Living, Breathing Heritage -- Beijing Review

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Preserving Cultural Identity

Having its origins largely in the daily or spiritual lives of people, intangible culture, like its tangible counterpart, often reflects the values, as well as the creative and imaginative capacity of a nation. It should be duly protected so that a nation's distinct cultural identity will be maintained and carried on into the future

Spring Steps

As one of the world's oldest continuous civilizations, China has a wealth of intangible cultural heritage. As precious cultural genes of the Chinese nation, some folk arts have been listed as world cultural heritage by UNESCO

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In-depth

Keeping Cultural Genes Alive
A two-day forum discusses how to better preserve China's rich living heritage

Tradition Meets Modern, or Vice-Versa?
Folk artists preserve and innovate China's intangible cultural heritage

Other Heritage Entries

Peking Opera Hits UNESCO Heritage List
Compared to other operas, Peking Opera is relatively popular in China. It is looking forward to better development and protection after it is inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

- Art of Engraving

Chinese artist Luo Pengpeng showcases her new works of seal engraving

- Magic Needles

Acupuncture and moxibustion inscribed on UNESCO's list of intangible cultural heritage

- Passing On Culture

Great efforts are being made to protect customs and folk crafts

- Natural Pearl Shines Worldwide

West Lake inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List as cultural landscape

Photo Gallery

Handle With Care
Folk artist revives traditional paper craft

More Than Just Handicrafts
An art exhibition draws attention to rural cultural industry

Background

Chinese Items on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

2011: Shadow puppetry

2010: Acupuncture, moxibustion and Peking Opera

2009: Seal engraving, woodblock printing, calligraphy, papercraft and 18 other items

2008: Guqin (zither), Kunqu Opera, Mongolian Urtyn duu (Long song), Uyghur muqam (improvised melodies)

China's National List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage

May 23, 2011: The State Council issued the third list of 191 living heritage items, including the Legend of Temple of Heaven, and Folk Song of Fengyang County

June 14, 2008: The State Council issued the second list of 510 items, including the Legend of the Badaling Great Wall and Folk Song of North Shaanxi

May 20, 2006: The State Council issued the first list of 518 items, including the Tale of the White Serpent, and Yangliuqing Spring Festival pictures

Kunqu Opera
With a history of over 600 years, Kunqu Opera is known as the mother of all operas in China

Shadow Puppetry
Shadow puppetry is a combination of performing arts and the carving art. The puppeteers operate the puppets behind a back-lit curtain screen