East China's Anhui hosts forum to boost development, protection of ancient Hui architecture

A conference aimed at promoting the protection and industrial development of ancient architecture kicked off Monday in Huangshan City in east China's Anhui Province, which is famous for its Hui-style buildings.

Around 380 representatives, including scholars and business people from relevant industries, attended the opening ceremony of the conference.

It features a keynote conference, three subforums and exhibitions of traditional Hui-style carvings.

On Monday, a signing ceremony was held for 16 projects, with a total value of 2.84 billion yuan (about 398.4 million US dollars). An online platform for the Hui-style building industry was also officially launched to boost the development of the whole industrial chain.

Huangshan is home to many well-preserved Hui-style buildings dating back to the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties that feature black roof tiles and white walls with exquisite wood, stone and brick carvings.

The Hui-style architecture industry has gained significant momentum in recent years, thanks to China's efforts for the preservation and development of traditional culture.

According to official data, 254 companies in Huangshan City are involved in the ancient architecture industry, with the number of craftsmen in the city exceeding 14,000. From January to November this year, the output value of the Hui-style architecture industry in the city hit 2.6 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 57.9 percent.

"The Hui-style buildings are an iconic element of Huangshan. They serve as a carrier of traditional culture and a window for the world to learn about China," said Ling Yun, Party chief of Huangshan, adding that the Hui-style architecture industry is currently thriving, with numerous enterprises expanding the industry beyond the local region to other parts of the country and even globally.