Protection and inheritance

To better protect the art form, Geng began to collect relevant materials and write a comprehensive introduction for its declaration as a local intangible cultural heritage in 2008.

The application was formally submitted to the Zhoucun district cultural bureau in Zibo in 2009.

Four years later, jinhuidui was declared a provincial intangible cultural heritage in Shandong.

For the development of jinhuidui, an exhibition hall and a workshop were opened in Zhoucun Ancient City, a popular scenic spot in Zibo, in 2016.

Inside the exhibition hall, with many jinhuidui artworks hanging on the walls, the house that is built with bricks exudes an aura of antiquity.

It receives more than 200,000 tourists annually, and Geng has passed on his painting skills to more enthusiasts.

In 2019, Geng began to devote himself to the art of painting and firing jinhuidui porcelain, which can be traced back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

He spent time in Nanchang city, Jiangxi province, on a training course opened to inheritors of intangible cultural heritage, which was organized by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, to learn new color painting.