In a few years' time, people will be able to go to nearby folk
culture centers or museums to help protect traditional folk
culture.
Vice Minister of Culture Zhou Heping, said Tuesday in Beijing
that the plan is part of a 17-year-long project, launched last
year, to preserve unique folk arts, crafts, literature and
traditions.
Struck a severe blow by modern lifestyles, the country's unique
folk arts are disappearing with unbelievable speed.
"Almost every minute some aspect of folk culture is dying and we
are racing against time," said Zi Huayun, senior research fellow
with the Chinese Academy of?Arts and an adviser to the
project.
For example, many of the local forms of opera are disappearing
in south China's Guangxi
Zhuang Autonomous Region owing to a lack of interest or
attention.
Fifty years ago, Guangxi had 18 local opera forms, but only the
four major ones are still alive today.
Many other folk arts, like the paper-cutting of northwest China'
Shaanxi
Province, are dying at the same rate as the elderly: the
younger generation has no interest their cultural heritage and
would rather work in cities for more money.
"If there is only one radio in a remote village, young people
there want to hear rock or pop songs. Girls want to own a pair of
high heels," said Zi, who has traveled to the Chinese hinterland
many times.
In addition to the influence from modern lifestyles and
globalization, experts also note folk culture, as opposed to fine
arts relics, are felt by some people to be crude or lacking in
taste.
"Such prejudices will numb people to the loss of folk culture,"
said Bai Gengsheng, vice chairman of the Chinese Folk Literature
and Art?Association (CFLAA).
Left with countless endangered folk arts--but facing the
potential loss of them all—in February 2003 the country established
a national center at the China Arts Academy. Staff there are
working on planning and implementing the protection project.
The draft of a law on folk culture protection is also in the
works.
"The day of passing this law on folk culture protection is not
far off,"said Zhou.
At present, the project is carrying out trial projects with 10
folk arts. These include New Year's pictures made in Wuqiang, Hebei
Province; traditional cotton spinning techniques of the Li
minority in Hainan
Province; and shadow puppet plays from Qingyang County in Gansu
Province.
The central government has earmarked 20 million yuan (US$2.4
million) this year for the project, part of which will directly
benefit the 10 arts, Zhou said.
Despite the government’s efforts, the vice minister stressed
that raising public awareness is essential to protecting folk
culture.
"Experts like me act as a bridge," said Zi. "After we and the
masses have fully understood each other, I believe people will
always be able to think of better methods to protect the endangered
folk arts."
(China Daily March 10, 2004)