Present Conditions and Strategies of Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection in Sichuan Ethnic Autonomous Areas

intangible cultural heritage of ethnic minorities is most typical cultural resource with ethnic characteristics. Its scientific protection and effective usage can not only help to transmit and develop intangible cultural heritage of ethnic minorities,but also can transform ethnic minorities’cultural resources into advantageous resources,thus,promoting economic development in ethnic minority autonomous areas. For a long time,the ethnic minority autonomous areas have paid considerable attention to protection of ethnic intangible cultural heritage ; explored various effective protective measures; and built up an effective model for protecting ethnic intangible cultural heritage guaranteed by ethnic autonomous law. 1. Present Conditions of Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection in Sichuan Ethnic Autonomous Areas protection of intangible cultural heritage in Sichuan ethnic autonomous areas has following characteristics: 1) It is relatively difficult to protect intangible cultural heritage in Sichuan’ s ethnic autonomous areas. Although intangible culture heritage in these areas is very rich,it is difficult to protect it because most of of intangible cultural heritage is embedded in folk literature, music, dance and folklore etc. 2) ease with which people can participate is another characteristic of intangible cultural heritage protection in Sichuan ethnic minority autonomous areas. There is a good community base regarding folk literature,folk music,dance and folklore etc. basic goal of protection of intangible heritage can be realized through providing a proper eco environment for intangible culturalheritage,strengthening school education and publicizing protection of intangible cultural heritage. 3 ) intangible cultural heritage in Sichuan ethnic autonomous areas could be combined with unique natural landscape in these areas, and become a rich cultural industry and tourism resource. For instance,the Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture not only has rich intangible cultural heritage resources,but also has rich tourism resources,including national level scenic spots,national level AAAA tourism spots,national level natural protectected areas,national park forests , etc. 2. Suggestions for promoting intangible cultural heritage protection in Sichuan ethnic minority autonomous areas implementation of the Law of Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection and Cultural Ministry’ s Announcement for Strengthening Management of National Level Intangible Cultural Heritage Masterpiece Protectionare special markers for intangible heritage protection’ s stepping into a post application period. Sichuan ethnic minority autonomous areas should have a sense of awareness and development awareness,and make more achievements in intangible heritage protection by taking regional and ethnic characteristics of intangible heritage protection into consideration. 1) Regularization Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Regularizing intangible cultural heritage includes regularizing intangible cultural heritage management and regularizing intangible cultural heritage protection. On 24 July,2011,the Cultural Ministry’ sAnnouncement of Strengthening Management of National Intangible Cultural Heritage Masterpiece Protectionmade a provision for regularizing management and supervision of intangible heritage protection. It created a requirement for dynamic management of national projects,and set up a mechanism for removing national intangible heritage items. By doing announcement standardized local intangible heritage protection in ethnic minority areas. 2) Industrialization of intangible cultural heritage protection question of whether intangible cultural heritage protection should be industrialized,i. e. turned into a cultural industry,is raising issue of how to handle contradiction between protection and transmission and rational exploitation. main purpose of intangible heritage protection in ethnic minority areas is to protect culture diversity. However,intangible cultural heritage is an important resource for development of cultural industries. Hence,the ethnic minority autonomous areas should think about cultural industries model,with purpose of both protecting intangible heritage,and specially managing those issues related to a rational industrialization of intangible heritage. 3) Diversification of intangible cultural heritage protection Viewed from perspective of working principles,organizing institutions,and working methods of intangible cultural heritage,we notice that bureaucratization is that main feature of present intangible cultural heritage protection. strong administrative nature of bureaucratization has resulted in dislocation of dominant rights in heritage protection,the separation of present heritage protection from former cultural protection work, and weakening of initiatives and enthusiasm in intangible heritage protection etc. Therefore,in terms of act of intangible heritage protection, we should change government universal protection model,and strive to realize diversification of primary protection bodies; and in doing so establish a multiple protection mechanism super-vised by government,researched by experts, transmitted and innovated by inheritors,and one in which social intermediary organizations, volunteers and public participate. 4) professionalization of intangible cultural heritage protection Intangible cultural heritage cannotbe separated from its specific time and space. Therefore,we must depend on professional protection measures and professional human resources if special properties of vitality ,including folk,dynamic,living and ecological natures,of intangible cultural heritage,are to be maintained. precondition of professional protection isfirst to classify types of intangible heritage, then,to conduct properly innovative activities,and last,to view correctly transformation between intangible cultural heritage and intangible culture. 5 ) Institutionalization of intangible cultural heritage protection The Law of Intangible Cultural Heritageis a basic principle for adjusting relations of intangible cultural heritages. However,in ethnic minority areas,the law lacks pertinence and operability regarding intangible heritage protection. . Therefore,the ethnic minority areas should consider following actions from perspective of ethnic minority autonomous rights: a. promote participation of community b. ensure ethnic minoritys’right of development; and c. make specific regulations and technical standards. Conclusion An effective approach to protection of intangible cultural heritage in Sichuan’ s ethnic minority areas should: ( i) insist on advantage of having ethnic minority autonomous legislation in intangible cultural heritage protection,and provide basis for intangible cultural heritage protection through perfecting legal system; ( ii) strictly obey basic principles of intangible cultural heritage protection,insist on precondition of classify in g types of intangible cultural heritage,and explore productive protection model in intangible cultural heritage protection; ( iv) insist on basic model of state led intangible cultural herit-age protection,and conduct project final period management based on present protection system of making national,provincial,prefecture ( city) and county level name list; ( v ) combine intangible cultural heritage protection with development of local cultural industries and tourism resources,and mobilize enthusiasm of local community’ s to participate in showing their own intangible cultural heritage; ( vi) insist on regularizing management of those individuals who inherit intangible cultural heritage masterpieces. Make their obligations and rights clear,create a system which encourages them,and let those who inherit these traditions fully play their role; ( vii) consider condition of ethnic minority areas,and seek national support from both a policy and financial perspective. After conducting works mentioned above,intangible cultural heritage protection in Sichuan ethnic minority areas might reach a more idealistic phase in which government leads powerfully; legal system safeguards heritage perfectly; both economy and culture develop harmoniously; public has a strong sense of self awareness,and their actions are conducted consciously.