Kathmandu Valley is also known as the city of temples with stupas, shrines, and statues in every nook and corner of the historic centers. Festivals and rituals unfolding throughout the year make the place even more outstanding. It would be interesting to know how most of these monuments and festivals have survived for over hundreds of years.\n\nThe Newar people, or indigenous people loosely identified as those living in Kathmandu Valley, are accustomed to caste, locality, and the system of guthi. Guthi refers to social associations with objectives similar to a format of trusts that play an important role in safeguarding both tangible and intangible heritage. It is still a backbone for the continuity of most festivals, rituals, and traditional practices in Kathmandu Valley.\n\nIn Nepal, every household is a member of at least one guthi formed for a specific purpose, like taking care of temples, performing mask dances, playing musical instruments, lighting butter lamps, taking care of stupas or bridges, and many more. Among many types of guthi is si guthi or sana guthi, which means being in charge of the cremation ceremony. Another example is twa guthi or the responsibility of male family members to be serve a certain function for their caste—teaching traditional musical instruments and taking care of specific temples, rituals, and festivals are exemplary functions of twa guthi.\n\nOne of the important aspects of the guthi system is the land endowment for sustaining guthis. In ancient times, wherever the temples were built or whenever festivals were initiated, the land was endowed to guthi. From the revenue generated from the given land, guthis paid priests, masons, craftsmen, artists, and others. In Nepal, it was not only kings and royals who did such endowments but also regular people. There were several reasons for this. People donated land for various purposes, such as religious piety or to fulfill the obligation one’s social status affords; moreover, this was done to avoid the state confiscating the land in times of political unrest. Once it was endowed to the god, to revoke it would be considered a great sin. Due to these reasons, there were many guthis and sufficient funds to safeguard several hundred temples, festivals, and rituals.\n\nIn the early phases of Nepali history, land endowments were taken by the state and rulers for their personal use; eventually repossessed lands were used to construct public buildings. The nationalization of guthi lands was a major setback to the indigenous community. Many guthis disappeared due to lack of the funds and rapid modernization of Nepal. The guthi system is not taken seriously in formal heritage conservation practices. If timely measures are not taken, then this unique practice will not survive long.\n\nPhoto : The guthi belonging to farmer Kilagal community performing the mask dance called Devi Pyakha during the Yenya Punhi Festival © Monalisa Maharjan

The Andong region has many highly renowned historic and cultural sites, such as Hahoe Village, however, the major cultural attraction of the region is the Andong International Mask Dance Festival.

Dressed in vibrant colors with mesmerizing masks, monks of Buddhist monasteries perform dances known as cham. These dances are performed in Buddhist monasteries of Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet, and India. This dance is commonly known lama in Nepal. There are different types of cham dances depending on the lineage of the monasteries and places. As many mask dances and rituals, this dance is also performed depending on the waxing and waning of the moon.\n\nThese dances originated in Tibet and have influence of the Bon religion and shaman culture. This dance is believed to eradicate diseases and negativity in the community and village, but also influence good harvests. According to the Tibetan legends, after the introduction of the Buddhism in Tibet, the king wanted to build Buddhist monasteries, but the spirits of the Bon religion created obstacles. A well-known Buddhist tantric from Uddiyana (presently the Swat region) known as Padmasamvaba was called on for this purpose. He performed a vajrakilaya dance to pacify the local spirits stirred by Bon magic and were not happy with the Buddhist monastery. After clearing the obstacles through the Padmasamvaba’s cham dance, the monastery was built in 706 CE. Now four school of Tibetan Buddhism (Nyingma, Sakya, Kagyu, and Gelug) use cham in their rituals.\n\nEven though Padmasamvaba is credited as the first cham dance, there have been contribution from many spiritual lamas to further develop cham dances. Many stories on improving the dances tell stories of lamas seeing dances in the dreams in which they remembered all the choreography and taught to the disciples. This transference of the knowledge from masters to apprentices still continues. Some Dalai Lamas have contributed to the cham dance. A few to mention here are the Fifth Dalai Lama (Gyalwa Lobsang Gyatso, 1618–1682), who not only described the dance minutely in chams yig but also constructed Potala Palace that became a Tibetan Buddhist center. The Thirteenth Dalai Lama, (Thupten Gyatso; 1876–1933), who fled to Mongolia during the British invasion, had vivid dreams. Based on those dreams he created a cham known as white man from Mongolia. Now after the dispersion of Tibetan Buddhists all over the world, cham dances are also widespread along with them. But the cham dances differ according to the school of Buddhism and also the dates of the dances.\n\nCham dances can be performed only by initiated monastery monks. Even if they have initiation weeks before the start of the dance, the monks practice these dances and undergo associated rituals. Depending on the type of dance, they will have a set of masks and the clothes. Cham dances feature various characters, most of which fall under the following types: 1) God of the Tibetan pantheon; 2) tramen, goddesses or witches; 3) ging, low ranked gods; 4) mahakalas, or wrathful protectors; 5) clown and jokers called stsaras; 6) mythical characters; and 7) humans. Cham dances are purification processes in which the demons enter through ritual and remain as a deity. These dances used to be performed in secrecy, but now everything is open.\n\nVarious musical instruments create devotional and symbolic music for the dances. Even human thigh bones were used as musical instruments to remind the performers about mortality and impermanence. The function of music and dances in Tibetan religious ceremonies is always directed towards attaining enlightenment.\n\nPhoto 1 : Cham dances being performed by the monks of Shechen Monastry, Boudha, Kathmandu ⓒ Shechen Monastry\nPhoto 2 : Cham dances performed by the monks of Shechen Monastry, Boudha, Kathmandu ⓒ Shechen Monastry

