Ethnic groups in focus

He went on to explore a mountainous region in Putian, East China's Fujian province, where he went digging bamboo shoots with locals, and learned how the glutinous rice powder is made.

He also enjoyed the full-on hospitality of the villagers.

Those experiences evoked Adolf's yearning for rural life, as he himself was born and grew up in a village.

"I had been meaning to explore the countryside, but didn't get around to it because of the transportation limitations for me as a newcomer," Adolf says.

"The life of the villagers can be a bit labor-intensive, but they are obviously content and happy," Adolf says, adding that he adores the simple lifestyle.

Following the documentary, he continued to work as the host of an online broadcast covering Chinese intangible cultural heritage. He observed at close quarters the Linqing Dragon Lantern in Shandong province. This involves a dragon dance performance that dates back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907) and was listed as a provincial intangible cultural heritage in 2020. While there, he also witnessed the intricate process of making bricks, which were destined for the Forbidden City and are still being used in the maintenance or construction of many other ancient or ancient-style Chinese buildings.