The traditional dance forms of the Malay communities in Singapore are wide-ranging and diverse, and they include zapin, joget, asli and inang, amongst others. Most of these traditional dance forms were already popular in Singapore during the early 20th century. Today, they are performed at festive events, staged as productions, and also taught to the younger generation through performing arts schools.

Acupuncture and moxibustion of TCM(traditional Chinese medicine) is a traditional knowledge and practice for regulating the body’s balance and maintaining health. It is based on the holistic concept of the ‘unity between man and nature’. Under the guidance of the theories of the channels and acupuncture points, its practice involves the insertion of needles into points or the burning of moxa to warm the superficial part of the body. The holistic concept of the ‘unity between man and nature’ views the living individual as a component part of the universe, and explains life activities with the theory of yin and yang. It holds that the occurrence of disease is due to either an imbalance of yin and yang within the body, or an imbalance of yin and yang between the human body and universe. The theories of acupuncture and moxibustion hold that the human body is a small universe, each part of which is connected by channels. Through long-term practice, points on the channels have been discovered, gradually developing into a systematized theory, of which the 12 channels correspond to the 12 months, and 365 acupuncture points to the 365 days of the year. Palpation on the three portions of the body (upper, middle and lower) and three needling depths (superficial, moderate and deep) are associated respectively with heaven, man and earth. The principle of selecting points on the lower body for diseases in the upper, or of selecting points on the right for diseases on the left reflects clearly this TCM holistic view of seeing the human body as an integral whole. The practice of acupuncture and moxibustion includes two treatment modalities: acupuncture and moxibustion. In acupuncture, needles are properly selected according to the individual conditions and used to puncture and stimulate the chosen points to dredge the channels with “lifting”, “thrusting”, “twirling” and “rotating” methods, or with comprehensive needling techniques, for both prevention and treatment of disease. Nine needles of different shapes and dozens of different needling techniques were recorded in Zhen Jing (Classic of Acupuncture, 针经) in the 2nd to 3rd century B.C. Needles were mainly made of special stones, or metals (such as bronze, iron, gold and silver). Modern needles are mostly made of stainless steel. Moxibustion is usually divided into direct and indirect moxibustion, in which either moxa cones are placed directly on points or moxa sticks are held and kept at some distance from the body surface to warm the points so as to adjust the yin and yang of the body and restore balance. Moxa cones and sticks are made of moxa wool processed from moxa leaves which have been dried up and ground into wool. They are inflammable with an even warmth and burn for a long period of time. Artemisiae, the raw material of moxa, is an aromatic plant. It grows widely in China, and has been extensively used in moxibustion because since ancient times the Chinese have believed that it can dispel pathogenic factors. Acupuncture and moxibustion has been re-created in response to its environment and interactions with nature and history. Therefore, characteristics of regional, group or individual schools have been formed. The “three-step needling techniques” improved upon by Cheng Xinnong (1921-) and the “three-free-flow needling techniques” summarized by He Puren (1926-) have brought a far-reaching influence on promotion of the continuing existence of this tradition. A great deal of common sayings, such as “Hegu (LI4) is used for diseases of the face and mouth, Weizhong (BL40) for the back and lumbus” and "without knowledge of the channels, mistakes when needling are inevitable”, objectively explains that acupuncture and moxibustion manifests itself in the culture integrated highly by knowledge coupled with practice. Therefore, to be an identified tradition bearer demands long-term accumulation of knowledge and practical experience. Acupuncture and moxibustion has been transmitted through teaching by personal examples as well as verbal instruction in inherited lineages formed by master-disciple relations or members of a clan. These tradition bearers are identified by their reverence for Huang Di and Fu Xi (two founders of acupuncture and moxibustion). The bronze figure of acupuncture points cast in 1026 (Song Dynasty), Zhen Jiu Jia Yi Jing (Systematic Classic of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, 针灸甲乙经) compiled in 259, Zhen Jiu Da Cheng (The Great Compendium of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, 针灸大成) written in 1601 and other works, are a testimony to the inheritance and development of this tradition, which have served as important reference materials in the study of acupuncture and moxibustion, and have been playing a significant role in their viability and re-creation. Among the Chinese, there are sayings such as “one needle and a bundle of herbs keeps you healthy into your old age” and “hanging moxa leaves in front of your house gate on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month keeps the doctor away all year round”. This shows in all aspects that acupuncture and moxibustion has produced a great impact on people’s lives and reflects its relevant visibility and awareness. Acupuncture and moxibustion, an embodiment of the wisdom of the Chinese nation and a reflection of the uniqueness of Chinese culture, has been playing an important role in promoting people’s healthcare with its steady rate of development and systematized theories inherited in history.

