Hezhe Ethnic Group's Imakan: A Successful Model of Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection

Recently, China's "Hezhe Ethnic Group Imakan" project achieved a major breakthrough at the 20th session of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee. It was successfully moved from the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and was included in the Register of Good Safeguarding Practices. This achievement not only highly recognizes Hezhe culture but also marks another milestone in China's intangible cultural heritage protection work. Cultural Background and Inheritance The Hezhe ethnic group is a minority in Northeast China with a population of about 5,000. Imakan, as their unique oral singing art, has a long history and covers content such as heroic stories and fishing and hunting life, serving educational and entertainment functions. Since being listed in the Urgent Safeguarding List in 2011, the Hezhe community has actively promoted the inheritance and development of Imakan through multi-party collaboration. Protection Effectiveness and International Recognition Thanks to the joint efforts of multiple stakeholders, the vitality of intergenerational transmission of Imakan has significantly improved. In 2023, China submitted an application to UNESCO to move the project to the Representative List, which was approved. This not only demonstrates China's achievements in intangible cultural heritage protection but also provides new opportunities for the continued inheritance of Hezhe culture. Future Prospects This inclusion lays the foundation for the global promotion of Hezhe culture. Hezhe Ethnic Group's Imakan will continue to showcase its unique charm on the international cultural stage, encouraging more people to understand and appreciate this precious cultural heritage.