National-level Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) refers to all intangible cultural heritage items included in the Representative List of National Intangible Cultural Heritage approved and published by the State Council. The catalog determined and released by the Ministry of Culture serves as a mechanism for safeguarding ICH. National-level ICH is categorized into ten major classifications: Folk Literature (民间文学), Traditional Music (传统音乐), Traditional Dance (传统舞蹈), Traditional Theater (传统戏剧), Quyi (曲艺, Chinese folk vocal arts), Traditional Sports/Recreation & Acrobatics (传统体育游艺与杂技), Traditional Fine Arts (传统美术), Traditional Craftsmanship (传统技艺), Traditional Medicine (传统医药), and Folk Customs (民俗). To ensure the transmission of ICH, China's cultural authorities have designated five batches of representative inheritors for national ICH projects.
On October 17, 2003, the 32nd UNESCO General Conference adopted the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (hereinafter "the Convention"). Chapter IV of the Convention, "Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage at the International Level," establishes that the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage—elected by member states—nominates and updates three UNESCO lists: the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding, and the Register of Good Safeguarding Practices.
The China Intangible Cultural Heritage data provided by CnOpenData includes three datasets: National ICH Representative Project List, National ICH Representative Inheritors, and UNESCO ICH Lists, offering robust data support for historical and cultural research.
Field Display
Data Description
National ICH Representative Project List: 3,610 entries (divided into 5 batches)
2006 (First Batch)
2008 (Second Batch)
2011 (Third Batch)
2014 (Fourth Batch)
2021 (Fifth Batch)
National ICH Representative Inheritors: 3,057 entries
UNESCO ICH Lists: 676 entries
Sample Data
National ICH Representative Project List
National ICH Representative Inheritors
UNESCO ICH Lists
Related Literature
- Pan Yue, Yang Lingling, Xiao Jinli, 2023: "The Innovation Effect of Cultural Inheritance: Evidence from Artistic Intangible Cultural Heritage," Economic Dynamics (经济学动态), No. 7.
Data Update Frequency
Updated irregularly