A symposium aiming to promote the profound culture of the regions along the Yangtze River and research into these historical areas was held at the Xinyuan Hotel in Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu province on Nov 5.

Government officials, experts and scholars shared their ideas and advice for boosting the profile of the regions' culture and called on everyone to work hand-in-hand to build a prosperous future.

Promoting the culture of the Yangtze River regions is seen not only as potentially benefitting the region's culture, but also as a way to boost the economic development of the area.

Chen Shihai, deputy director of Zhangjiagang municipal propaganda department, talked about cultural development strategies for small- and medium-sized cities along the Yangtze River. He singled out Zhangjiagang as an example, as the flourishing of the port city’s unique culture has benefited a lot from its location on the banks of the Yangtze River.

Experts from the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River suggested using the regions' colorful folk art to promote Yangtze River culture, such as the embroidery and ceramics from Jiangsu province, and the stone carvings and clay models from Hubei.

Professor Cai Fengming from the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences put special emphasis on the promotion of silk culture. "Silk culture has long been a cultural jewel of the Yangtze River area. It is not only an excellent embodiment of our soft power, but also helps to enhance the design and creativity of silk products everywhere," he said.