Shawa Sha-khe/chi Chham (the mask dance of the stag and the hounds) or also called as Acho Phen-to (the Hunter and the servant) by its character is one of the mask dances that falls under the Nam-thar zhi-chol gi gar-chham (biography-based mask dances) category of three broad classifications of mask dances in the Bhutan. This mask dance has a characteristic of theatrical play extracted from the life story of Milarepa (1052-1135) and has various characters and episodes basically conveying the Buddhist principals of compassion, arising faith and human values that lead to a harmonious life. The origin of the mask dance dates back to the 11th century when Jetsun (venerable) Milarepa the great yogi from Tibet, converted Gonpo Dorji, a fierce hunter as his disciple who later listed as became one of his principal followers named as Khe-rawa Gonpo Dorji. In brief, the story goes as follows: While Milarepa was meditating in a cave known as Katya in Nyishangkurta (on the present-day border between the Tibetan autonomous region of China and Nepal), he heard a couple of hounds barking somewhere near to his hermitage. In a short while, a stag glistening with sweat and exhausted bounds into his cave indirectly seeking refuge from the lean and thin meditator Milarepa. Out of great and compassion and pity, Milarepa sangs a song to calm the terrified stag, which eventually laid down peacefully near to the great yogi in the cave. Led by the scent of the stag, two ferocious hounds; a red and a black-coloured appeared in lightning speed, rushed inside the cave in pursuit of the stag. Milarepa also calms them by singing yet another stanza of song dedicating to the hounds which subsides its rage and calmly sits beside Milarepa waggling its tail alike to their owner. Subsequently, the merciless hunter, the owner of the dogs, Gonpo Dorje soon arrives in pursuit of his target, the hounds, and steped into the cave frustrated, drenched in sweats, tired and a bow and arrow ready to release the trigger. The sight of his hounds and the stag calmly sitting together with Milarepa infuriates him, thinking that the yogi has used some kind of black magic on the animals. Dragged by his rage, he shoots an arrow at Milarepa which in-turn slips the arrow from his bowstring. Milarepa then sings the hunter a song to calm his mind and open it to the Dharma, but the hunter remains uncertain whether Milarepa is a great saint or else a black magic practitioner. Gonpo Dorje inspected Milarepa’s cave, and upon noticing nothing in it but an empty bowl surprised him. Overwhelmed by feelings of profound respect for Milarepa, feled deep remorse for all his past sinful actions and thereafter vowed never to commit such acts and became a faithful disciple. The mask dance has various characters such as; Shawa (the Stag), Sha-khi/che (two hounds), Acho (the hunter), Phen-to (servant), Milarepa (the Saint) and a package of Atsa-ra (clowns). The mask dance is performed only during the annual Tshe-chu (Mask Dance Festival) with several episodes portraying different scenes. The element is still vibrant in the country.

Tamzhing Phag-chham is a solo mask dance with a mask made of a wild boar (Sus scrofa), which is very common on the Asian continent. The term "Phag-chham" sometimes has two different meanings; Phag-chham (tamzhing Phag-chham) and the other, the Phag-chham performed during the Raksha Mangchham (a theatrical mask dance of the Intermediate state). Tamzhing Phag-chham was originally composed by the Great Treasurer Terton Pama Lingpa (1450-1521) on the consecration of the temple Tamzhing Lhundrub Choeling on the 15th day of the Tiger Month (11th month) of the Wood Ox Year, which corresponds to the Gregorian year 1505, in Bumthang, one of the central districts of Bhutan. Later it was performed in other monasteries founded either by Terton himself or by his successors in most of the eastern and central parts of Bhutan. Phag-chham is among the most important and sacred mask dances in Tamzhing, and the festival "Tamzhing Phag-la Chod-pa" is also named after this dance, which is held every year from the 10th to the 12th of the eighth lunar month. It is performed by an amateur and can only be danced by the Chhamjug (the second leader of the mask dancers), who wears a wooden boar mask, exquisite brocade costumes with dangling skirts made of five eye-catching colored cloths, and holds two bundles of willow branches in both hands. The boar mask is considered one of the masterpieces of the founder himself, as are the dance steps themselves. Since the mask is considered sacred, it is received in a Chibdrel (traditional procession) when the dancer comes out of the Chhamkhang (preparation room). The origin of the mask dance lies in local tradition: Pema Lingpa was looking for a suitable place for his temple in the Choekhor valley when he saw a wild boar digging in the ground. He realized that this was a sign from the enlightened being Dorje Phagmo (deity Skt. Vajravarahi) to show him the suitable place. After the temple was built, he held a festival in honor of the patron deities during the inauguration as a symbol of gratitude. Since it is believed that the prophecy and the groundbreaking ceremony for the Tamzhing Temple was led by Dorje Phagmo, the festival is dedicated to her and is called Phagla-Chodpa. On the second day of the festival, Phag-chham leads the ground-breaking ceremony to sanctify the site before more mask dances are performed for the audience. Due to the unexpected loss of the Chham-yig (choreography manuscript) from the monastery many years ago, elders have regretfully found that the Phag-chham performed today no longer contains the complete steps and choreography. Elderly locals says that, at that time, there were more than 14 different types of steps, and due to faulty oral tradition, nearly 50% of the choreographies have been lost. The communities are concerned that without documentation, there is a risk of even more steps being lost and even new ones being added, as many of the artisans are either lay monks or farmers from the affiliated communities.

