[He Xuejun] The nature and principles of "protection" of intangible cultural heritage
Abstract: This paper believes that in the practice of protecting intangible cultural heritage, attention should be paid to distinguishing between the two concepts of "protection" and "preservation".
"Preservation" focuses on "preservation" and mainly targets those folk matters that are on the verge of extinction in reality and cannot be passed down.
"Protection", with "support" as the goal, based on the basic principles of life, innovation, integrity, people-oriented, education, and the Coordination Committee, focuses on the heavy rain and care of the entire ecology of the target life system, and is intended to promote the continuation and development of tradition.
It is a "keyword" for salvation proposed by mankind in the face of today's real crisis of intangible cultural heritage
Keywords: Intangible cultural heritage; preservation; protection; principles; principles
In the current discussion and practice on the protection of intangible cultural heritage, two concepts such as "protection" and "preservation" often appear, and they are often equated, believing that "preservation" means "protection", or the main way to "protect" is "preservation".
I think this is a misunderstanding that can easily lead to harmful results in actions and needs to be carefully analyzed.
In my opinion, the so-called "preservation" focuses on "preservation", and should actually focus on those folk matters that are on the verge of extinction in reality and cannot continue to be passed down.
Its approach should be to mobilize all modern scientific and technological means to collect and archive the remaining activity content in a panoramic manner as much as possible, and ultimately leave a piece of information that can be remembered for future generations.
From the perspective of content, from the moment it was recorded and preserved, this part of tradition was separated from the living mechanism on which it relied for survival and the related ecological environment, and turned from dynamic to static, thus ending the life process.
This practice is of course a measure in "protection" and is also necessary.
Failure to do so will cause irreparable damage to certain specific heritage.
But this is really a last resort method, and its objects and effects are limited.
If its scope of application is arbitrarily expanded and regarded as the main way of "protection" or even replaced with "protection", it will be like grabbing a sesame seed and losing a watermelon, and it will surely affect innocent people, causing those folk matters that are still alive to be damaged, which backfires.
"Protection", fundamentally speaking, is aimed at the maintenance and care of the overall ecology of the object's living system; it aims at "nurturing" and focuses on the object's life, and is intended to promote the continuation and development of tradition.
This is the main direction of rescue of intangible cultural heritage.
If there is no possibility of continued development of a folk matter, its demise is also a necessity of the times and history, and there is no need to feel pity or sadness.
(Of course, scientific means are still needed to be used as data to preserve and preserve it.) Because of this, the United Nations has listed the possibility of sustainable development as an important condition for applying for protection of the world's intangible cultural heritage.
However, due to the bias of understanding, when we examine traditional protection, we often lack enough attention to whether the objects have the possibility of sustainable development, neglect research and excavation; we just habitually focus on those objects on the verge of extinction, thinking that "preservation" of them means "protection"; even for those traditions that are still alive and continuing, we are only satisfied with maintaining the original appearance of the old system and "retaining" them.
It should be said that this understanding is still far from the essence of "protection".
I believe that "protection" is actually a "keyword" for salvation put forward by mankind in the face of today's real crisis of intangible cultural heritage.
Due to the diversity of intangible cultural heritage itself, the means and measures of protection are not always consistent, and "protection" contains rich connotations.
Here, I will only briefly comment on its nature and basic principles.
The above analysis shows that regarding the nature of "protection"(i.e., what is to be protected?), There are actually two ideas.
A kind of existence that treats objects as purely static, and understands "protection" as the specific preservation and maintenance of this existence.
This understanding has led to common measures such as on-site repair, relocation, isolation, collection and preservation, and some of which are causing negative consequences.
On the other hand, based on a thorough grasp of the definition and characteristics of intangible cultural heritage, it regards the object as a living existence with life, and believes that the essential essence of "protection" lies in maintaining and strengthening its inner life and enhancing its own "sustainable development" ability.
UNESCO can be seen as a representative of this understanding.