China 2010

Inscribed in 2015 (10.COM) on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity Tugging rituals and games of Vietnam have different characteristics, meanings and rules. The element is held as part of village festivals in Spring, a form for communities to pray for abundant harvests and prosperity, marking the start of a new agricultural cycle. Tugging game symbolizes the power of natural forces like the sun, water source that influence the harvests. In some localities, tugging game is associated with the legends of worshiped heroes for their merit in reclaiming the land, fighting against foreign invaders, protecting prosperous life of the people. It is usually held at the communal houses or temples after the rirual of commemoration of local guardian deities finished. The material used for tugging varies from region to region, reflecting the ecological and cultural context of each community, it can be made of bamboo, rattan stems, or ropes. The procedure for selecting teams or players is in accordance to the ritual rules, and the winning or losing team is regulated by customs to express certain religious meanings and the harmony of nature. Nowadays, tugging rituals and games are popularly known as a folk game that is entertaining, sporty and collective.

Cambodia,South Korea,Philippines,Viet Nam 2015

LAPITA In 1917, Maurice Piroutet a French geologist discovered pottery shards along the coast of Fouē in the province of Konē in New Caledonia. The design was similar to the tapa motifs in the Lau group today. The pottery fragments were named after the beach from it was found. The name then was extended to all places in the Pacific in which the shards were found. HOW OLD ARE THE RELICS. There is geological and archaeological evidence of a certain group of people who navigated the Pacific Ocean with distinctive pottery design known as Lapita. Science and carbon dating can determine the age of a relic and the year in which the owner inhabited an island. WHO WERE THE LAPITA PEOPLE? Researchers found that prior to the habitation of the Pacific, a group of people called the Austronesians existed. They are identified through their language family. During those days, the language was not so diverse as today. 3,500 years ago they navigated the Pacific Ocean with their double-hulled canoes called the Drua. Evidence stipulated that these people originated from South China. They brought with them a distinctive pottery design, domesticated animals such as pigs, chicken, dogs and geminated trees such as breadfruit. They are the inhabitants of today’s Madagascar, South East Asia, Bismarck Archipelago near Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Fiji, Samoa, Hawaii, Rapanui and New Zealand.

In China, the art of seal engraving is recognized as one of the finest examples of traditional arts and crafts and is of immeasurable cultural value with a history of over 3,000 years. In ancient China, seals served as the personal signature of their owners, and, more significantly, also served as a symbol of legitimacy for a ruler or an entire government. Seal engraving represents the harmonious combination of calligraphic aesthetics with the precise skills of engraving and meticulous attention to detail. The seal must use what is often a very limited space in order to convey the unique character traits of its purpose or the personality of its owner. For thousands of years, it has had both a purely functional use as well as attaining the highest levels of artistic and cultural aesthetics. Seal engravers preserve artistic traditions while also reaching out in new directions and revealing fascinatingly different styles: exaggerating the thinness or thickness of a character, elaborately curving or angling a stroke, or even deliberately re-forming traditional ideograms for artistic effect. Indeed, the work of master seal engravers is no less important than the work of well-known painters or calligraphers in Chinese history. The engraving process is unique. The tools used for seal engraving include the knife, seal holder, seal ink, writing brush, and xuan paper. A design is made on paper—when engraved, the characters have to be written on stone surface opposite to what they will look like. After the engraving is completed, press the seal in the seal ink to make an impression on xuan paper. Additional text is often engraved on the side of the seals, from which rubbings can be made. Seal engraving has the following unique characteristics: 1.The artists use engraved characters to show the aesthetics of traditional Chinese culture through the harmony of positive and negative and the balance of abstract and concrete forms. 2.The artists use seals to express their accumulated ideas, artistic sensibilities, and engraving skills in a very small space. 3.The creation of seals is an integration of man and nature through the engraving process. 4.Seals display the quality of the stone and the style of the calligraphy. The art of seal engraving embodies important cultural and social functions. It is the expression of the artists’ own imagination, as well as a way of personal cultivation and the blending of art, literature, aesthetics, and language. Seals also serve as a means of communication and have been used by scholars and art collectors as a means of personal identification, a claim of ownership, or for social interaction. The art of seal engraving also reached other parts of East and Southeast Asia as part of the exchanges of culture and art among different nations. Today the art form enjoys worldwide appeal among historians, art lovers, and collectors.

