As a vital origin of Lingnan's Guangfu culture, Foshan boasts a rich cultural heritage, renowned worldwide for its martial arts, lion dances, ceramics, and cuisine. In recent years, leveraging its strong industrial base, Foshan has taken the lead in the Pearl River Delta region by exploring the integration of traditional culture with manufacturing, tourism, and other sectors.

Culture + Tourism

In 2007, Foshan launched the renovation of the Donghuali historic and cultural street, known as the "First Street of the City", transforming it into the Foshan Cultural Tourism Demonstration Area, "Lingnan Tiandi". The project preserved the district's Lingnan architectural features, such as stone-paved roads and water-polished bricks, while enhancing the area with modern elements like arches, sculptures, murals, and decorative lighting to create a harmonious blend of tradition and modernity.

Lingnan Tiandi has attracted numerous century-old brands and "time-honored" stores, such as Huang Xianghua Ruyi Ancestral Store and Shiwan Rice Wine Store, preserving the district's traditional business practices. Simultaneously, it has introduced trendy brands like KANGOL and AAPE, cultural and creative brands such as "MOMIBOOK", and quality dining establishments including Shake Shack and simplylife. Currently, the Lingnan Tiandi commercial district hosts 356 brands, with 178 of them being culture-related, generating an annual revenue exceeding 1.2 billion yuan.

Lingnan Tiandi is not the only hotspot in Foshan. In recent years, cultural attractions such as Yanbu Old Dragon, the oldest dragon boat in the Pearl River Delta, comparable to Guizhou's "Village Super League", and the unique Dragon Boat Drifting have been gaining widespread popularity.With strong cultural influences, many of Foshan's destinations are increasingly making waves.

Culture + Manufacturing

Meitao Bay is one of Foshan's ten modern service industry clusters, aiming to build an industrial ecosystem combining "culture + creativity + cross-sector collaboration + fashion + experience".

"Our primary focus is the integration of culture and manufacturing, not just in design but more importantly in enhancing aesthetic concepts and establishing a unique aesthetic system," said Liu Xianjin, Executive Deputy General Manager of Foshan Shiwan Culture Industry Investment Co., Ltd. The core value of Meitao Bay lies in fostering aesthetic discernment and cultivation, realizing aesthetic concepts through design and technology, and ultimately reflecting them in the products. Meitao Bay has already attracted numerous talented artists from both domestic and international backgrounds, creating a complete ceramic industry chain from research and development, aesthetic concept establishment, and production to sales and after-sales service.

In addition to empowering the transformation of old industrial areas, integrating intangible cultural heritage with Foshan's home decoration and manufacturing industries is another key exploration. In 2018, Foshan Chancheng Gelaisi Ceramics collaborated with Zhang Shaojing, a representative inheritor of the Xiangyunsha (gambiered Guangdong gauze) weaving technique, to launch the Xiangyunsha Ceramics series, including "Wenjin" (textured), "Yuansheng" (natural), "Yueshi" (colourful), and "Yixiang" (symbolic), using special ink technology and patented Xiangyunsha craftsmanship. This series won the Gold Award for Original Design Products in the 16th ceramic industry cutting edge list.

Culture + Social Governance

The Deyun Residence project in Beijiao Village, Shunde District, is a prime example of achieving dual success in industrial and cultural revitalization. Deyun Residence was transformed from an ancient residential area in Bijang Village, preserving the traditional layout of Lingnan courtyards. Over the past 12 years, Deyun Residence has grown from a small courtyard into an open-concept culinary paradise.

In terms of infrastructure development, Deyun Residence has not only contributed to improving the village's appearance and shared infrastructure but also established a theater as a recreational venue for villagers, fostering a harmonious relationship with the local community. Today, many villagers have increased their income by leveraging the cultural influence of Deyun Residence and Bijang Village, with Bijang Village poised to become Beijiao's first "billion-yuan village".