It clearly states in the Convention for the Protection of Intangible Cultural Heritage that the so-called "protection" means "taking measures to ensure the vitality of intangible cultural heritage, including the recognition, filing, research, preservation, protection of all aspects of such heritage, publicity, promotion, inheritance (mainly through formal and informal education) and revitalization." It not only reveals the fundamental goal of the protection of intangible cultural heritage-"vitality" and determines the specific content of protection, but also places special emphasis on "ensuring" its realization, demonstrating true foresight and a high degree of responsibility for the construction of human culture.
spirit.
This is an effective way to consolidate and survive today's intangible cultural heritage of mankind.
In order to achieve this goal, there are six principles that need to be noted: First, the principle of life.
Any intangible cultural heritage, as a special spiritual creation of mankind, is a kind of existence of life.
It has its own genes, elements, structures, energy and life chains, and contains all the secrets of life here.
Therefore, in order to truly maintain and enhance the vitality of an intangible cultural heritage, we must first use research to explore its genetic pedigree and root of life, and find its soul and pulse, that is, the core values forged by the spirit (psychology) of a specific nation, so as to accurately understand and carefully protect the source and fundamentals.
This should become the basic project of the entire "protection".
Only when this is done well and the life of the object is preserved can other protective measures be positive and effective.
The United Nations stipulates that one of the conditions for applying for a representative work of world intangible cultural heritage requires that this culture must be deeply rooted in the traditional cultural history of a place and can be used as a means to reflect the cultural characteristics and values of a region.
This principle is reflected in the promotion role of social groups.
If we ignore this and abandon the exploration and protection of the soul of core values, it will be equivalent to dismembering its organic life from the roots.
Culture will no longer be a living culture.
The so-called rescue and protection will also be just a formality.
Second, the principle of innovation.
Logically speaking, this is an inevitable extension of the first principle.
Since intangible cultural heritage is a kind of living existence, it inevitably continues to mutate in its interaction with nature, society, and history.
This kind of mutation has two directions: the negative direction is distortion-it goes towards distortion, leading to damage or even rupture of one's own genetic pedigree.
Currently, there are many pseudo-folk customs that have emerged under market hype; Positive is innovation-it is the result of the transformation of intangible culture's own life in the face of a new living environment, adapting to assimilation, and self-regulating changes.
It is a new ecology in which traditional values and modern concepts merge and transform, despite the appearance It has been different, and the continuity of the genetic lineage has always been maintained within it.
This kind of positive innovation enables the protected objects to change in response to the times, introduce the new, and continue to live forever.
Looking closely at the life history of intangible culture, what runs through it is the creativity of mankind in the past, present and future.
Therefore, the most critical thing to ensure the vitality of intangible cultural heritage, as far as it is concerned, is to protect and stimulate its innovative capabilities.
In this way, protection has essential significance.
For any life, innovative ability is the main driving force for self-development.
The same is true for intangible cultural heritage.
Third, the overall principle.
It has two meanings: first, ecological integrity-this is determined by the ecological characteristics of intangible cultural heritage.
It requires that when protecting a specific matter, one cannot only consider the matter itself, but must protect it together with the ecological environment with which its life shares weal and woe.
Of course, this environment is also constantly developing and changing, but it is only the result of natural selection and still maintains its own ecological balance.
Otherwise, it is tantamount to cutting off the water source, drying live fish into dried fish, and moving towards the opposite side of your wish.
It can be imagined that if a storyteller who was originally active in folk life was extracted from the "folk" and artificially "pushed to the world and the market" to cut off his connection with life and the people, his story activities would definitely lose his original life and degenerate.
The second is the overall culture.
A nation (community) with a long history, the intangible culture it has created is diverse and colorful.
However, although they are different in specific connotation, form, and function, they are all derivatives of the nation's spiritual emotions, have intrinsic unity, and are a cultural community with homologous coexistence and connected voice and atmosphere.
What we want to protect is precisely such a cultural whole.