The Cultural Heritage Administration selected ‘mask dance of Korea’ as its 2020 nomination for UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity during a joint meeting of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Committee and the World Heritage Division of the Cultural Heritage Committee, which was held on 6 December 2019. Regarding the nomination, the International Mask Arts & Culture Organization (IMACO) held a research presentation and an international academic symposium on 20 and 21 December in collaboration with Andong City, Korea.\n\nHere, ‘mask dance of Korea’ refers to a kind of drama performed while wearing masks with different local features. It is a comprehensive folk art that encompasses a variety of elements, including singing, dance, dramatic content, and costumes. Korean mask dance is a novel form of expressing the thoughts and feelings of the people, and it truly mesmerizes the audience with diverse characters and dance moves.\n\nTraditionally, Korean mask dances helped people express their suppressed feelings and satire. Different types of mask dance drama have been transmitted nationwide. Among them, in particular, are Hahoe Byeolsingut Talnori of Andong, Byeolsingut Talnori of Gangneung, Songpa Sandae Nori and Yangju Byeolsandae Nori of Seoul and Gyeonggi-do, Haeseo of Hwanghae-do (incl. Bongsan, Gangnyeong, Eunyul), and Yayu and Ogwangdae of the east and west areas of Nakdong River.\n\nThe mask dance was a representative folk culture of the late Joseon period in Korea, along with pansori, a traditional form of musical storytelling. Mask dances hold great artistic significance and value in Korea’s traditional community, as it relates to the minds of the people through its theatrical and entertaining aspects while also functioning as a medium for social criticism.\n\nUntil now, thirteen mask dance elements have been listed as national intangible cultural heritage and four others have been listed as city/provincial intangible cultural heritage. The Cultural Heritage Administration is planning to submit the nomination file on Korean mask dance to UNESCO by the end of March 2020. The nomination will be decided during the seventeenth session of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Committee to be held in 2022.\n\nMeanwhile, a special exhibition titled “In High Spirit, Away From Sorrows: Traditional Korea Mask Dance Drama” is being held at the National Intangible Heritage Center located in Jeonju, Korea. The exhibition presents the history of traditional masks and mask dance as well as five traditional masks known as hahoe-tal, the oldest mask dance tradition in Korea. The exhibition will be running until 23 February 2020. For more information, please visit the website.\n\nPhoto : Korean Mask Dance ⓒ shutterstock