China 2009

Nanyin is one of the oldest music genres in China. It lasts for thousands of years and prevails in Minnan area (including Quanzhou, Xiamen and Zhangzhou, with Quanzhou as its center). Between 4 AD and 13 AD, the musical culture of central China went down to the south. It continuously integrated with the local arts and finally gave birth to the nanyin. The playing modes of nanyin are related with many forms of music and instruments, such as Xianghege (literally “Song of Harmony”) and Qingshangyue (a music genre) popular in the Han and Jin dynasties (B.C. 206-420 A.D.), and Yanyue (a kind of court banquet music) and Daqu (a grand piece) popular in the Tang Dynasty (618 -907). The singing of nanyin follows the Quanzhou dialect since it came out. The musical instruments adopted and only found in nanyin mainly include dongxiao, an end-blown bamboo flute originated from the Wei and Jin Dynasties (220 AD-420 AD) (found in the murals found in No. 6 tomb in Jiayu Pass) and pipa, a kind of crooked-necked and horizontally played instrument widely used in the Tang Dynasty (618-907) (found in the murals at Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang). Nanyin also adopts some hand percussion instruments described in Yueshu (Book of Music) by Cheng Yang (1068-1128) of the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127), including clappers (made of five pieces of litchi wood), erxian (a two-stringed plucked instrument), sanxian (a three-stringed plucked instrument), siguan (a kind of pipe), xiangzhan (a kind of small bronze horizontal gong), xiaojiao (a kind of small bronze percussion instrument), sibao (a kind of bamboo clappers), shuangling (double-bell) and biangu (a kind of flat drum). The sculpture of apsarases playing musical instructions in Daxiong Hall and Jietan (the place for monastic vows) of the Kaiyuan Temple reflects the musical culture in the Tang Dynasty. The musical instruments in the sculpture can be found today in the performances of nanyin. The most popular combination of the musical instruments includes pipa, dongxiao, erxian, sanxian and clappers currently. The sounds played by the combination coincide with each other in different orders and give forth the peasant and lingering melodies. The melodies contain fixed alternation system on basis of seven tones in the diatonic scale. The singing and the musical performance in nanyin are very difficult. Both the music and the sound must “be steady, flow smoothly at starting, be deeply moving in the middle and sound strong and round at the end”. The musical notation in nanyin is the inheritance of Chinese ancient musical notation. It uses five Chinese characters of “乂, 工, 六, 思, 一” to represent five musical notes. The signs of pipa zhigupu (music notation) and time-beating are attached beside the characters, including the concerned diction in midst. From the Three Special Melodic Phenomenon in the Instrumental Music of Nanyin published 420 years ago (one special melodic phenomenon is kept in the Cambridge University Library in Britain, and the other two are kept in Sachsen-based state library in Germany) to the various folk manuscripts, it shows that nanyin had widely adopted the accurate musical notation. Nanyin consists of three components, namely, pu (qiyuequ, refers to suites of instrumental music that carry no texts), zhi (taoqu, a kind of suites with lyrics, notation and pipa’s fingering), and qu (sanqu or qingchang, refers to “qu singing”). Nanyin involves legends in different generations, social customs and public feelings, and is very instructive. Among the more than 3,000 existing pieces of works, Qu accounts for 90%. It also contains many famous poems of the Tang and Five dynasties (907-960), including In Memory of A Maiden of Qin (The flute plays) by Li Bai, An Epigraph in Praise of My Humble Home by Liu Yuxi, Sheng Cha Zi (The crescent moon) by Niu Xiji, and Waves Sifting Sand (The rain gurgle outside the curtains) by Li Yu. Some lost plays of nanxi (southern opera) in the Song and Yuan dynasties (1127-1368) such as the Wang Huan, a masterpiece, can be found in nanyin. They are the precious heritages in the history of ancient Chinese musical culture. Nanyin is a common hobby and an important component of life for people in Minnan (south of Fujian). Nanyin is shown in various places such as courtyards, teahouses, squares, stages, halls and chambers, and different occasions including weddings, funerals and festivals by multi-means. As Nanyin is a common hobby and an important component of life for people in Minnan (south of Fujian). Nanyin is shown in various places such as courtyards, teahouses, squares, stages, halls and chambers, and different occasions including weddings, funerals and festivals by multi-means. As Minnan people moved to other areas, nanyin was also brought to Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macao and the Southeast Asia. Wherever there are people from Minnan, there would have nanyin performance. Nanyin is the sound of hometown and motherland in the mind of Minnan people. Nanyin has become indispensable to the people's cultural life. An integral cultural event is composed of the sacrificial activities in spring and autumn, the ceremony for worshiping god of music (Meng Chang, 919-965), the master-disciple ceremony, the mutual visiting ceremony, social events and the nanyin performance. Nanyin is passed down and recreated by the local people in the long history of development. Various operas including puppet shows and Gaojia opera borrow ideas from nanyin. Nanyin lays a firm foundation for the growth of local opera music. Learning the musical and performance elements from local operas, nanyin greatly enriches the expressive force. By the innovation of integrating old tunes and new texts, nanyin advances with the times and meets the needs of environment and history.

