SATV, Sep. 25 | The finals and awards ceremony of the first "Millennia-Old Shaanxi Cuisine" National AI Video Creative Competition were held in Xi'an on Wednesday, as the ancient capital seeks to harness artificial intelligence to breathe new life into one of China's oldest culinary traditions.

Under the theme "Technology Empowers Tradition, AI Revives Millennia-Old Shaanxi Cuisine," the competition invited the public to interpret Shaanxi's rich gastronomic heritage through AI-generated video, aiming to create a new model for promoting the cuisine and boosting the province's cultural tourism and food IP.

The event was guided by the Commerce Bureau of Beilin District, Xi'an, and hosted by Shaanxi Xifeng Liquor Co., Ltd., the Xi'an Xingzhi Cultural Tourism Entrepreneurs Association and the Chang'an Road Business District Commercial Federation of Beilin District. It was organized by Shaanxi Qingmang Times Media Co., Ltd. and co-organized by Dazhi Xiaoxiang (Shaanxi) Cultural Media Co., Ltd.

Organizers said the competition was designed to be open to all, with no professional threshold, drawing a total of 287 entries. After several rounds of selection, five individual and five group finalists took to the stage.

Speaking at the event, Wang Ruibing, Secretary-General of the Shaanxi Provincial Radio, Film and Television Association, described Shaanxi cuisine as rooted in the land of the Three Qin and carrying the culinary civilization of the Zhou, Qin, Han and Tang dynasties. He said the competition's introduction of AI video technology encouraged the public to reinterpret Shaanxi's culinary history, cooking techniques, banquet culture and daily food life through fresh visuals, storytelling and special effects.

Liu Guodong, General Manager of the Red Xifeng Business Division at Shaanxi Xifeng Liquor Co., Ltd., noted that Shaanxi cuisine and Xifeng liquor share the same roots and cultural lineage. He said the pairing of culture with a well-known liquor brand would enable a multi-dimensional integration of "food, fine liquor, culture and technology," helping local Shaanxi brands reach wider, younger and more internet-savvy audiences.

As co-organizer, Dazhi Xiaoxiang (Shaanxi) Cultural Media Co., Ltd. drew on its experience in AI short videos, online micro-dramas and local cultural IP development to support judging standards, quality control and creator services.

"Shaanxi cuisine is a living cultural heritage of the Three Qin," the company said, adding that AI has lowered the barrier to content creation and allowed ordinary people to become recorders of their local culture. By combining food culture, public creativity and digital technology, the competition represents an innovative approach to traditional culture, it said.