Colloquially, a mask often used in artistic mask dance performances to disguise or hide the original appearance is called “Baab” in Dzongkha (Bhutanese language) and in many local dialects. Baab is not only used for masquerade, but represents the appearance and expression of enlightened beings, celestial beings, guardian deities, and some extraordinary human beings who have helped to shape meaningful human life and promote harmonious living, which is why it is also referred to by the honorific title Zhal baab (face mask). Baab comes in many forms, appearances, complexions and with exceptional features that represent transcendent religious meanings and significance. Baab is the product of an art that requires several skills such as religious knowledge including proper proportions, biodiversity as the basic raw materials are woods, craftsmanship, blacksmithing in making tools and finally painting to give the mask the final structure.\n\nAccording to historical texts, the Baab tradition and the performance of the mask dance, usually called Gar-cham, was introduced to Bhutan by Guru Padmasambava in the early 8 th century. Later, it was further developed by eminent Buddhist masters, especially Terton (discoverer of the hidden treasure) Pema Lingpa (1450-1521), who introduced many sacred mask dances and passed on the art of Baab making, which is still recognized and known today for his contribution to the enrichment of Bhutan’s indigenous art and culture. His exceptional art of Baab making and mask dances was later recognized by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal (1594-1651), the head of the state government, and included as one of the of Bhutan’s intangible cultural heritage domain of arts and crafts. Thereafter, the Baab tradition was maintained and enjoyed increasing popularity after the heads of the state government, chief abbots and successive monarchs introduced and authorized other private religious institutions to organize Tshe-chu, Drub-chen, Chod-pa, Rab-ne, Me-wang, Ma-ni, Due-chod (mask dance festivals), etc. throughout the country.\n\nColloquially, a mask often used in artistic mask dance performances to disguise or hide the original appearance is called “Baab” in Dzongkha (Bhutanese language) and in many local dialects. Baab is not only used for masquerade, but represents the appearance and expression of enlightened beings, celestial beings, guardian deities, and some extraordinary human beings who have helped to shape meaningful human life and promote harmonious living, which is why it is also referred to by the honorific title Zhal baab (face mask). Baab comes in many forms, appearances, complexions and with exceptional features that represent transcendent religious meanings and significance. Baab is the product of an art that requires several skills such as religious knowledge including proper proportions, biodiversity as the basic raw materials are woods, craftsmanship, blacksmithing in making tools and finally painting to give the mask the final structure.\n\nAccording to historical texts, the Baab tradition and the performance of the mask dance, usually called Gar-cham, was introduced to Bhutan by Guru Padmasambava in the early 8 th century. Later, it was further developed by eminent Buddhist masters, especially Terton (discoverer of the hidden treasure) Pema Lingpa (1450-1521), who introduced many sacred mask dances and passed on the art of Baab making, which is still recognized and known today for his contribution to the enrichment of Bhutan’s indigenous art and culture. His exceptional art of Baab making and mask dances was later recognized by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal (1594-1651), the head of the state government, and included as one of the of Bhutan’s intangible cultural heritage domain of arts and crafts. Thereafter, the Baab tradition was maintained and enjoyed increasing popularity after the heads of the state government, chief abbots and successive monarchs introduced and authorized other private religious institutions to organize Tshe-chu, Drub-chen, Chod-pa, Rab-ne, Me-wang, Ma-ni, Due-chod (mask dance festivals), etc. throughout the country.\n\nIn general, the manifestations of Baab can be summarized as; Baab of deities and gods, animals and extraordinary human beings. It is firmly believed that the masks of the deities and gods manifest themselves in various emotional appearances such as; graceful, heroic, abominable, wrathful, compassionate, comical, wondrous, terrifying and petrifying. These expressions can also be divided into four categories: peaceful, inspiring, empowering and angry.\n\nBaab comes in different colors and with unusual features that remind of victory over emotional poisons that disturb the peace and tranquility of both one’s own and others and worldly affairs. The white color represents serenity and overcoming anger, the yellow represents inspiration and overcoming ego, the red represents strength and overcoming attachments, the green represents anger and overcoming envy, the blue represents inaction and overcoming ignorance, and the black represents neutrality and abiding in the ultimate emptiness. Similarly, the extraordinary characteristics are;\n\n1. Five-syllable headgear: embodiment of five transcended Buddhas.\n2. Five-Skull Headgear: Triumph over the five emotional poisons and possession of the five transcendental wisdoms.\n3. Opened mouth: feasting on the malignant obstacles.\n4. Rolled tongue: making palate noises after feasting.\n5. Four fangs: overcoming birth and death.\n6. Bitten off lower lip: expression of anger out of pity.\n7. Flaming beard and eyebrows: burning of negative actions and impurities.\n8. Gazing three eyes: seeing the past, present and future activities.\n\nThere are three types of masks made by Bhutanese artisans: Re baab (paper and cloth mask), Shing baab (wooden mask) and Sing-phye baab (mask made of a mixture of sawdust). However, the former two are ancient technical craft, while the latter is a newer product used mainly for commercial or decorative purposes. Traditionally, Baab are used only for the actual performance or kept as relics after the consecration ceremony has been performed by spiritual masters. It is believed that if these items are not blessed, they are as good as toys and are haunted by the spirits, causing harm to society.\n\nphoto 1 : Wangzhing Rabney, Lhuntse © Drungtsho Jigme Singye \nphoto 2 : Trongsa Dzong © Yeshi Lhednup\nphoto 3 : Shing-baab Wangzhing Rabney, Lhuntse © Drungtsho Jigme Singy\nphoto 4 : Baab ,Tamzhing Phagla Tshechu, Bumthang © Yeshi Lhendup\nphoto 5 : Wangzhing Rabney, Lhuntse © Drungtsho Jigme Singye\nphoto 6 : Trongsa Dzong © Yeshi Lhednup

