This article was published in the 2022 "Intangible Cultural Heritage" supplement of "Bashu Historical Records".
Intangible cultural heritage protection in the new era
Purpose and Legacy Goals
Zhang Zhiying
The protection of intangible cultural heritage is the product of the times to strengthen the protection of cultural diversity in the process of global integration, and different categories of intangible cultural heritage items in the mainland represent excellent cultural expressions of different nationalities and different regions, and have multiple values.
As of December 2022, 43 intangible cultural heritage items have been inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List (INSC). It involves the ten major categories formed in the practice of intangible cultural heritage protection on the mainland, and the total number ranks first in the world. Traditional art and traditional skills projects continue to express Chinese aesthetic ideas and craftsmanship for thousands of years; Traditional music, traditional dance, traditional drama, and quyi projects have the social function of conveying feelings and delighting spirits; Folk literature and folk customs projects play an important role in continuing the historical context, strengthening ethnic unity, inspiring and inspiring the people, and adjusting the mood of the people. The traditional medicine project embodies the value and wisdom of curing diseases and saving people, and strengthening the practical cognition of human health. Traditional sports, amusement and acrobatics have the functions of strengthening the body and entertaining and educational. As an important expression of the excellent traditional Chinese culture, these projects have also become exemplary representatives of cultural diversity advocated by the protection of intangible cultural heritage in mainland China and even the world, and have been recognized by the whole world, and have been protected and inherited under the framework of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (hereinafter referred to as the "Convention") and in accordance with the Intangible Cultural Heritage Law of the People's Republic of China (hereinafter referred to as the "Intangible Cultural Heritage Law").
At present, the mainland ranks first in the world in the number of items inscribed on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity (INSCR). This is an important practical achievement of the mainland as a party to the Convention, and it is also an achievement that the mainland attaches great importance to the protection of cultural heritage. Especially since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping has attached great importance to cultural work and made a series of important instructions to pay great attention to cultural heritage, including intangible cultural heritage. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Civilization, especially ideology and culture, is the soul of a country and a nation." The rich and colorful intangible cultural heritage items in the mainland not only contain the rich ideological wisdom and technical essence of the Chinese nation, but also the cultural roots of the Chinese nation, and are also the historical witness of the mainland's thousands of years of cultural inheritance. In his research work across the country, General Secretary Xi Jinping enthusiastically praised these distinctive intangible cultural heritages, from the Hezhe Imakan to Xuzhou sachets and Tangchang cloth shoes, from the fried Longjing tea in Hangzhou's Xixi National Wetland Park to the snail noodles in Liuzhou, Guangxi, to Miao embroidery and Qinghai Jiaya Tibetan carpet skills. He pointed out that "it is necessary to strengthen the protection and inheritance of intangible cultural heritage, actively cultivate inheritors, and make intangible cultural heritage bloom with more charming brilliance." "The functions and values of philosophical thoughts, moral concepts, humanistic spirit, craftsman wisdom, education and education contained in the intangible cultural heritage items are incomparably rich. The protection and inheritance of these precious intangible cultural heritage items of humanity is an effective way to strengthen the cultural consciousness of the broad masses of the people and strengthen their cultural self-confidence in the new era.
Marked by the Third Plenary Session of the 11 th CPC Central Committee, the mainland has entered a new historical period of reform and opening up after a long period of exploration and accumulation, and the Chinese nation has developed rapidly. Since then, the protection of intangible cultural heritage has also become an important part of the mainland's cultural and tourism work in the new era. How to give full play to the role of intangible cultural heritage, in terms of resolving the contradiction between the people's growing needs for a better life and unbalanced and inadequate development, should further summarize experience, fully activate and release the value and function of intangible cultural heritage items, and strengthen the protection and inheritance from the height of subordinating to and serving the overall construction of the country in the new era, which has become an important goal of intangible cultural heritage protection.
