Intangible Cultural Heritage Law of the People’s Republic of China , as adopted at the 19th Session of the Standing Committee of the 11th National People’s Congress of the People’s Republic of China on February 25, 2011, is hereby issued, and shall come into force on June 1, 2011.

Hu Jintao, President of the People’s Republic of China

February 25, 2011

Intangible Cultural Heritage Law of the People’s Republic of China

(Adopted at the 19th Session of the Standing Committee of the 11th National People’s Congress of the People’s Republic of China on February 25, 2011)

Contents

Chapter I General Provisions

Chapter II Investigation of Intangible Cultural Heritage

Chapter III Catalogue of Representative Items of Intangible Cultural Heritage

Chapter IV Inheritance and Spread of Intangible Cultural Heritage

Chapter V Legal Liabilities

Chapter VI Supplementary Provisions

The spirit of ICH Law

Minister of the Ministry of Culture Cai Wu elaborated in details three spirits of the ICH Law.

First, the ICH Law defines “one aim”, that is, inheriting and carrying forward the brilliant traditional culture of the Chinese nation is to promote the construction of socialist spiritual civilization and strengthen the protection and preservation of ICH.

Second, the ICH Law puts forward “two principles” in ICH protection. The protection should focus on the authenticity, completeness and inheritance; should help strengthen the recognition of Chinese cultures, maintain the country’s unification and ethnic unity and promote social harmony and sustainable development.

Third, the ICH Law provides “three systems”, namely, investigation system, representative projects list system and inheritance and dissemination system.Investigation is central to ICH protection. People’s governments above the county level, related departments, citizens, legal entities, other organizations and foreign organizations or individuals shall allow to be investigated according corresponding regulations. Listing representative projects is to bring together limited resources to protect intangible cultural heritage which embodies the fine traditional culture of the Chinese nation with historical, literary, artistic and scientific value. People’s governments at all levels, relevant departments and universities, media and public cultural organizations shall bear the responsibility to enhance the publicity in relation to intangible cultural heritage protection and increase public awareness of intangible cultural heritage protection. In addition, the government encourages and supports to apply ICH representative projects in exploring cultural markets and cultural services with local ethnic characteristics.

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