How can the loss of language erase an identity? Language is a communication tool used on a daily basis. Aside of its utilitarian function, language is also the carrier of cultural information, it symbolizes the survival of heritage, and indicates the vitality of a culture. In 2020, China reformed the education system in Inner Mongolia, abolishing the compulsory education of Mongolian language in Mongolian schools. Threatening parents with their jobs, the government has successfully established the dominance of mandarin in all ethnic communities.

Jingmai mountain - the world’s first UNESCO intangible cultural heritage about tea. How do the ethnic minorities in Jingmai interact with the local government and tourists? What parts of the mountain has ethnic tourism changed?

How did a fire destroy a community’s culture?

The fire of 2021 tore down the houses of Wengding people, but more importantly, it renewed their culture.