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BEIJING, Mar.10 (APP)::When Spring Festival was officially inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, Bamo Qubumo, a researcher at the Institute of Ethnic Literature under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and a deputy to China’s National People’s Congress, could hardly contain her excitement.
This milestone not only underscores the global significance of Chinese traditional culture but also injects new vitality into the preservation and transmission of intangible cultural heritage (ICH).
In recent years, China has made remarkable strides in safeguarding ICH. To date, 43 Chinese cultural traditions have been recognized by UNESCO, including the Nanjing Yunjin brocade weaving technique, the Twenty-Four Solar Terms, and Tai Chi, showcasing the ingenuity of the Chinese people to the world, according to a CEN report.
ICH is not just a vessel of cultural transmission—it is also a powerful driver of economic developmment. From the phenomenal success of the video game Black Myth: Wukong to the animated blockbuster Ne Zha, the fusion of ICH with modern cultural and creative industries has not only captivated global audiences but also opened new pathways for its industrialization.
Coming from the Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Yuexi County, China, Bamo Qubumo is particularly passionate about how ICH can empower women in impoverished rural areas. She believes that as a “living” culture, ICH can provide sustainable livelihoods for women in these regions. Through initiatives such as heritage craft workshops and embroidery training programs, rural women can both preserve traditional skills and achieve financial independence. This model not only contributes to rural revitalization but also offers a “Chinese approach” to global ICH preservation.
One compelling example is Yi embroidery a centuries-old craft in Nanhua County, Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province. With the rise of modern textile manufacturing, fewer women possess the traditional needlework skills, putting this heritage at risk. Witnessing this decline, Ding Lanying, a Nanhua native, launched an entrepreneurial initiative in 2006 with 13 fellow embroiderers. They traveled across villages to learn and document embroidery techniques, mastering 72 stitching methods and laying the foundation for Nanhua Yi embroidery’s revival.
“Today, it’s not just local women engaging in Yi embroidery—men who appreciate the craft are joining in as well,” Bamo Qubumo noted. Since 2020, Nanhua County has hosted 235 Yi embroidery training sessions, training 14,304 artisans and recognizing 45 embroiderers as official ICH inheritors. The industry’s total output value surged from 83.16 million yuan (2022) to 1.18 billion yuan, with the average monthly income of embroiderers rising from 2,000 yuan to over 4,000 yuan.
As an integral part of humanity’s collective memory, ICH transcends national borders. Bamo Qubumo emphasized that ICH preservation is not just China’s responsibility, but a global mission. She highlighted China’s successful heritage protection practices, such as the “Meishan Experience” in Sichuan and the “Shilin Model” in Yunnan, which have gained international recognition and UNESCO’s endorsement.
However, despite these achievements, the protection of ICH still faces numerous challenges.
During her field research, Bamo Qubumo observed a worrying trend: the over-commercialization of ICH in some regions, with certain entities even exploiting the ICH label for unethical financial gain. She emphasized, “The essence of ICH preservation lies in prioritizing its inheritance. We must guard against its distortion and misuse.” In response, she submitted a proposal at this year’s China’s Two Sessions, advocating for a more robust protection mechanism for ICH in the digital era, reinforcing the principle of “protection first, inheritance as a priority.”
“The core of ICH preservation lies in its human-centered, process-based protection,” she explained. “ICH is not merely an ‘artifact’—itt is a way of life. Without ‘living’ traditions, there is no ICH.” She urged nations worldwide to strengthen cooperation in safeguarding this shared cultural heritage.
The rapid development of AI and other emerging technologies presents both opportunities and challenges for ICH preservation. Bamo Qubumo proposed accelerating the revision of China’s Intangible Cultural Heritage Law, enhancing legal frameworks to ensure systematic, holistic, and coordinated protection. She also stressed the importance of integrating ICH education into both formal schooling and public awareness programs, encouraging broader participation in heritage preservation.