Avoid blind innovation in ICH inheritance

Wang Wenzhang introduced that China's ICH safeguarding campaign officially started in 2001 when Kunqu Opera was listed by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. In recent years, governments at all levels have attached great importance to ICH, and a series of measures have been taken to safeguard ICH, including a general survey, ICH directory system construction, identification of national-level representative inheritors and establishment of eco-cultural preservation areas. The public is also becoming more aware of the preciousness of ICH, and forming a cultural consciousness, which is major progress in safeguarding ICH.

In order to safeguard and pass on ICH, Wang says it first needs support and funding from the government. Secondly, the standard for the quality identification of ICH products must be set and, finally, creative development of ICH. He said it's better to invite social enterprises to conduct creative development, instead of the inheritors.

"ICH is passed down from generation to generation, like genes, which is constant, while artists' aesthetic conception will change and new themes are ceaselessly included in the artworks," Wang said. "Therefore, during the protection and inheritance of ICH, we should follow its original natural development law, no stagnation and no blind innovation either, to keep the ICH's authenticity."

Achieve cultural self-confidence through safeguarding ICH

President Xi Jinping has raised "cultural self-confidence" many times in recent years. Wang said a key part of that is strengthening ICH protection.

"If we take ICH as backward and outdated, we won't safeguard it well. Actually, ICH is vital for the construction of our spiritual homeland. We live in a multi-cultural country, and each ethnic group has their own ICH culture which shall be fully cherished."