Shan region, with its rich and unique traditions, crafts, and natural heritage sites, is a cultural hub in eastern Myanmar. Despite this, much of its creative heritage remains undocumented. To address this, the Living Places, Living Knowledge Story Map project trained local artists in Creative Assets Mapping to explore their communities in Southern Shan and record what is at risk.

Within a short period, 26 tangible assets including architecture, traditional handicrafts, and artworks were documented. This mapping project not only revealed risks and challenges but also uncovered the region's interconnected creativity. For instance, the Taung To and Yadanar Marn Aung pagodas share a distinctive, curved floral carving motif. Additionally, the mural paintings in Shwe Yan Pyay Pagoda are particularly unique, as they depict social life rather than traditional religious stories.

The tangible assets in Southern Shan face multiple challenges. Many architectural structures and artworks are vulnerable to extreme weather and natural disasters, like recent flooding and earthquakes in the Inle Lake area. The lack of community interest and knowledge about their creative roots is another major concern. Furthermore, traditional crafts, such as hot air balloon making, Shan drum making, and lotus weaving, are often passed down through individuals, making archiving and knowledge transmission challenging. A shortage of young successors, combined with the high cost of production and declining tourism, has led to a drop in demand. Moreover, some craft makings, like earthenware pottery, face environmental concerns due to the scarcity of natural raw materials.

The detailed information of each asset and interesting connections between some assets can also be explored through the Story Map.