Robotic dogs perform a traditional lion dance in Zhoushan. [Photo/www.wifizs.cn]

Zhoushan in East China's Zhejiang province hosted its 2025 Cultural and Natural Heritage Day celebration on June 14, turning Dinghai district in Zhoushan into a stage for traditional arts infused with modern creativity.

The event featured performances such as tea ceremonies and martial arts, but the crowd favorite was a high-energy show where traditional Zhoushan drumming and lion dancing shared the spotlight with robotic dogs of traditional lion dance clothes, creating a striking fusion of tradition and innovation.

Gao Rufeng, a Zhoushan drumming inheritor nearing 90 years old, expressed his excitement at seeing the new hope and energy of the tradition. He noted that many performers are aging, and this blend of heritage and innovation breathes new life into a fading art form.

After the performances, inheritors set up booths offering hands-on experiences of local intangible cultural heritage. Visitors explored island tea culture, practiced paper-cutting, block printing, and crafted lotus lanterns.

Jiang Nan, a lotus lantern inheritor, said the tradition had been passed down from her grandfather and was recently recognized as a district-level heritage project in Dinghai. She emphasized that heritage must become part of daily life, not just museum exhibits.