Although the whole can be an organic integration of many parts, no part (even the most outstanding representative) can completely replace the whole.
If this principle is ignored, in the practice of "protection", only representative matters are emphasized and other related matters are despised or even abandoned, which will cause undue losses.
At present, such a tendency is hidden behind the competition among various places to declare the world's intangible cultural heritage.
Fourth, the principle of humanity.
In the practice of "protection" of intangible cultural heritage, a problem is often encountered: when a specific matter requires timely protection or even rescue, it conflicts with the pursuit of economic interests of the local people.
At this time, the people-oriented principle is needed.
There are also two meanings here: First, we must pay attention to and respect the actual needs of people (relevant people).
This is because the pursuit of economic development and life is a natural and legitimate requirement of mankind.
Otherwise, it will violate human nature and the fundamental purpose of social development.
The protection of heritage must not be conditioned on hindering economic development and reducing people's quality of life.
Otherwise, it would be a foolish act of putting the cart before the horse.
Second, we must understand that only people (from a specific ethnic community) are the irreplaceable active subjects in the protection of (specific) intangible cultural heritage, and we must believe in their wisdom and sense of responsibility to protect national culture.
Because in the final analysis, no matter whether it is "life","ecology" or "innovation", the entire vitality of an intangible culture actually exists among the people of the nation (community) who gave birth to it and raised it.
They are integrated spiritually and emotionally.
A specific community, as the main body of the creation, enjoyment and inheritance of intangible cultural heritage, will never forget its traditional culture while meeting the needs of economic and material life.
Because that is their spiritual root! They will definitely try every means to actively participate, strive to seek both benefits in difficult situations, and find effective protection and promotion strategies; conversely, only by relying on these real masters who depend on the objects can "protection" be guaranteed-they know the most.
The hunger, thirst, warmth and development needs of the objects to be protected.
Mr.
Liu Kuili, President of China Folklore Society and Deputy Director of China Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Expert Committee, pointed out at an international seminar on intangible cultural heritage protection: fundamentally speaking, the protection of intangible cultural heritage should first protect the creators, owners and inheritors; at the same time, it also depends on the effective protection of this heritage by the groups that create, enjoy and inherit this heritage.
This makes great sense.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is well aware of this and clearly emphasizes in the Convention on Protection of the need to "strive to ensure the maximum participation of the groups, groups, and sometimes individuals that create, maintain and inherit this heritage, and to engage them actively in relevant management." It would be superficial to regard the subject of inheritance as a negative or even destructive force.
Of course, we must see that they also have a process of learning and improving through practice.
As long as we respect the laws of the development of the thing itself and respect the people's own reasonable choices, we believe that protection can achieve practical results.
Fifth, the principle of subject coordination.
There are four main types of subjects participating in the protection of intangible cultural heritage: government, inheritors, business and academia.
Generally speaking, due to differences in status and motives, they each have their own positions and demands, and each has its own strengths and weaknesses.
Government intervention is based on power, has a certain coercive function, and is in the position of decision-making, organization, and overall planning, constituting a leading force.
Therefore, if there is a deviation in understanding or measures, large-scale damage will be caused.
The people (inheritors and possessors) are at the center of practice and are the key force in the ultimate success of "protecting".
They are also the most anxious and contradictory party, and therefore the party with the most opinions, suggestions, and demands.
How to protect and give full play to this key force has become a focus and difficulty.
Most industrial and commercial operators are investors.
They naturally keep their eyes on the return and profits of investment.
They are essentially an alien force and can easily lead "protection" astray.
However, they have the funds in hand and are indispensable parties to play a role, so they need good coordination and guidance.
The situation in academia is quite special.
They do not seek political achievements, stay away from profits, and have a relatively detached status.
They are a reliable scientific force.
However, they have no power, no money, and no specific participation.
Although they are rich in resources (intelligence), their decentralization of power is limited.
