China has a diverse array of intangible cultural heritage, encompassing various traditional arts, crafts, and festive activities. Here are some famous examples of Chinese intangible cultural heritage:
Kunqu Opera: Kunqu Opera is one of the oldest traditional Chinese opera forms and is considered a treasure of Chinese traditional cultural arts, often referred to as the “ancestor of hundred operas.”
Guqin Art: Guqin, one of China’s oldest plucked string instruments, has a long history and produces deep, rich tones capable of expressing a wide range of emotions. Guqin art is a treasure of traditional Chinese music.
Xinjiang Uyghur Muqam Art: Muqam is a large-scale comprehensive art form combining singing, poetry, music, dance, recitation, and instrumental performance, representing the wisdom and artistry of the Uyghur people.
Mongolian Long Song: Long song is a unique singing form with distinct nomadic and regional cultural characteristics, narrating the Mongolian people’s insights into historical culture, customs, morality, philosophy, and art using the language unique to the grasslands.
Traditional Chinese Silk Weaving Technique: Silk weaving is a traditional industry in China known for its exquisite craftsmanship and high-quality products, beloved by people worldwide.
Additionally, there are other examples such as Nanyin, Nanjing Yunjin Brocade Weaving Technique, Xuan Paper Traditional Production Technique, Dong Ethnic Group’s Big Song, Cantonese Opera, Gesar Epic, Longquan Celadon Traditional Firing Technique, Regong Art, Tibetan Opera, Epic of Manas, Hua’er (a type of folk song), Xi’an Drum Music, Chinese Korean Agricultural Music and Dance, Chinese Calligraphy, Chinese Seal Engraving, Chinese Paper Cutting, Traditional Chinese Wooden Structure Construction Techniques, Dragon Boat Festival, Mazu Customs, and Chinese Woodblock Printing Technique, all of which are important intangible cultural heritage in China.
These intangible cultural heritages not only represent China’s traditional culture and art but also reflect the wisdom and creativity of the Chinese people. Protecting and inheriting these intangible cultural heritages is of great significance for promoting Chinese culture, enhancing national confidence, and fostering a sense of identity.
Moreover, each region in China has its own unique intangible cultural heritage. For example, Ma Xiao Rolling Lanterns are a unique folk art performance in Lin’an District, Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province, praised as a rare flower of Jiangnan folk dance. It not only represents unique cultural information and symbols of western Zhejiang folk customs but also provides valuable materials for studying the economic and political development of western Zhejiang. This art form was included in the Zhejiang Intangible Cultural Heritage List in 2009, receiving better protection and inheritance.
Shunxi Dafang tea is a type of pan-fired green tea that belongs to the flat-leaf tea category, similar in shape to Longjing tea. Due to a flattening step during its drying process, it is also referred to as “Kao Fang.” Shunxi Dafang tea is produced in Shunxi, Lin’an County, and is as renowned as Dafang […]
The Lin’an Water Dragon is a unique dragon dance performance originating from the Lin’an region of Hangzhou. Influenced by local history and culture, it features “water” as its core element and vividly showcases the agility and power of the dragon through its 50-meter-long body. The performance includes several segments, such as “Dragon Emergence from Water”
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Lin’an root carving, a distinctive traditional art form, originates from Lin’an in Zhejiang province. This art form utilizes the natural shapes of tree roots and, through the clever designs and exquisite craftsmanship of artists, transforms them into unique and intricate artworks. With a long history, Lin’an root carving features special and precious materials, combining natural
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Tuankou cloth shoes are a traditional handmade shoe originating from Tuankou Town in China. They are primarily made from pure cotton fabric and crafted through multiple meticulous processes such as gluing the sole, stitching the sole, making the upper, and assembling the shoe. The soles of these cloth shoes are sewn with Xuan hemp thread,
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Bamboo salt is a substance refined by filling three-year-old bamboo with sun-dried salt, sealing both ends with natural loess, and then calcining it at a high temperature of 1000°C to 1300°C using pine wood as fuel. According to folklore, during the late Eastern Jin Dynasty, smallpox and malaria were rampant. Ge Hong, while at Ge
Traditional Chinese medicine culture (Pengzu Health Culture) is a culture centered around Pengzu’s unique techniques in guiding qi, regulating and nourishing therapy, chamber health, and dietary health. The teachings and health techniques of Pengzu have had a significant and long-lasting influence. Throughout the ages, the works of Daoist or medical literature have sporadically preserved Pengzu’s
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Shui Shang Jiao Long jie,as know as River Water Dragon Festival.The Oujian River Water Dragon Festival is a festival full of mystery and rich cultural significance. It has a long history, carrying the ancient dragon totem beliefs and legacy culture, and has become one of the most important traditional folk activities in the Oujian River
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Tuan Kou Town, located in the picturesque Hongling Mountains, is a place full of historical heritage and cultural charm. Every year in early June of the lunar calendar, more than ten villages including Erlian Xichuan, Tongjia, and Qiankeng will usher in a grand celebration known as the “Steamed Bun Festival”. This festival is not only
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Reed flowers, also called Tongcaohua,meticulously crafted from reed (Phragmites australis) material, have been beloved for their unique charm and exquisite craftsmanship since ancient times. In ancient texts, we can find records of reed flowers. The renowned poet Su Shi of the Song Dynasty, in his work “Comparison of Four Flowers,” compared reed flowers with several
“Wufeng Chaoyang” is a folk lantern dance prevalent in the area around Taiyang Town in Lin’an City. It features a fixed performance format with phoenix-shaped props, hence its name, which translates to “Five Phoenixes Greeting the Sun.” During festive occasions, celebrations, and harvest seasons, “Wufeng Chaoyang” is performed at local temple fairs or gatherings, becoming
