Zhangjiagang has stepped up efforts to protect its intangible cultural heritage by nominating a cultural ecological protection zone and an ancient village. The city has named Shashang cultural ecological protection zone and Jincun cultural ecological protection zone in its first batch of cultural ecological protection zones. Ouqiao village was named as the first traditional village.

Shashang cultural ecological protection zone has a high concentration of intangible cultural assets while Jincun boasts more than 40. Ouqiao includes over 30 natural villages and more than 10 intangible cultural assets.

The city has paid close attention to protecting its intangible cultural heritage, and has released four lists involving 68 of them, as well three lists including 34 cultural inheritors. Zhangjiagang now has two at national level, seven at provincial level and 10 at municipal level.