Only by coordinating and integrating the four forces into one optimal synergy can we avoid internal friction of energy, promote benefits and suppress disadvantages, and create a good protection mechanism.
Sixth, educational principles.
Because intangible cultural heritage has living, folk and living characteristics, its protection is not just a matter for a certain period of time, which department, or which group of people, but a regular matter for the whole society, especially for generations.
This requires education-educate the whole society, especially young people, on protecting intangible cultural heritage, raise the awareness of protection among the entire nation, so that everyone can understand the importance of protection, understand why and how to protect, thereby creating strong public opinion and allowing "protection" to enter people's daily lives, generation after generation.
Another task of education is to strengthen the training of management and scientific research talents and strive to improve their capabilities in relevant theories, methods and skills.
Only in this way can we balance popularization and improvement, form a virtuous cycle of interaction between the upper and lower levels, and promote the protection of intangible cultural heritage to continue to develop strengths and avoid weaknesses in practice, and move towards science and improvement.
It needs to be pointed out that the key to judging whether a specific folk matter (tradition) is sustainable depends on whether it still has new growth points.
To correctly understand this point, we first need to find its "root", because this is the basis for life that determines why it is this rather than that, why it is born rather than dying, and why it develops this way rather than that way.
This kind of root is expressed as the most basic core structure on the outside of the matter; the inner spirit is condensed into the deepest core values.
Upon closer observation, any folk affair with a long history has a complex living system, which can be divided into at least primary ecology, secondary ecology and complex ecology.
The primary ecology is the initial form of its life; if folk matters are compared to a big tree, then it is the "root" at the bottom.
Relatively speaking, the secondary and secondary ecology are tree trunks and tree crowns.
The roots ultimately determine the nature and destiny of the tree, and must remain safe and basically stable; since the trunk and crown directly live in reality, they need to constantly exchange information and energy with the environment, so they show more variable aspects.
This variability gathers into new growth points, and it is from here that the vitality of development and innovation emerges.
It can be found that any tradition that can continue to this day must have new content that adapts to the requirements of the times, otherwise it will only be preserved as an antique.Therefore, the identification and maintenance of "roots" and the discovery and development of new growth points have become two key points in the protection of folk customs.
This can be said to be the key to traditional protection.
If the "protection" project can be carried out under such principles, it can be certain that the greater the protection, the more beneficial it will be to the restoration and development of the vitality of the object.
At the same time, new damage will be avoided and "effective protection" will be truly achieved.
Below, take the Miaofengshan Temple Fair in Beijing and the Dragon Boat Festival in South Korea as examples for a brief explanation.
These two traditional folk matters are examples that have been relatively well protected so far.
Their common characteristics are as follows: 1.
They maintain their unique folk beliefs and uphold the foundation of life.
The Miaofengshan Temple Fair was formed because of the Bixia Yuanjun Temple (commonly known as the Niangniu Temple) on the top of the mountain: the Niangniu belief is her spiritual soul, and the unique activity of pilgrimage to the top is the foundation of her life (structure).
This belief and worship ceremony are still the basic content of the entire activity.
The "roots" of the Jiangling Dragon Boat Festival are the basic sacrificial rituals that the people in the area believe in.
In this regard, they have always persisted.
For generations, no matter how much the environment and times have changed, Confucian rituals and witch sacrifices have been carried out piously according to the original procedures.
In the eyes of the people, this is the soul and life of the sacrifice.
Only performing this ceremony is Jiangling's Dragon Boat Festival.
This kind of understanding and persistence effectively maintains and conveys the original vitality of activities.
On the contrary, if you give up this kind of persistence, it will inevitably lead to self-destruction.
2.
Implement an open attitude, learn from the past and embrace the new, and keep pace with the times.
While maintaining the roots of life, neither is conservative.
They are very good at opening up the growth points they discover one by one to build a way for effective grafting and introducing relevant content.
In this way, the possibility of sustainable development is transformed into a vivid reality.
New growth points are not obvious in the primary ecological link, but they are not impossible at all.