Explorations continue in various forms. The Zhumiao Tapo community utilizes the Tapo Birth Festival to enhance residents' cultural belonging; Chancheng District has created the "Feihong Alliance" for community security, where martial arts students assist the police in grassroots patrols; and Nanhai's Danzao and Shishan have introduced "cultural industry commissioners" to promote the development of culturally rich villages by channeling urban resources and popularity into rural areas. These efforts exemplify the beneficial explorations of "culture + social governance".

探秘佛山：邂逅一场文化赋能之旅

作为岭南广府文化的重要发源地，佛山文化底蕴深厚，功夫、醒狮、陶艺、美食等在世界上享有盛誉。近年来，依托强大的产业基地，佛山在珠三角地区率先开启文化赋能的探索，优秀传统文化与制造业、文旅等元素跨界融合。

文化+旅游

2007年，佛山启动了“城区第一街”东华里历史文化街区的旧城改造工程，建成佛山文旅示范区“岭南天地”，最大程度保护石板路、水磨青砖等岭南特色建筑，并在此基础上运用拱廊、雕塑、彩绘、彩灯等现代装饰打造文化景观，让传统与现代相融共生。

在运营上，黄祥华如意油祖铺、石湾米酒等一众百年老店、“老字号”的进驻，让岭南天地部分恢复了传统业态的“原汁原味”；引导支持潮流时尚品牌KANGOL、AAPE，文化创意品牌“猫的天空之城”，品质餐饮Shake Shack、星美乐等“首店”入驻岭南天地。数据显示，目前岭南天地商圈共有356个品牌商户进驻经营，其中文化类商户达178家，年营业额超12亿元。

岭南天地并不是佛山唯一的打卡地。近年来，无论是珠三角年龄最大的盐步老龙，还是媲美贵州“村超”的佛山“西甲”，又或是“银河唯一”的龙船漂移，在文化加持下，佛山不少景点频频“出圈”。

文化+制造

美陶湾是佛山市十大现代服务业集聚区之一，将构建“文化+创意+跨界+时尚+体验”的产业生态圈。

“我们的主要方向是文化与制造相结合，这种方式不仅限于设计层面，更重要的是提升美学理念，建立起自身的美学体系。”佛山市石湾文化产业投资有限公司常务副总经理刘先锦表示，提升美学思辨和修养，通过设计和技术手段实现美学理念，最终体现在产品上，这才是美陶湾的核心价值。目前，美陶湾已吸引多位国内外优秀艺术人才进驻，最终打造从研发、美学理念建立、生产到销售及售后的完整陶瓷产业链。

除了文化赋能“三旧”改造，将“非遗”与佛山家装制造产业相结合，也是探索的重要方面。2018年，佛山格莱斯瓷砖与香云纱（坯纱）织造技艺代表性传承人张绍景达成合作，运用特殊墨水技术和专利香云纱工艺叠加呈现，使香云纱瓷砖的纹理与釉面有机结合，推出香云纱瓷砖“纹锦”“原生”“悦色”“意象”四大系列产品，荣获第十六届中国陶瓷行业新锐榜“原创设计产品金奖”。

文化+社会治理

顺德北滘德云居项目是当地实现产业振兴和文化振兴“双赢”的典型案例。德云居由碧江村一片古民居活化而成，保留了岭南院落的传统风貌。从初创至今12年里，德云居由一间小院成为开放式格局的美食天堂。

在载体建设上，德云居不但参与村容村貌建设，与农村共享基础设施，更打造“升平剧场”作为村民的休闲场所，实现与村民“美美与共”。如今，不少村民利用德云居和碧江村的文化辐射能力实现收入增加，碧江村也有望成为北滘首个“亿元村”。

探索不止一种路径。祖庙塔坡社区利用塔坡诞增强居民的文化归属感；禅城区打造飞鸿联盟群防群治品牌，武馆弟子跟随警方参与基层巡逻；南海丹灶、狮山引入“文产特派员”，推动人文乡村建设，将城里的资源和人气有效导入乡村，都是“文化+社会治理”的有益探索。

文丨记者 张闻
图丨羊城派资料图
翻译丨郑圣浩
英文审校丨赵凡