China 2009

National Intangible Cultural Heritage, Republic of Korea Hanjijang refers to a craftsman skilled in the art of making traditional paper, hanji, from the bark of mulberry (Broussonetia kazinoki) trees and mulberry paste. Making hanji requires great skill and extensive experience. The mulberry bark has to be collected, steamed, boiled, dried, peeled, boiled again, beaten, mixed, strained, and dried; 99 processes are said to be required to get the paper in one’s hands, so the final process was also called baekji, meaning “one hundred paper.” Korean hanji was so famous back in the Goryeo Dynasty that the Chinese called the best-quality paper Goryeoji (literally meaning “Goryeo Paper”). Sun Mu from the Song Dynasty of China lavished Goryeo paper with praises in his book Jilin leishi (Things on Korea), saying that it was white and glossy and lovely. In the Joseon Dynasty, from the time of King Taejong, the state began to oversee paper production, establishing the office called Jojiseo (Paper Manufactory). In modern times, however, the change in architectural styles and housing environment and the import of paper have led to the virtual disappearance of traditional hanji. Today, because of high production costs, hanji is made with pulp imported from Southeast Asia rather than mulberry bark. To keep the art of hanji alive and pass it on to the next generation, the Cultural Heritage Administration has designated hanji making an Important Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Among the various types of Thai traditional puppet performances, “Hun Lakorn Lek” is one that stands out. This type of puppet is distinct from other typical Thai forms 0f puppetry, as normally the marionettes will only have moving heads and hands on an otherwise static body. In contrast, Hun Lakorn Lek is performed with figures that are completely moveable, allowing head, body, arms and legs to act independently. This results in a puppet that, if operated with masterly skill, can move like a real human. This impression is further strengthened by the well-measured proportions of the puppet, which also match those of real humans, albeit at a smaller scale. The puppets are used to perform a wide repertoire of stories that mostly draw on traditional Thai literature with some exceptions that instead depict contemporary tales. Since the ancient civilizations of Southeast Asia have long been influenced by Indian cultures there is a clear impact of Indic mythology in traditional Thai art and literature, which is also evident in the traditional puppet shows. One of the most well-known myths with Indian origins in Thai culture is the Ramayana. This epic follows the life of Rama, from the time when he was a prince of Ayodhya city in the kingdom of Kosala and got exiled in the forest for fourteen years by his father. The tale picks up in intensity when Rama’s wife Sita got kidnapped by Ravana, king of Lanka, one of Rama’s enemies over whom he manages to triumph in the end. After returning back to Ayodhya with his wife, the successful Rama is crowned as king. However, when Thai poets learned about this story they also adapted and rewrote it into a new version known in Thai as “Ramakien" in order to make the story fit better with the local background.

