuan blueprint" for ICH innovation.

**Anchoring Rural Revitalization to Build Prosperous Industries** The ultimate goal of cultural industry development lies in improving livelihoods. Official statistics show that Xianyang boasts a vast and diverse array of ICH resources, with thousands of inheritors at various levels. Through models like "ICH + cooperatives," "ICH + research," and "ICH + creative products," the city is turning "fingertip culture" into "fingertip economy."

Yuanjia Village is a prime example. Centered on ICH projects like Xianbanqiang shadow puppetry, combined with local snacks, homestays, and antique architecture, the village has created rich consumption scenarios. In 2024, it welcomed 9.5 million tourists, generating over 1.2 billion yuan in tourism revenue, with per capita income exceeding 150,000 yuan for villagers. Annual agricultural product sales surpassed 500 million yuan, providing jobs for over 3,000 local farmers and boosting incomes for tens of thousands in surrounding areas.

Similarly, Xunyi County has developed 15 ICH cooperatives for paper-cutting and embroidery, 10 performance companies, and 12 ICH tourism projects, directly employing 2,300 people and increasing incomes for more than 15,000 residents. "We are committed to innovating county-specific cultural tourism industries, leveraging them as powerful engines for consumption and economic growth, and building a 100-billion-yuan cultural tourism cluster," said a representative from Xianyang's Development and Reform Commission.

Xianyang's practices reveal a deeper logic: from the protective display of Qin Xianyang City ruins to the industrial revival of Fuzhuan tea techniques and the digital presentation of nighttime tourism, the city has consistently balanced "preservation" and "innovation." When the profound culture of an ancient capital transforms from museum exhibits into tangible experiences—sippable tea, explorable night tours, and income-generating industries—the "Qin Culture IP" truly comes alive.

Xianyang's exploration demonstrates that only by making ICH more accessible can the cultural tourism industry thrive with confidence.