In all submitting states, sericulture and traditional production of silk for weaving includes series of practices traditional knowledge, skills and crafts of the communities concerned related to growing mulberry trees, breeding silkworms, producing silk threads, for weaving and other purposes. Farmers grow mulberry trees that provide leaves upon which the worms feed, then produce silkworm eggs and ensure care of the silkworm (feeding with mulberry leaves) from the egg stage until the completion of the cocoon (turning matured silkworms to cocoons). Communities then produce silk by reeling from the silk threads, weave silk fabrics and use the fabrics in crafts. Craftspeople of both genders produce raw silk by means of raising larvae, particularly those of the domesticated silkworm to form the cocoon within which the larvae develop. The silkworm builds its cocoon by surrounding itself with a long fibre or filament. Fed by fresh mulberry leaves, silkworms start to spin their silken cocoons after 26-28 days. The whole process begins in March to September depending on the climate. The cocoons are collected before pupa pierces its cocoon and then those collected cocoons are dried. Silk containing sericin is called “raw silk”. The gummy substance is usually retained until the yarn or fabric stage and is removed by boiling the silk in soap and water. Communities then bathe cocoons which then soften and allow for the peak of the thread to be obtained. In order to obtain raw silk, several cocoons that gave the threads are put on reeling process at the same time. In order to clean up and to dry, obtained raw silk is taken from reel and hanged on the reed. In the preparation for the weaving process, people twist threads and unwind warps. After drawing-in and wimple is made ready, the weaving process begins. In order to remove cerasine fabrics, woven with raw silk yarn, people boil the fabrics in water containing soap. After boiling process, communities color and trace the fabrics by using various traditional methods. Craftspeople use the silk threads to create various types of craft products, such as fabrics, carpets. The products of silk are very much appreciated within the communities, who use them at various social and cultural occasions, including weddings, funerals and family gatherings. Deeply rooted in the traditions of the Great Silk Road, sericulture and traditional production of silk for weaving are an expression of cultural identity, centuries-old traditions and a symbol of social cohesion. While the silk trade has been carried out throughout the centuries, it has allowed spreading the silk culture, health and science among communities of the submitting states. In all submitting states silk functions as the symbol of splendor, elegance and spring. In all submitting states, silk producers are mostly villagers and they work cooperatively and they have special ceremonies for silk when it is produced.

Afghanistan,Azerbaijan,Iran,Tajikistan,Turkmenistan,Turkey,Uzbekistan 2022

The tradition-bearers of the element are communities in the three water-puppetry guilds of Bồ Dương Village (in Hồng Phong Commune, Ninh Giang District), An Liệt Village (in Thanh Hải Commune, Thanh Hà District) and Bùi Thượng Village (in Lê Lợi Commune, Gia Lộc District). Water puppetry is a form of amusement for villagers during village festivals. Performances often takes place in a small nhà trò or thủy đình stage in a pond at the village’s communal house. Performers submerge themselves in the water, behind a bamboo screen, to maneuver wooden puppets with poles and robes. A show often includes short playful scenes with various puppet characters, such as the Tễu clown, dragon, turtle, lion, snake, fish, dragon boat, and so on. Puppets are made of sung wood (cluster fig), meticulously sculptured and ornately decorated. The puppet’s base, attached with a manual mechanism that allows maneuvering underwater, is always heavier than the top so that it can float halfway without sinking. Music, rooted from North folk songs and chèo music is an important component. Popular excerpts and scenes are intro by Tễu, wrestling, fishing, dragon dance, the Eight Fairies, so on. In order to accommodate new audience tastes in contemporary life, water puppet artists create new scenes and excerpt with more sophisticated techniques.