The Zhejiang Wuju Opera Troupe from Jinhua performs in Vienna, Austria. [Photo/Zhejiang Wuju Opera Troupe]

Jinhua, a city in Zhejiang province renowned for its rich intangible cultural heritage, has three items listed in UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, 36 national-level ICH projects, and 131 at the provincial level.

Today, Jinhua's cultural heritage is not only flourishing domestically but also receiving international acclaim.

A prime example is Wuju Opera, a national-level ICH item with over 500 years of history, which is gaining recognition worldwide. The Zhejiang Wuju Opera Troupe from Jinhua performed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo on Sept 25 local time.

The performance was lauded by Modeste Bahati Lukwebo, vice-president of the Congolese Senate, for showcasing the unique charm of traditional Chinese culture and enhancing cultural exchanges between the two countries.

Since its 1993 overseas debut in Japan, Wuju Opera has toured 73 countries and regions across the five continents, helping to popularize Chinese opera around the globe.

Additionally, Dongyang bamboo weaving drew international attention at an exhibition hosted at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on Dec 3 local time. Pujiang fish lanterns, with a history of over 800 years, debuted in Saudi Arabia this October, capturing interest with their artistic value.

Jinhua ham has a long-standing reputation alongside Italy's Parma ham and Spain's Iberico ham as one of the world's three most famous hams. In 2008, the curing technique of making Jinhua ham was listed as a national-level intangible cultural heritage item.

Recently, Jinhua ham was highlighted on CGTN's program, showing its charm to the world.

Ma Xiaozhong, president of the Jinhua Ham Industry Association, said that at their peak, exports reached over 3,000 metric tons, equating to more than 700,000 legs in one year. Currently, the primary overseas market is in Southeast Asia, with plans to further expand into European and North American markets.