On 30 November 2022, “Talchum, Mask Dance Drama in the Republic of Korea” was inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This was a significant honor as it represented the global recognition of the value of sharing and jointly transmitting this traditional art. It also suggested that Korea’s efforts to transmit Talchum to date had not been in vain, while also affirming the relevance of Korea’s experience in terms of transmitting other ICH. The inscription of Talchum on the UNESCO Representative List came as a result of the recognition of Korea’s unique notion of freedom and its efforts to achieve universal equality, which all of humanity now shares and contributes to.

On 24th of September 2021, through the narrow lanes of ancient city of Kathmandu mass of women was seen pulling the chariots of Kumari, Ganesh and Bhairav. This spectacular scene was an unthinkable of a decade back. Women play integral role in the Newa household and many traditional functions but in the public events women always occupy backstage.\n\nNow on the last day of weeklong street festival – Yenyā Punhi also known as Indra Jatra, the new traditions of pulling chariot by women have been started. On this festival along with chariot processions many other activities takes place in those seven days such as several mask dances, raising of wooden logs, procession with lamps around ancient city boundary, display of Bhairav deities in the streets and other smaller events.\n\nThe chariot processions of Kumari, Bhairav and Ganesh, represented by children holds a special place, as Goddess Kumari was the tutelary goddess of Malla King of Kathmandu Valley and this practice is still present. In past women never participated in the pulling any of the chariots, this might be due to several reasons such as the chaos while pulling, crowd and social taboo.\n\nThree wooden chariots of Ganesh, Kumari and Bhairav get pulled for three days, which starts from third or fourth day of the Yenyā Punhi festival. First day of chariot procession is done through lower quarters of ancient city, second day through upper quarters and finally on the last day through middle quarter. The last day of the whole festival is known as Nānichāyā.\n\nThe new tradition of pulling the chariot by women has been started on day of Nānichāyā since Nepal Sambat 1132 (2011 AD). Mrs. Nanihira Prajapati, coordinator of pulling chariot shares the story of women pulling chariot was an idea implanted by late Mr. Mohan Krishna Dongol. It was his support and idea that the women were able to pull the chariot and which is still continued. Last year the whole festival was halted due to Covid-19 and the chariot procession too.\nThe chariot pulling by women are now well organized and with much security. According to Mrs. Prajapati there are 13-core team, each chariot being looked by four core team members. Mrs. Prajapati is responsible for overall processions management. The security is also arranged with women police throughout the processions.\n\nThe organization committee has made mandatory to register for those interested to pull. After which they get a pass and a T-shirt, which is to identify actual chariot pullers. Some women are also trained before the procession by Maha, the person who sits at the front of chariot and directs the chariot.\n\nMrs. Prajapati shares her experience that when they started they were not organized as now. On first year they just pulled the chariot of Goddess Kumari, even they were suggested to pull just a short distance if it was difficult. With proud smile she further adds that they completed the whole route. Women, girls and teenagers all came to participate on that historic day. After the event they received much support and media exposure, and were encouraged to pull all the chariots from next year.\n\nFollowing the women taking lead in procession, the drinking of alcohol which flows from the giant Swait Bhariav Mask was started by women as well, designating fixed day for just women.\n\nYoung girls are also seen playing different traditional musical instruments on this festival as well as in several other festivals.\n\nNow days there are a considerable active participation of women in many festivals, not holding the backstage positions of cooking and making arrangements.\n\nphoto 1~2 : Women pulling chariots of Kumari, Ganesh and Bhairav during the festival of Yenyā 2021 (Indra Jatra) © Sandesh Munikar