1. Improve measures for the protection of intangible cultural heritage items of humanity, give play to their exemplary role, and establish a model for the protection of intangible cultural heritage with Chinese characteristics and a way to implement the convention
At present, the first five batches of national intangible cultural heritage representative items announced by the State Council alone have reached 3,610 items, and the list of provincial, municipal, and county-level projects is innumerable. Therefore, in the reality that the overall number of intangible cultural heritage items is so large, since 2010, UNESCO has stipulated that each State Party can only nominate one intangible cultural heritage item of humanity every two years, but also stipulates that two or more countries should not be included in the joint nomination index, such as the joint declaration of the king ship by the mainland and Malaysia - the ceremony and related practices related to the sustainable connection between people and the ocean, which belong to the joint nomination items. Therefore, although we have a large base of intangible cultural heritage items, it is impossible to be included in the list of intangible cultural heritage items of humanity (roster) without restrictions. This also requires that the protection of intangible cultural heritage should not simply be declared as an intangible cultural heritage item of humanity as the ultimate goal, but should be based on the declaration, and in accordance with the relevant measures such as "confirmation, filing, research, preservation, protection, publicity, promotion, inheritance and revitalization" in the Convention, and do a good job in the protection work. At present, the mainland is included in the UNESCO list of 43 intangible cultural heritage items (list), from the protection level of Kunqu opera and guqin and the group of enthusiasts increasing year by year, to the increasing influence of the young generation of Chinese abacus and Chinese puppet show, it can be said that these 43 intangible cultural heritage items compared with the previous inclusion, the protection effect is particularly significant, especially the Fujian puppet show successor talent training program is also listed as a UNESCO good practice list project.
After more than 20 years of practice in the protection of intangible cultural heritage, the mainland has made a series of achievements in terms of the number of intangible cultural heritage items confirmed, the establishment of the four-level list system and the inheritor system, and even the declaration and implementation of intangible cultural heritage items, gradually enriching China's experience and model. The establishment and construction of the four-level list system, the construction of cultural and ecological reserves, the introduction of intangible cultural heritage into campuses, and the research and training program of intangible cultural heritage are all practical experiences in the protection of intangible cultural heritage in China. However, at the same time, it should also be noted that the level of protection of many intangible cultural heritage items is uneven, and the phenomenon of emphasizing declaration, neglecting protection, and attaching importance to national-level items still exists. While the protection of traditional arts and traditional skills is becoming more and more perfect, the protection level of folk literature, folk customs, traditional sports, entertainment and acrobatics that are difficult to be included in productive protection needs to be further improved. This requires that it is necessary to refer to the existing work model of the protection and implementation of intangible cultural heritage items in the mainland, and strengthen the exemplary and leading role of the protection of different types of intangible cultural heritage items. The work experience in the implementation reporting mechanism for the protection of intangible cultural heritage items, the work experience of the protection unit, and the role of the main body of protection will be fully applied to the protection of all types of intangible cultural heritage items at all levels in the mainland, so as to further improve the level of protection of intangible cultural heritage items at the provincial, municipal and county levels. Taking the protection units and inheritors as examples, on the premise of fully protecting their rights, the reward and punishment mechanism should be improved in response to the protection effectiveness of intangible cultural heritage items and the protection measures carried out, and a comprehensive assessment system and assessment standards should be established. At present, from the national inheritor to the provincial inheritor, the national and provincial finances have special funds to reward. The annual reward of 20,000 yuan per person for national inheritors should be linked to the assessment system, and quantitative data assessment methods should be introduced in a timely manner. For the inheritors who are old and frail, in remote areas, or have a low level of education, their living conditions should be fully considered, and the amount of subsidies should be appropriately increased, so as to encourage them to better carry out apprenticeship teaching.
In implementation practice, it is necessary to strengthen "awareness of the importance of intangible cultural heritage and mutual appreciation at the local, national and international levels" on the basis of "respect for the intangible cultural heritage of the communities, groups and individuals concerned". First of all, it is necessary to grasp that the intangible cultural heritage items of various ethnic groups on the mainland are often closely related to ethnic customs and ethnic life, respect the wishes of the people of various regions and ethnic groups, and summarize the experience and models of the protection of intangible cultural heritage items of different regions and ethnic groups. Secondly, it is necessary to further strengthen the awareness of intangible cultural heritage protection from the level of cultural self-confidence. In the field research in various places, the author found that many inheritors inherit the intangible cultural heritage based on their love and heartfelt love for the projects they hold, and the level of intangible cultural heritage protection work in various places is also closely related to the enthusiasm of those engaged in intangible cultural heritage protection. As Mr. Gao Bingzhong said, "Many contents of intangible cultural heritage are very ordinary, not so tall and sophisticated, but they are valued because of 'people'." Therefore, it is necessary to fully realize the importance of inheritors, practitioners, and intangible cultural heritage protection workers in the protection of intangible cultural heritage, carefully analyze the typical intangible cultural heritage protection work experience of various provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities), sort out and form an intangible cultural heritage protection model that conforms to the characteristics of each locality, and promote it.
