Rugao No 2 Middle School has incorporated 12 intangible cultural heritage items into the school curriculum, according to local media reports.

Zhu Yayun, the inheritor of the Rugao rod puppet show, an intangible cultural heritage item of Rugao, said that bringing the rod puppet show onto campus and letting students participate in practice teach them the difficulty of preserving culture.

Ji Jiarui, a student in the 12th grade, has been studying for three months. Ji said that at first, because the puppet was very heavy, he felt that his shoulders were tired. But now, Ji can perform an entire puppet show with his classmates. They gained an appreciation for traditional culture through the intangible cultural heritage courses and were very proud.

Rugao bonsai technique, a national-level intangible cultural heritage item, is also a course at school.

Many inheritors have said that it is very difficult to find next-generation of inheritors. Most young people are not interested in these things, so many intangible cultural heritage items face extinction. Rugao No 2 Middle School's actions have given them hope.

The school currently has 12 intangible cultural heritage clubs, including the Rugao rod puppet show, Rugao bonsai and Rugao paper-cutting. Students can choose three classes per week.

Students of Rugao No 2 Middle School learn about the Rugao rod puppet show at school. [Photo/xuexi.cn]