Every year, during the months of September to April, the festivals of Tshechu, Rabney, Mani, Mewang, Choed-pa, Due-choed, Yak-choed, Drub and Drub-chen are conducted simultaneously at various heritage sites; Dzongs (fortresses), monasteries and temples in Bhutan. This event transforms the sites into decorated places filled with offerings in the shrines and the surroundings filled with the resonance of religious musical instruments. It also brings together monks and local communities to jointly perform propitiation and affirmation rituals for the patron deities, along with the presentation of various sacred mask dances. People gather with most enchanting dresses to receive the blessings, say prayers and enjoy the much-awaited festive event.\n\nThese sensational dances are generally called Gar-chham which derived from Buddhist terminology. The term gar-chham is composed of two verbs: gar and chham. The various gestures exhibited by the hands are called Gar, whereas the manner of the legs is called Chham. Garchham is considered one of the means of liberation called thong-drol (liberation through seeing), as it helps to mature and realize the primordial Buddha-nature, and reminds one to engage in wholesome activities.\n\nIn the 8th century, Guru Padmasambava, a great Buddhist tantric master introduced the Garchham concept in Bhutan and also into the Buddhist tradition in 737 AD. This concept was further popularized by Terton (The Treasurer Revealer) Pema Lingpa (1450-1521) by introducing many sacred mask dances, mostly performed by laymen (community members). These performances are called Boe-chham. Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal (1594-1651) also placed more emphasis on the importance of these dances and included them in the curricula of the central monastery under the title Gar-thig-yang-sum (Mask Dances, Proportions Mandala Drawing and Ritual Intonation) to embed them in the realm of cultural heritage. The gar-chhams performed by monks are called Tsun-chham.\n\nWhether Tsun-chham or Boe-chham, gar-chhams are generally divided into three broad categories: Trul-pai zu-thrul gi gar-chham (manifested mask dances), Ka-ter dag-nang gi garchham (visualized mask dances), and Nam-thar zhi-chol gi gar-chham (biography-based mask dances). The subjugation of evil spirits and the liberation of their impure soul into the realm of Buddhahood through manifestation into pacifying, enriching, magnetizing, and wrathful forms are called trul-pai zu-thrul gi gar-chham. An example of this dance is the dance of the Eight Manifestations of Guru Padmasambava. Similarly, ka-ter dag-nang gi gar-chham are the profound performances of the guardian deities visualized in the meditative state of a spiritual being. Some examples of such performances are the mask dances introduced by Terton Pema Lingpa. Finally, Nam-thar zhi-chol gi gar-chham are performances identical to plays based on well-known biographies. These performances convey the righteous human values that lead to a harmonious life. One of the most popular plays is the mask dance of the Intermediate State after death.\n\nTsun-chham or Boe-chham can be easily distinguished from the masked dance costumes. The tsun-chham usually wears a brocade tunic with long and wide sleeves, while the boe-chham performers wear more colorful garments made of brocade and silk. In addition to the central monastic institutions, there are indigenous gar-chhams in communities and private temples and monasteries throughout the country, where community members are usually involved in organizing the event, performing the mask dance and presenting folk dances to safeguard their tradition.\n\nGar-chham is one of the activities that primarily serve to drive away evil spirits that harm the lives of sentient beings, hinder the spread of the sacred teachings, liberate our souls and lead them to the path of enlightenment. Therefore, out of compassion, the supreme beings manifest themselves in various forms, depending on the character of the obstacles, and bring them to the righteous path. Such activity can be represented by the character of our parents, who sometimes burst into anger and at other times are so loving to their children. The purpose of showing such characters is basically to make us a good and helpful person who ultimately helps to create a harmonious community.\n\nPicture 1: Gar-chham © Yeshi Lhendup (Kharchhu Treldha Tshechu)\nPicture 2: Boe-chham © Yeshi Lhendup (Buli Mani)\nPicture 3: Tsun-chham © Yeshi Lhendup (Kurje Tshechu)\nPicture 4: Mask dance of the Intermediate State © Yeshi Lhendup (Buli Mani)

