China's Northwestern region, rich in intangible cultural heritage (ICH), exhibits a noteworthy decline in heritage declaration over the past 17 years, underscoring a cultural evolution amid socio-economic shifts. A recent study highlights the urgent need for preservation and revitalization efforts as the region faces a rapid loss of its unique cultural items.
Between 2006 and 2023, the number of declarations for ICH showed a pronounced downward trend across various provinces of Northwestern China, indicating a troubling decline in cultural recognition. Despite the alarming statistics, the study reveals that the spatial distribution of ICH has noticeable clustering characteristics, evolving from a single point with two nuclei to a more complex arrangement consisting of multiple points and two nuclei. The researchers identified two high-density core areas and five sub-high-density core areas, emphasizing the importance of geographical context in the preservation of cultural heritage.
The research conducted in the context of Northwestern China, which encompasses provinces like Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia Hui, Qinghai, and Xinjiang, indicates that the effective protection of ICH is influenced predominantly by humanistic and socio-economic factors rather than physical geography. As per the findings, socio-economic conditions and human activities play a more pivotal role in the sustainability of these cultural practices. China currently boasts 43 items on the UNESCO ICH List, reflecting its commitment to safeguarding its diverse cultural landscape.
Spanning over 3.1 million square kilometers, Northwestern China is home to diverse ethnic groups and cultural practices that form an essential part of the country's historical narrative. According to the research data, the Northwest Region has declared a total of 437 national-level ICH items and about 2,442 provincial items, reflecting its rich cultural tapestry. However, alarming findings denote that the Gini coefficient for each ICH type exceeds 0.8, suggesting a stark uneven distribution across the region.
Traditional skills emerged as the most prominent category of ICH, encompassing 760 items or 26.40% of the total. Other categories include folk customs, traditional fine arts, and traditional music. The investigation also found significant disparities among the provinces, with Shaanxi Province leading in ICH declarations with 862 items, while Ningxia holds the least with just 217.
Moreover, the trend from 2006 to 2023 shows a drastic reduction in overall declarations from 1,263 to 345, highlighting the urgent requirement for systematic protection efforts. Only Ningxia has shown a significant increase in declarations, showcasing a potential area for focused cultural tourism initiatives. The continuation of traditional practices—integral to daily life—depended greatly on the accessibility of resources and community engagement.
Utilizing advanced spatial analysis methods including Gini coefficient and kernel density analysis, the research demonstrated that traditional skills are clustered in densely populated urban areas. In particular, Xi’an, Xianyang, and Weinan emerged as focal points concentrated with 14.61% of the ICH resources, primarily due to their historical significance as ancient capitals along the Silk Road.
As depicted in the geographic data, two primary high-density clusters for ICH exist in central Shaanxi and eastern Qinghai-central Gansu, alongside five sub-high-density areas around Ningxia and Xinjiang. Notably, the results indicated that human movement, trade routes, and socio-economic activities significantly contribute to the distribution and flourishing of ICH.
The study's indicative observations are crucial, given the role of socio-economic factors observable in the region—permanent population, highway metrics, and the presence of tourist attractions directly correlate with the vitality of ICH transmission. The research further asserts that humanistic elements significantly contribute to safeguarding practices, thus revealing a synergistic relationship between cultural heritage and community engagement.
Tourism has become an important vehicle for enhancing ICH visibility and engagement. Recent trends, such as Gansu’s “Tianshui malatang” becoming a culinary hotspot, illustrate how local cultures can attract tourism while simultaneously facilitating the preservation of traditional practices. The review firmly establishes that effective interaction between cultural preservation and tourism development can bolster regional economies while fostering cultural richness.
In addressing the preservation of ICH, the study recommends diverse strategies tailored to the unique requirements of cultural elements. For instance, regions heavily reliant on traditional skills should prioritize cultural tourism development, while less prevalent forms, such as Quyi and traditional sports, necessitate concentrated protective measures.
The findings aim to contribute a comprehensive framework that guides further research on ICH in other global contexts, with particular emphasis on sustainable development practices that align with cultural ecological preservation. The era of focusing solely on ICH protection must evolve; the comprehensive protection of cultural ecosystems must take precedence to navigate the intricate relationship between culture, environment, and community.
This research stands as a poignant reminder of the tangible and intangible pathways that people traverse to maintain their cultural identities amidst an ever-evolving social landscape, representing a crucial step toward preserving the heritage of Northwestern China.
