As to the culture, Xiangyang features the fusion of northern Chinese culture and the southern one more prominently than anywhere else does. The Central Plains culture of old northern China integrates and exchanges with the Chu Culture of southern China here. Xiangyang is not only edified by the Central Plains culture of "a Dynasty highly influenced by King Wen of Zhou," but also deeply influenced by the southern culture and custom represented by "Chu-style Song". Xiangyang has more than 20 regional business offices across the country, including Shan-Shaan Guildhall, Henan Guildhall, Jiangsu Guildhall, Zhejiang Guildhall, and Huizhou Guildhall. In art, Xiangyang is also a channel for exchanges between southern and northern operatic arts, leading to a unique pitch called Xiangyang pitch. Xiangyang Flower Drum is a local operatic art with a unique style that blends southern and northern operatic arts and local folk melody.

Intangible Cultural Heritage

Xiangyang has 6 projects included in the National Intangible Cultural Heritage List by the State Council and 18 projects included in the Provincial Intangible Cultural Heritage List by the provincial People's Government. Among them, 1 person is rated as the representative inheritor of a national intangible cultural heritage project by the Ministry of Culture, and 10 persons are rated as the representative inheritors of provincial intangible cultural heritage projects by the provincial Department of Culture.

Intangible Cultural Heritage

Folk literature of Baokang County Biography of Darkness, folk music of Baokang County and Nanzhang County Wu Music beside Ju River, folk music of Nanzhang County Weeding Song, folk music of Laohekou City Laohekou Silk String, folk dance of Yicheng City Elephant Dance, folk dance of Nanzhang County Duangong Dance, traditional opera of Yicheng City Xiangyang Flower Drum Opera, Chinese folk art form of Yicheng Yicheng Orchid Tube, folk fine art of Laohekou Laohekou New Year Wood-block Print, traditional dance of Nanzhang County (folk dance) Stilts Flower Drum, traditional music (folk music) Nanzhang Yin Drum, traditional music of Gucheng County (folk music) Nanhe Divertimento, Shihuakui Noodles Craftsmanship, and Xiangyang Pickles Craftsmanship.

Birthplace of the Jing-Chu Culture

The state of Chu had a history of more than 800 years. The Jing-Xiang region went through two important development stages, which last more than 500 years. In the early Western Zhou Dynasty, King Cheng of Zhou gave the title to Xiong Yi in Danyang of Jinshan Mountain. More than 100 years later, in 689 BC, King Wen of Chu established a capital in Yanyin. The capital was firstly established in Yanyin and then moved to Jinan City, during which process King of Chu changed for several generations in more than 300 years. Song Yu, the earliest founder of Chu Ode was born here. Literary quotations including "Song of the Rustic Poor", "The Spring Snow" and "Highbrow Song beyond Common People" have been handed down to this day. Chu-style old customs here include Chuantian Festival, Duangong Dance, Tug-Of-War, Suona Wu Music, and Baomaosuo Wine. Relic sites of the Chu Culture include Dengcheng of the Western Zhou Dynasty, Chu Imperial City of Yicheng, Chu Village Complex of Nanzhang, and Jiuliandun of Zaoyang. All of them manifest the thickness of the Jing-Chu Culture in Xiangyang.