Those god entertainment rituals that are far from the core significance of the Dragon Boat Festival worship activities in South Korea have gradually added elements of public self-entertainment.
Beijing Miaofengshan Temple Fair still maintains the belief in the goddess, but also integrates the beliefs of other gods such as Buddhism, Confucianism, and folk gods, making its foundation diversified.
Of course, the new growth points are mainly reflected in the sub-ecological and multi-ecological links-these links themselves potentially contain more variable substrates, among which the recreational activities are the most open and have become a good place for the integration of ancient and modern times and inside.
The Korean Dragon Boat Festival took this opportunity to actively introduce other relevant folk performances and cultural activities from home and abroad, integrating cultural factors of the new era, making it richer in connotation, and becoming "the most long-standing and largest-scale 'comprehensive' celebration activity".
During the activities, the Beijing Miaofengshan Temple Fair also broke the old rules in the flower festival performance segment, boldly absorbing some of the later flower festivals and even newly emerged public performance groups (including Yangko teams, orchestras, etc.) in recent years to make the content richer and close to reality.
During the activity, in addition to being immersed in traditional culture, people can also find common feelings and experiences from new levels, enhance an effective sense of collective belonging, and promote new harmony among the people in the recognition of new values, thereby realizing the natural transformation and innovation of tradition.
3.
Effective government management.
Although the main body of any folk matter is the general public, the government's consciousness or will have a significant influence on the main body of the people.
This influence may be in line with the subject's own will and the evolution of folk culture, or may not fully conform to, or even the contrary.
If compliance means positive and effective management, which will produce the function of Juneng Johnson and Johnson to promote evolution; otherwise, it is reverse management, which will definitely cause damage to vitality and bring about mild or severe negative effects.
The transformation of South Korea's "Gangneung Nongle" from near extinction to rejuvenation and prosperity is a successful example of effective government management.
"Jiangling Nongle" was once very popular among the people, but due to various reasons, it was limited to difficulties several times.
Later, the government intervened as follows: At first, in order to enhance the inherent vitality of traditional folk matters, it actively organized a national folk art competition and awarded various awards.
In 1977, Jiangling Agricultural Music won the Minister's Award of the 18th Agricultural Music Department's Highest Honorary Cultural Bulletin, which aroused great repercussions; in 1979, the mayor of Jiangling encouraged 19 cave chiefs in Jiangling City to send agricultural music to voluntarily participate in the Jiangling Dragon Boat Festival.
The entertainment performance surprised five agricultural music experts from the central government; in 1985, the local agricultural music was designated as the national "Key Intangible Cultural Relics Nos.
11 - 4", providing greater encouragement and promotion; At present, it is the designated scenery entertainment for the annual Jiangling Dragon Boat Festival.
Participants are interested in it and enjoy it.
At that time, the China government's awareness of paying attention to the protection of folk culture was obviously not as high as that of the South Korean government, but it was not nothing.
For example, the flower fair performed in Beijing Hutong in 1984 was recognized by the district government, and entered the Longtan Lake Temple Fair in the following year.
Since then, the temple fair activities have become bigger and bigger year by year.
Flower fairs all over the country are proud to participate in the Beijing Spring Festival Temple Fair performance, which has led to the restoration of flower fairs everywhere.
In 1992, when the Miaofengshan Temple Fair encountered great difficulties, the city leader said: "You need to pay for the flower fair in the city.
Why don't you want it when people deliver it to your door?" It turned danger into safety and has been held every year since then.
In addition, the Miaofengshan Management Office, as a government-level grassroots organization, has also done a lot of effective work for the normal holding of temple fairs and the positive inheritance of traditions.
Every year before the temple fair, they first hold the first gathering of flower fairs to arrange the venue for the mountain fairs.
Different flags were given according to the year when the flower fair went up the mountain to show spiritual encouragement.
It can be said that without the strong support of the government, these ancient folk activities will be difficult to persist.
4.