Pantun is a form of Malay verse used to express intricate ideas and emotions. It is the most widespread oral form in maritime Southeast Asia and has been used in many parts of the region for at least 500 years. Pantun has a clear a-b-a-b rhyme scheme. The four-line variety is the most common.

Indonesia,Malaysia 2020

The Pottery Making Craft of the Cham people in Bau Truc Village, Phuoc Dan town, Ninh Phuoc district, Ninh Thuan province is a pottery production craft village with a long tradition and is typical not only in Vietnam but also in Southeast Asia. Bau Truc Pottery has existed since the end of the 12th century until now, this is considered one of the very few ancient pottery villages in Southeast Asia that still retains the primitive production method from thousands of years ago. The Traditional Pottery Making of the Cham in Bàu Trúc Village is done by hand, with the main materials being clay and sand taken from the village. The Traditional Pottery Making process of the Cham people includes many interconnected stages. The first is choosing and taking the soil. The treatment of the soil before making pottery determines the quality and efficiency of the product after firing. After taking the soil, people break it into small pieces to filter out the impurities, taking only the yellow clay and then incubating it to keep it soft. Taking a sufficient amount of clay, the Cham woman gracefully kneads it until it becomes soft, then places it on a large jar to create a block. The ceramic product is completely handmade, “shaped by hand, without a turntable.” The artisan walks backwards around the pottery-shaping table and uses the unique Cham pottery-shaping technique of straight strokes (different from the horizontal strokes in pottery villages that use turntables). After that, they use a “circle” to brush around the body of the pottery, then use a wet cloth to wrap around their hands, and rub the outside of the pottery until it is shiny. Next comes the step of decorating the pattern. After shaping, the product is left in the shade for 24 hours, then rubbed thinly and continued to dry for another 7 days until completely dry, before being fired. Thanks to this, the product will be “ripe” thoroughly and will not crack. The product is fired in the open air after being crafted. Depending on the conditions of sunlight and wind, combined with the process and technique of spraying colors (extracted from cashew nut oil, dong tree ...) will produce products with characteristic colors such as red-yellow, pink-red, gray-black, strange and beautiful brown streaks, clearly showing the ancient Cham culture. Products serving daily life, decoration and beliefs, religions such as: ceramic vases, tea sets, animals, reliefs ... Natural colors through the firing and incubation process. Each Cham ceramic product shows the style, craftsmanship, and ingenuity of each craftsman. In addition to household ceramic products, Bau Truc ceramic craft also promotes the development of decorative ceramics, fine art ceramics, souvenir ceramics with aesthetic content, giving high economic value such as: decorative ceramic lamps, night lights, flower vases, water bottles, teapots, vases, water towers, .... The Traditional Pottery Making of the Cham in Bàu Trúc Village contains the secrets and ingenuity of the craftsmen, creating products imbued with the cultural identity of the Cham people. The Pottery Making Craft of the Cham people in Bau Truc Village plays an important role in the economic, cultural and social life. Pottery products are indispensable in the daily life of each family and in the cultural beliefs of the Cham community. With its unique values, the Traditional Pottery Making of the Cham in Bàu Trúc Village has been recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage (in 2017), and this Heritage has also been listed by UNESCO in the List of "Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding" (in 2022).

Viet Nam 2022