In addition, it is necessary to rely on the implementation practice of the mainland's intangible cultural heritage items, carry out more accurate international cooperation in the areas of joint project declaration, intangible cultural heritage talent training and training, and systematic protection, fully absorb the protection experience of other States parties, and gradually establish a comprehensive, reasonable, scientific and systematic intangible cultural heritage protection system suitable for the inheritance and development of China's excellent traditional culture.
2. Strengthen theoretical and academic research, carry out protection in accordance with the law in different categories, expand the inheritance group, and let intangible cultural heritage items originate from life and return to life
Over the past 20 years, the protection of intangible cultural heritage in the mainland has been a process of practice and theory at the same time, and in the new era, it is necessary to give full play to the role of theoretical and academic research. Some scholars have also realized that after years of development, cultural heritage studies has become the most dynamic interdisciplinary connotation system and research system. In the family of cultural heritage, the material vein breaks through the traditional concept of cultural relics and protection, the immovable scope is broader, the overall meaning is more perfect, and even more attention is paid to the "human factor"; From the perspective of value, the immaterial branch is in the ascendant, from enjoying it for a certain region or country to revealing its wide social significance and universal value, the barrier of value is constantly broken, and its connotation richness, cultural diversity and value sharing are fully demonstrated. Therefore, from the perspective of the "intangible" attribute of intangible cultural heritage as cultural heritage, it is necessary to more accurately grasp its intangible value and wealth, and the protection and research of this intangible attribute should have more depth and breadth. In the new era, national unity, social harmony and the cultural life needs of the people have become important goals for the protection of intangible cultural heritage in the new era. It is necessary to pay more attention to and explore the characteristics of the ten major intangible cultural heritage items from the categories of existing intangible cultural heritage items, and carry out academic analysis and research. It is also necessary to fully learn from the research results of France, Japan and other countries in the field of intangible cultural heritage protection. Under the guidance of theory and academics, typical cases of intangible cultural heritage protection practices will be formed, and the influence of intangible cultural heritage items will be expanded through typical cases.
In the new era, the protection of intangible cultural heritage needs to continuously expand two types of groups in terms of inheritance: one is the group of inheritors, who are the holders of the project and the basis for the living inheritance of the intangible cultural heritage items; The second category is the general public and enthusiasts, just like the art of Kunqu opera and guqin, if there is no enthusiast group, it is difficult to continue to realize the inheritance of such intangible cultural heritage items. Many intangible cultural heritage items in the mainland have inheritors, such as folk literature and folk customs items. For intangible cultural heritage items without inheritors, it is necessary to study and formulate the naming system of inheritance groups in a timely manner, which is of great significance for strengthening the inheritance of intangible cultural heritage items in communities, groups and school education, and will also have more significant significance in strengthening ethnic unity and maintaining social stability.
More than 20 years of experience in the protection of intangible cultural heritage have shown that intangible cultural heritage is neither rediscovered by living in the past, nor is it a stop for modern people to recall and return to the past. As a cultural heritage, intangible cultural heritage has historical significance, value and social function, and is alive in the present. Affected by the process of globalization, many intangible cultural heritage items are on the verge of being lost, so it is the historical responsibility and obligation of contemporary people to maintain cultural diversity to carry out rescue protection of intangible cultural heritage items. In other words, intangible cultural heritage originates from historical inheritance, and it is an inevitable measure to inherit it to the present and enter a new period of historical development in the mainland. Spring Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival and other festivals as the historical inheritance of Chinese culture, the Spring Festival to eat dumplings, the Mid-Autumn Festival to eat or not to eat moon cakes, the Qingming Festival to eat or not to eat cold food, just the characteristics of the festival, its core function is to use festivity to say goodbye to the old and welcome the new, with reunion to share the harvest, with "cold food" to commemorate and remember the ancestors; Its intrinsic function is to awaken people's family affection and kindness in the form of reunion and food in the busyness, which is also the embodiment of the social function of the intangible cultural heritage project. As an intangible cultural heritage item of mankind, Mazu beliefs and customs are more about inheriting the spirit of Mazu's virtue, doing good deeds, and great love, and inspiring people in coastal areas to revere the sea and nature, rather than the form of superstition as many people think. Therefore, the value and social functions of different intangible cultural heritage items are the core of our protection and inheritance. At the same time, it also requires us to classify intangible cultural heritage items, distinguish different situations, and even formulate corresponding protection measures for each item to carry out the reasons for protection and inheritance.
