Yanyuan Oriental Cultural Resource Exchange established itself in Weifang Yanyuan High-tech Park of Peking University, in Weifang High-tech Industrial Development Zone, on Sept 6.

The cultural resource exchange platform was jointly set up by Weifang Culture Assets and Equity Exchange, the nation's first city-level exchange center of its kind approved by the State Council, and Weifang Yanyuan Investment and Technologies Co.

"The platform is designed to facilitate the integration of local rich cultural and art resources, information technologies and financial industries," said Wang Xin, who is in charge of the platform.

An employee with Yanyuan Oriental Cultural Resource Exchange in Weifang displays a currency collection. Photo by Wang Qian/China Daily

The main focus of the platform is the online transactions of stamps, coins, cards, gems, jade jewelry, paintings and calligraphy, as well as film and TV copyrights, Wang explained.

"Weifang has abundant cultural resources and sound art ambience, which provide a solid foundation for the development of the cultural resource exchange platform," he said.

Since the Tang (AD 618-907) and Song (960-1279) dynasties, Weifang has nurtured several famous artists, including Zhang Zeduan, a painter during the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127) who created the scroll painting Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival. Today the city is home to thousands of professional painters and more than 10,000 amateurs.

Named "China's Painting City" by the Chinese Painting Institute, Weifang hosts thousands of painting and calligraphy exhibitions annually and has become a well-known art center for painting and calligraphy creation and display.

"The platform will greatly boost the trade of local painting and calligraphy works with the support of information technology services provided companies based in Weifang high-tech zone and Peking University's strength in promoting cultural industries," Wang said.