Birthplace of Chinese Hehe Culture
Hehe Culture has an extensive influence on the locals of Taizhou. The Two Immortals of Hehe (Han Shan and Shi De), the inseparable symbols of Hehe Culture, have been deeply rooted in the daily life of the Taizhou people.
Taizhou has been working hard on the in-depth research and promotion of Hehe Culture since the late 1980s. Established in May 1989, the Tiantai Mountains Culture Research Association is China's first public academic group at the municipal level that is dedicated to the study of the culture of famous mountains. The association has been committed to the research and promotion of the Tiantai Mountains culture. Since the First Global Tiantai Mountains Hehe Culture Forum in 2007, the association has organized a variety of cultural seminars and exchanges, including the 2017 Tiantai Mountains Hehe Culture Forum, and the 2019 Taizhou Cultural Integration Summit and the Tiantai Mountains Hehe Culture Forum. It also published treatises on Hehe Culture, including The History of Tiantai Mountains Hehe Culture, An Introduction to Tiantai Mountains Hehe Culture, and The Hehe Culture Textbook. All these have spurred the study and dissemination of Hehe Culture among the public.
In early 2018, Taizhou initiated its bid for the title "Birthplace of Chinese Hehe Culture" and submitted its application to the China Folk Literature and Arts Association (CFLAA). Between December 15 and 16, 2018, an expert evaluation team from the CFLAA conducted a field investigation to evaluate Taizhou's application. On December 27 that year, the CFLAA officially granted the title to Taizhou, and announced that Tiantai County would be established as a base for the promotion of Chinese Hehe Culture.
The title is not only a positive response to the Tiantai Mountains Hehe Culture, but also a recognition of Taizhou's constant efforts to carry forward Hehe Culture and its spirit.
中国和合文化之乡
和合文化在民间有着非常广泛的影响，尤其是以“和合二圣”（寒山和拾得）为代表的和合文化形象，更是深入老百姓的日常生活。
20世纪80年代末以来，台州市对和合文化进行了深入的挖掘和弘扬。天台山文化研究会成立于1989年5月，是国内首家市级研究名山文化的群众性学术团体，长期致力于挖掘和弘扬天台山文化。自2007年首次举办天台山和合文化国际论坛后，天台山文化研究会陆续开展各类文化研讨和交流活动，包括颇有影响力的“2017天台山和合文化论坛”“2019台州‘文化融’主题峰会暨天台山和合文化论坛”等，还出版了《天台山和合文化史》《天台山和合文化概论》《和合文化读本》等和合文化专著，带动了和合文化民间研究与传播。
2018年年初，台州市正式启动了“中国和合文化之乡”申创工作，并向中国民间文艺家协会提出了相关的申请。2018年12月15日至16日，中国民间文艺家协会专家考评组对台州市申创“中国和合文化之乡”的相关工作进行实地考评。同年12月27日，中国民间文艺家协会发布公告，正式命名台州为“中国和合文化之乡”，并在天台县建立“中国和合文化传承基地”。“中国和合文化之乡”的命名，既是对天台山和合文化的积极回应，也是对台州市多年来弘扬和合文化、倡导城市精神的肯定。