Yenya Punhi (also known as Indra Jatra) is one of the most entertaining street festival of Nepal. Although it is celebrated in different cities where there is presence of Newa population. Kathmandu takes the claim to this festival as their main festival. Now this festival is even celebrated in different cities around the world such as London, Dallas, Baltimore, Sydney and Sikkim.\n\nYenya in Kathmandu is elaborate with multiple events taking place simultaneously indifferent corners of the city for eight days. Chariot processions of living gods and goddess, different mask dances, processions of people and deities, displays of Bhairav masks are some of the main events. So during this event every streets, courtyards and alleys in Kathmandu are filled with people, gods and festivities.\n\nIn the evening of the first day, people carry out procession called Upaku or palcha bi wonigu literally translated as – to distribute butter lamps. The family members of the decreased ones goes around the ancient city lighting incense sticks and placing butter lamps along the way at every cross roads and religious shrines. Some groups of people also follow the route singing bhajan (religious hymns) as well as young groups are seen with different traditional musical instruments.\n\nFrom the big temples to stupas, chaityas and even the smaller shrines along the procession route are decorated with flowers, lights and samayebaji (pile of beaten rice with different beans, meat and food items). Music, lights, religious hymns and people make the city into different ambience.\n\nThis event seems to be for entertainment but actually this is for those who passed away that year. Many people participating in the processions are dressed in white. According to the Newa ritual, the sons of the decreased member dress in white for the whole year. The local belief explains this ritual is to show the light to the soul of the decreased people the way to the heaven. And any wandering soul in the city gets way out.\n\nThe story of the procession route is as interesting as the event. Ancient city of Kathmandu used to be a walled city and people who go in upaku procession are walking around the outer boundary of the city. In 1769, Kathmandu was taken over by Shah king and then the walls were let to ruins, which is mentioned in the book Nepal Mandala by Mary Slusser.\n\nNow there are no physical traces of walls and gates but the intangible heritage like Upaku brings back the long lost physical memory of the city. These festivals and rituals are not just celebrating the present but also bringing back the memory of the past in present landscape. It is a way to tell the people of this generation about the past of the city.\n\nOral micro history is very important to know the people and place of the past, and it is even important in the context of country like Nepal. Rarely the history of people and ordinary structures are recorded. Kathmandu Valley is full of rituals, events and processions, which tell the stories of people and place from the ancient times. And in many instances the activities of the past gets recreated in the present context even though the lifestyles of people and urban morphology has changed in unimaginable ways. Continuity of intangible heritage is also the way to give continuity to the memories of place, practices and past.\n\nPicture 1: People taking part in procession, chanting religious hymns and placing lamps along the way. © Monalisa Maharjan \nPicture 2: Pile of unbaked clay pot with lamps placed on the road. © Monalisa Maharjan\nPicture 3: Temple decorated with flower, light and a pile of Samaybaji along the route of Upaku. © Monalisa Maharjan\nPicture 4: Small shrine with the offering of lights by the people on procession. © Monalisa Maharjan\nPicture 5: A decorated chaitya on the route. © Monalisa Maharjan

The Honor of Inscription\nOn 30 November 2022, “Talchum, Mask Dance Drama in the Republic of Korea” was inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This was a significant honor as it represented the global recognition of the value of sharing and jointly transmitting this traditional art. It also suggested that Korea’s efforts to transmit Talchum to date had not been in vain, while also affirming the relevance of Korea’s experience in terms of transmitting other ICH. The inscription of Talchum on the UNESCO Representative List came as a result of the recognition of Korea’s unique notion of freedom and its efforts to achieve universal equality, which all of humanity now shares and contributes to.

Talchum, the Korean mask dance, is a unique art form that combines Korean history, tradition, faith, and folk elements. Talchum satirizes the lives of ordinary people and yangban, the aristocratic class. The Tal (mask), which depicts characters in the stories, implies characteristics and meanings of each region. In this section, thirteen mask dance dramas of the Republic of Korea inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2022 are introduced.

Documentation of heritage is one of the important tools for both tangible and intangible heritage, not only for recovery in case of loss but also for transmission of knowledge. In the case of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH), documentation has been stressed as the starting point of safeguarding. Article 12 of the 2003 Convention clearly mentions that each state party should maintain the inventories of the Intangible Cultural present within the territory. Also, while sending the application for nominating ICH elements to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, or to the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding, the application file should also contain the inventories of each nominated element. From this, therefore, we can understand the significance of documentation in ICH.