Paper cut, clay sculpture, carving, puppet, flower-drum-lantern dance, original folk song singing, traditional folk craftsmen from all parts of China flocked to Suzhou in July. And at the same time a four-day forum on the preservation of China's intangible cultural heritage was also held in Suzhou. Sponsored by the administrative department in charge of the Chinese culture for the first time, the special academic seminar on the preservation of intangible cultural heritage was a high profile and large-scale academic activity.

Is Kunqu opera craze ephemeral?

On May 18 four years ago, Chinese Kunqu opera, originated in Suzhou and honored as "'teacher of all Chinese operas'', was listed in the first batch of "'human oral and intangible heritage protection catalogue"by the United Nations. And there were only 19 items included in the listing.

In recent years, the mainland, Taiwan and Hong Kong have jointly offered performances of "'The Hall of Everlasting Life"and "'Peony Pavilion'', which triggered off Kunqu opera craze there. Through more than one year's performances, "'Peony Pavilion"has attracted audiences totaling nearly 70,000 viewers. Du Liniang's recital of "'lovely flowers are everywhere"on the stage wakes up youth down the stage. With nearly 600 years of history, the traditional opera carries away many young viewers.

However, the crazy scenes cannot cover the cruel facts that Kunqu opera is still endangered. Since given a cold shoulder for a long time, many Kunqu plays have died out and one third of the stock plays are losing for every other generation. There are only several hundred Kunqu opera performers and staff left in the country.

Feng Jicai, chairman of the China Society for the Study of Folk Literature and Art, pointed out intangible cultural heritage is closely linked with human life and will come down from one generation to another generation. With the reduction of craftsmen engaging in folk artistry, some of heritage will be lost. For example, the Tibetan epic King Gesar, known as "'Oriental Homer's Epic Poems'', has reached to the extent that it will come to an end almost with the deaths of veteran Tibetan artists.

A four-level directory system will be established

Starting from this month, Beijing will launch a general survey on intangible cultural heritage resources in the city. Surveyors from the city's 18 counties and districts will go to hutongs and resident households to hunt for folk artistry and visit artistic successors.

Other provinces and municipalities are also taking the similar actions as Beijing tries to seek the quietly slipping memories including legends, traditional performance art, folk art, etiquette and festivals from ancient city walls and halls as well as from the foot of the Forbidden City. The nationwide survey on intangible cultural heritage resources is an overall and in-depth investigation in line with the UN stipulations on the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage from now on until 2008. It will include survey, registration, video and sound recording, verification, and archives in order to obtain the first-hand data. Real objects will be collected; survey summary report written and a list of local protective items submitted. In addition, each province will compile a map of provincial intangible cultural heritage distribution and make it publish.

It is learned from the Ministry of Culture that the nomination work for the first national intangible heritage masterpieces has also started recently. China will compile a catalogue of intangible heritage masterpieces and establish a four-level directory system. In the future, intangible heritage masterpieces that China will apply to United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to include on the world intangible cultural heritage list will be chosen from State-level catalogue.

Implementing "'protective project"and enacting law for preserving heritage

Last year, Chinese government decided to earmark 10 million yuan on creating an ecological environment for the Kunqu Opera and help the six existing Kunqu opera troupes, arrange classical Kunqu plays and compose new plays.

The protection is only an example that China has enhanced preserving intangible cultural heritage. At the beginning of 2003, the Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Finance conducted the protective work on China National and Folk Culture together with the National Nationalities Affair committee, China Federation of Literary and Art. They has set up a national center for "'protection projects"and confirmed 40 national pilot "'protective projects''. To date, China has spent 46 million yuan on supporting the projects. Many provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities have also arranged special funds for the projects.

China has always taken active part in the nomination work of UNESCO "'Human Oral and Intangible Heritage Masterpieces, including Kunqu opera and Guqin music. China has become one of seven countries that made successful applications for two consecutive times. This year, China will apply to UNESCO to include the Mukamu music of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on the world intangible cultural heritage lists. Last year, China formally joined the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.

At the start of this year, the National People Congress (NPC) set up a protection working team and listed the intangible cultural heritage protection law in NPC's legislation scheme with lawful framework being formed. Vice-Minister of Culture Zhou Heping disclosed that under the leadership of the ministry, a joint conference system of the inter-departmental preservation work for China Intangible Cultural Heritage has been formed and the protective work will be implemented in a unified coordination.

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"'Intangible cultural heritage"is defined as the practices, performances, representations, expressions, knowledge, skills and the related tools, real objects, handicraft and cultural places, that all groups, associations, organizations, and communities as well as individuals recognize as part of their cultural heritage. For example, it includes artistry, techniques, etiquette, festivals and national sports activities, fairy tales, simple songs, proverbs, music, dances, traditional Chinese operas, figures for shadow-play, paper cut, paintings, sculpture, embroidery, printing and dyeing.

By People's Daily Online