People's independent participation is the main guarantee for "living" folk matters and its fundamental symbol.
The Miaofengshan Temple Fair and the Jiangling Dragon Boat Festival are still alive today.
The fundamental reason is that the cultural spirit they convey is still rooted in the hearts of modern people.
Those traditional sacrificial rituals and festivals are still a part of their current life, a part of their spirit and beliefs, and they get along with each other day and night without leaving for a moment.
Therefore, people do not need any orders or requirements and will consciously participate.
For example, at the Miaofengshan Temple Fair, every year from the first to the 15th of April, we pay for rice porridge, steamed buns, vegetables, and beans, and provide free tea; we pay for the fare and go up the mountain to perform.
After 2001, buses were not allowed to enter the mountains, and private cars, taxis, and people crossing mountains continued every day.
Cars on the mountain road stayed all night long from the 30th to the early morning of the first day, with about 4,000 to 5,000 people a night.
In 2005, members of the Bingxin Sacred Society in the ancient city of Shijingshan District resumed the flower show performance project that had been suspended for 60 years.
They braved the rain and entered the mountains to face the summit.
The wonderful performances opened the eyes of the people on the mountain and shouted,"It's rare!"
The temple fair on Miaofeng Mountain can be said to be an intangible cultural life field formed by temples, cultural festivals, martial arts festivals, congregation, pilgrims, and tourists at a specific time.
People fully express their beliefs and demonstrate their own talents and achieve multiple purposes such as respecting gods and entertaining others, entertaining and leisure, strengthening the body, and cultivating sentiments.
In such sacrificial activities, the people's spiritual psychology communicates god and man, faith and reality, which not only integrates ancient traditions into today's life, but also integrates today's life with ancient traditions, thus promoting the natural inheritance and evolution of traditions in the intersection of ancient and present.
Mr.
Fan Hua, a French sinologist who has been inspecting the mountain for more than ten years, said that the flower performance during the Miaofengshan Temple Fair "transformed the activity of visiting the mountain into the largest folk drama festival in the suburbs of Beijing." (French Sinology, Series 7, published by Zhonghua Publishing Company in December 2002, p.
274) Indeed, the Miaofengshan Temple Fair provides a good stage for folk flower party performances and people to entertain themselves.
It can be said that the independent participation of the people is the main guarantee for the "living" of folk matters and its fundamental symbol.
5.
The active participation of folklore scholars plays an irreplaceable role in the protection and inheritance of cultural heritage.
The "Gangneung Dragon Boat Festival" was first discovered and enthusiastically paid attention to by Mr.
Ren Dongquan, former president of the Korean Folk Society and professor at Central University, in the early 1960s.
At his suggestion, in 1967, the government listed it as National Key Cultural Relics No.
13.
Since then, this activity has been protected by the system and has been passed down and innovated.
The continuity of the Miaofengshan Temple Fair in Beijing is also closely related to the concern of Chinese and foreign folklore scholars: in 1925, Mr.
Gu Jiegang of Peking University led a group of scholars to inspect the mountain and published articles, which aroused great repercussions; in 1995, an academic seminar to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Miaofengshan inspection was held.
Zhong Jingwen, a 93-year-old master of folklore, personally led a large number of scholars and students to inspect the mountain.
Since then, many students completed doctoral and master's thesis on the topic of Miaofengshan; At the same time, many scholars from the United States, France, Japan, South Korea and other countries also published works on this subject; from 2004 to 2005, Chinese and Japanese scholars jointly organized students to conduct inspections into the mountains to track the entire process of the spring temple fair in detail; in 2005, the Chinese Folk Society, Folk Literature and Art Association and other organizations jointly held a seminar to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Miaofeng Mountain inspection and erected a monument.
The unveiling ceremony of the "Monument to Field Investigation of China Folklore" was held on the first day of the temple fair in the spring of 2005.
This kind of academic participation injects useful intellectual support into the protection of traditional culture and promotes its positive and healthy development.