The Committee
- Takes note that China has nominated Spring festival, social practices of the Chinese people in celebration of traditional new year (No. 02126) for inscription on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity:
In China, the spring festival marks the beginning of the new year. It falls on the first day of the first month of the Chinese calendar and involves a variety of social practices to usher in the new year, pray for good fortune, celebrate family reunions and promote community harmony. This process of celebration is known as ‘guonian’ (crossing the year). In the days preceding the festival, people clean their homes, stock provisions and prepare food. On New Year’s Eve, families dine together and stay up late to welcome the new year. During the festival, people wear new clothes, make offerings to heaven, earth and ancestors, and extend greetings to elders, relatives, friends and neighbours. Public festivities are held by communities, cultural institutions, social groups and art troupes. The traditional knowledge of the rituals, customs, legends and ballads associated with the spring festival, and the skills of preparing festival decorations and supplies, are transmitted informally within families and communities as well as formally through the public education system. Related crafts and performing arts are transmitted through apprenticeships. The spring festival promotes family values, social cohesion and peace while providing a sense of identity and continuity for the Chinese people.
- Considers that, from the information included in the file, the nomination satisfies the following criteria for inscription on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity:
R.1: The celebration of the spring festival marks the beginning of a new year in China. The element involves a variety of social practices, including prayers for good fortune and family reunions. The bearers and practitioners are the Chinese people. The community elders organise their family activities, while public festive events are held by communities and other groups. The traditional knowledge of the rituals and practices are transmitted informally within families and communities as well as formally through the public education system. Relevant crafts and performing arts skills are transmitted through apprenticeships. The spring festivals promote family values, social cohesion and peace while providing a sense of identity and continuity for the practitioners. In addition, the element embodies the concept of harmony between humanity and nature and among people.
R.2: The element contributes to sustainable development in the areas of food security – given its links to the production, processing and storage of food – and quality education, as a resource for formal education. Consumption demands generated by the element provide significant opportunities for sustainable livelihoods and decent work for communities, thus promoting economic development. The element promotes harmony, integration, trust, inclusion, social cohesion and peace. It also contributes to environmental sustainability through awareness raising.
R.3: A long-term community-based safeguarding mechanism involving multiple actors has been formed and effective measures have been taken to ensure the viability of the element. The central government supports the element by authorizing a national holiday for the festival and implementing the programme for the revitalization of traditional festivals. The communities work with State and non-State institutions to integrate the element into educational programmes. Professional institutions have advanced major projects such as the Chronicles of Chinese Festivals and documentation and research of intangible cultural heritage, which contributes to the research and archiving of the element. Other efforts include monitoring and evaluating the effects of the safeguarding measures, paying attention to potential risks to the element, and raising awareness among the young people.
R.4: The nomination of the element was initiated by various stakeholders using different channels of communication. A working group consisting of community representatives, experts and professional institutions was established in July 2022 with the coordination of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, for the preparation of the nomination. Letters of consent from different communities, groups and individuals were submitted. During the process, relevant communities, groups, bearers, researchers and NGOs have provided a large amount of texts, pictures and video materials, as well as feedback on the current situation of the element. They have proposed suggestions and opinions on safeguarding measures and provided informed consent documents. The process of video shooting for the nomination has witnessed support and cooperation from all parties concerned.
R.5: The element was included in the National List of Representative Elements of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2006. The inventory is maintained by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Information about the updating methods and periodicity was included in the State’s second periodic report submitted in December 2017. In 2021, the State Party finalized the fourth update of the inventory with the participation of the communities, groups and organizations concerned.
- Decides to inscribe Spring festival, social practices of the Chinese people in celebration of traditional new year on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity;
- Commends the State Party for a well-prepared file and video that convey the element’s contribution to sustainable livelihoods as well as the relationship between humanity and nature.