People wearing Sichuan opera masks watch a parade held to launch the first International Festival of Intangible Culture Heritage in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan Province, yesterday. The festival will bring together a host of performers from around the world. China has four pieces on the UNESCO list of intangible culture heritage.

The government of Huangshan, Anhui Province, has encouraged members of the public to adopt ancient buildings in the city in a bid to better preserve local cultural relics.

People are welcome to use the buildings as residences or businesses as long as they promise to look after them.

People and organizations from both within and outside China are encouraged to help repair and protect the city's ancient architecture, according to a recent announcement by the government of Huangshan.

Renowned for its proximity to Yellow Mountain, Huangshan is also home to many ancient buildings in the Hui Style, featuring white walls and black tiles.

But statistics show that half of the 3,200 ancient buildings in the city need urgent repairs. Common problems include cracked rafter beams and damages caused by termites, carpenter bees and bristletails.

Funding for preservation efforts provided by the government and other cultural organizations has fallen short of the amount needed.

Wang Bohua, vice-president of the Yixian County bureau of cultural relics, said repair work on 50 ancient buildings last year had depleted the government funds available for relic protection.

It will cost some 10 million yuan ($1.3 million) every year to maintain the buildings, Wang added.

Search for ways to overcome such difficulties, the local government first floated the idea of allowing the public to play a role at the beginning of last year.

"People can help protect ancient architecture in two ways: Repairing the architecture themselves or offering financial support to local preservation groups," Wang said.

Participants will have the right to use, do business and live in the old buildings. However, they will be prohibited from changing or destroying the style of the architecture or adding onto the buildings in any way.