In order to strengthen the protection of intangible cultural heritage, the mainland has carried out effective education and inheritance through "intangible cultural heritage into schools". Since 2021, the Ministry of Education has made intangible cultural heritage protection a new major in undergraduate colleges, which is enough to illustrate the educational function and value of intangible cultural heritage projects. At the same time, it has a far-reaching impact on the theory and academic research of intangible cultural heritage protection. Strengthening academic and theoretical research is the basis for the diversification and multi-initiative protection of rich intangible cultural heritage items and resources according to categories. The Intangible Cultural Heritage Law, which came into force on June 1, 2011, is a national law enacted to inherit and carry forward the excellent traditional culture of the Chinese nation, promote the construction of socialist spiritual civilization, and strengthen the protection and preservation of intangible cultural heritage. It can be said that the promulgation of the "Intangible Cultural Heritage Law" is the national will formed by the national management level aware of the important value and function of intangible cultural heritage, and it is also the embodiment of the spirit of the mainland's comprehensive rule of law. Strengthening the legal awareness of the protection of intangible cultural heritage, fully publicizing and promoting the legal spirit of intangible cultural heritage protection, and protecting intangible cultural heritage in accordance with the law in the process of safeguarding intangible cultural heritage is not only a strong practice and achievement of the State party to the Convention, but also a respect for the cultural heritage held by the communities, groups and individuals referred to in the Convention.
It is the only way to realize the living inheritance of intangible cultural heritage by allowing more people to become inheritors and inheritance groups, and to return intangible cultural heritage items to life through the inheritance practice of inheritors. Intangible cultural heritage is a traditional way of life and production that has been passed down to the present day, and it must be protected in production and life, and it will die out without the practice of production and life. As the crystallization of the wisdom of the production and life of people of all ethnic groups, intangible cultural heritage items should be avoided from entering the "ivory tower", and it is not the purpose of protection to put them on the shelf, and only by rational use in production and life can the orderly inheritance of intangible cultural heritage items be realized. For example, since ancient times, the production and life of the mainland have been inextricably linked with bamboo, from production utensils to living utensils, and even the expression of the spiritual integrity of the literati, all of which are inseparable from bamboo. However, with the development of the times, the rise of industrial production, people are more and more pursuing convenience, so the white plastic products and steel products on the street have replaced bamboo products, so the intangible cultural heritage items related to bamboo weaving have increasingly left the vision of modern life. This requires us to re-examine the value of traditional skills such as bamboo weaving, straw weaving, and willow weaving in our lives, and then pay more attention to the exploration of their technical connotations, and take multiple measures to strengthen their relationship with contemporary life, so that such intangible cultural heritage items can be integrated into people's lives and inherited more extensively.
3. Give full play to the social function and rich value of intangible cultural heritage items, highlight Chinese wisdom, and make intangible cultural heritage items better tell Chinese stories and disseminate excellent traditional Chinese culture
While both the Convention and the Intangible Cultural Heritage Law emphasize the need to respect and maintain the authenticity of intangible cultural heritage, the Convention also states that the form of its results can be "continuously recreated". This is consistent with the goal of "creative transformation and innovative development" that the mainland has been emphasizing in recent years. It is the foundation for realizing the "double creation" of intangible cultural heritage and making it alive to make intangible cultural heritage more exquisite in the new era, to make the intangible cultural heritage wisdom more widely spread in the new era, to make the intangible cultural heritage achievements more colorful in the new era, to give full play to the value of intangible cultural heritage items according to local conditions, and to activate their social functions. The excellent traditional Chinese cultural genes contained in the intangible cultural heritage items in the new era are the inexhaustible driving force for the inheritance of a country's and a nation's culture for thousands of years. A nation may not have a written language, and different ethnic groups may not understand each other, but its national culture and historical inheritance will continue due to thousands of years of oral transmission. The intangible cultural heritage of humanity represents a globally recognized form of cultural expression, which is as precious as the gene pool of human culture. The absence of emphasis on the specificity of intangible cultural heritage items in the ethical principles of the Convention is due to the fact that the expressions and recognition of different cultures can be minority or even individual. However, the ideological wisdom contained in each intangible cultural heritage item belongs to all mankind that should be cherished. Based on this, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that contemporary mankind is facing many outstanding problems, and to solve these problems, it is necessary not only to use the wisdom and strength discovered and developed by human beings today, but also to use the wisdom and strength accumulated and stored in human history. It is of far-reaching significance to explore and make good use of the great ideological wisdom of intangible cultural heritage items to consolidate the big family of multi-ethnic harmony and diversity on the mainland, improve the sense of happiness of the people, and promote the balance of social interests and social relations.
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Source: Sichuan Provincial Office of Local Chronicles
Text/Photo: Zhang Zhiying (Associate Researcher, Chinese Academy of Arts, China Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Center)