There are altogether 2 national intangible cultural heritages, 4 provincial intangible cultural heritages and many city- and county-level intangible cultural heritages in Sihong County. The number of intangible cultural heritages is among the greatest in the counties and districts in northern Jiangsu.

Sizhou Opera

If you want to eat flesh, then eat beef tripe. If you want to listen to opera, then listen to elbow drum. Sizhou opera was originally known as Lahunqiang, or elbow drum. It originated from Shangtang Town in the present-day Sihong and can be traced back to more than 200 years ago. Li Caifeng, the founder of Sizhou Opera Troupe, is one of the Four Big Famous Dans. Li Hongxiang, an actress, is a national inheritor of the intangible cultural heritage of Sizhou Opera.

Hongze Lake Fishing Drum

Hongze Lake Fishing Drum is a form of performance that combines rap with dance, which was used in ancient times, when sorcerers offered sacrifices and prayed for fishermen. It was introduced into Hongze Lake in the early Tang Dynasty. After more than one thousand years, it has become a unique folk dance. The drum has obvious lake-district and aquatic characteristics, and very high cultural and artistic value. In 2014, it was included in the protection list of national intangible cultural heritages.

Tiangang Lake Gong and Drum

Tiangang Lake Gong and Drum have long been active in the middle and lower reaches of the Huai River and the bank of Hongze Lake. After being handed down by gong and drum artists from generation to generation, nearly 10 fixed tunes have been formed, including “Changluopian”, “Xiaowufan”, “Xiaoqidian” and “Mantangluo”, the inheritor, Wu Changluan, was awarded the title of “Star of Folk Art” by the Department of Culture of Jiangsu Province. In 2018, Tiangang Lake Gong and Drum featured on a program on CCTV, “Gold 100 Seconds”, and won the challenge.