Another step toward heritage protection

"No one can counterfeit my work," says the man who has been carving buffalo horns for 50 years.

"The materials we use are entirely domestic buffalo and goat horns — what others might call waste. But we make use of their natural shape, texture and color. Our tools and techniques are unique," Bai says.

In addition to the craft itself, he attributes the popularity of his work partly to the local government's help in its preservation and protection.

"In the past, I never thought about copyrighting. But society evolves. Now the government is helping us," he says.

Zhou Jie, an official with the Guangxi tourism products industry association, says that a total of five categories of intangible cultural heritage have been showcased in Beijing, including horn and shell carvings, lacquerware, pottery, and bamboo-woven hats.

Thanks to copyright protection, she says, many of these crafts have found new life, attracting investment, reaching wider markets, and turning village traditions into sustainable businesses.