Source: Zhou Wei Yuan Li Intangible Cultural Heritage One Point Pass 2021-12-06 00:00
Inheritors: Important creators and inheritors of Chinese civilization outside of Confucius and Mencius
Zhou Wei
Beijing, June 10 (Xinhuanet) -- There are folk rap artists who tell stories of national history and legends, skilled craftsmen who are proficient in various techniques such as paper-cutting and carving, and famous doctors who concoct traditional medicine and acupuncture orthopedics - on the 9th, China announced the representative inheritors of the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage projects, involving 134 projects in 5 categories. Their exquisite skills and historical origins make people realize how much role the inheritors play in the evolution of Chinese culture.
"They are a national treasure of the world and a living national wealth." At the academic seminar on the protection and inheritance of intangible cultural heritage in Beijing held in Beijing on the 10th, Yuan Li, a researcher at the China Academy of Arts, said.
"In the past, when we talked about Chinese cultural celebrities, we would think of Confucius and Mencius. But in addition to their doctrines, other traditional Chinese cultures are also developed. Chinese cuisine, oriental architecture, drama, dance, acrobatics, traditional crafts, farming techniques, etc., are not true traditions from Kong Meng. It can be seen that in addition to Kong Meng, there are also a group of people who have also played and still play an important role in the creation and inheritance of Chinese civilization. "They are the entertainers, craftsmen, and even wizards who are not of the attention of historians." Chinese if you want to find out your own cultural background, it is not okay not to pay attention to such people. ”
They are the inheritors of national history, science and technology, literature and morality
In the process of China's cultural development, what role have these intangible cultural heritage bearers played? Yuan Li believes that:
They were loyal historians, especially in the course of the development of peoples that had no writing.
——The best and most environmentally friendly science and technology are also passed down through them. For example, the traditional windmill production technology, rice paper production technology, Chinese medicine preparation technology, etc., are all inherited by them.
- They inherit national literature and art, such as Kunqu opera, folk drama, folklore and so on. These unique literary and artistic works are the source of new literature and new art later.
They are an important carrier of traditional morality. Whether it is paper-cutting New Year paintings, opera and opera art, or traditional temple fairs and religious ceremonies, what we see from them is not only an art form and aesthetic way, but also the national spirit and the traditional morality advocated by this nation.
Any kind of intangible cultural heritage has been handed down from ancient times to the present day. On them, there are more or less traces of the past. For example, ancient Hmong songs and religious music are themselves part of the ritual of worshiping gods; many paper-cutting and shadow puppetry are related to witchcraft rituals; and many local dramas are related to praying for rain and wishing. "It seems that we can say that intangible cultural heritage is more or less tinged with so-called 'superstition', and pure and pure intangible cultural heritage does not exist. This requires that we must have a more tolerant attitude in the process of protection. Yuan Li said.
We should not replace folk customs with governments and replace folk customs with official customs
The role of governments is crucial in the protection of intangible cultural heritage bearers. Practice has proven that without government involvement, intangible cultural heritage and its bearers are difficult to protect effectively.
"However, if the government oversteps the bounds of the people and replaces the inheritors with anti-customer preferences, it will not only affect the enthusiasm of the inheritors to inherit the intangible cultural heritage, but also affect the original ecology, folk and authenticity of the intangible cultural heritage, so that folk customs will become 'official customs'."
Yuan Li said that the biggest problem in the protection of China's intangible cultural heritage at present is not that no one participates, but that in the process of participation, the relationship between the main body of intangible cultural heritage inheritance and the main body of protection has been confused, so that some local governments mistakenly believe that only they are the saviors of intangible cultural heritage inheritance, thus replacing folk customs with the government, replacing folk customs with official customs, and causing protective damage to intangible cultural heritage.
Financial subsidies are necessary but not a panacea
Yuan Li agreed with the necessary economic subsidies given to the folk heirs: "In the border and poor areas of the old and the young, the lives of many inheritors are still very difficult. A certain subsidy for their livelihood is very necessary for them to devote themselves to the single-minded transmission of intangible cultural heritage. Especially for those who are old and infirm, the government should solve their worries in some ways. ”
"Subsidies are not a panacea either. Because with the intervention of economic factors, it will also bring a series of problems to the identification of intangible cultural heritage and its inheritors. If it is not done well, it will not only mix in fake inheritors, but also affect the original harmony of the inheritance group, making the inheritance of intangible cultural heritage more difficult. Yuan Li suggested that in the heritage projects passed down by groups, it is best for the government to support the inheritance of intangible cultural heritage in the form of group funding.
Article Source:
Xinhua News Agency, June 10, 2007
, duration 07:21
(Video: "The Post-8090s is the Hope of Non-Genetic Inheritance")
, duration 07:05
(Video: "Museums are not the only way to protect "intangible cultural heritage")