Various Practices of Intellectuals, Governments, and Successors Concerning Intangible Cultural Heritage :A Case Study of Woter Floating Residents in Guangdong Province

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K13589
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Cultural anthropology
• Research Institution: Shokei Gakuin College
• Principal Investigator: INAZAWA Tsutomu 尚絅学院大学, 総合人間科学系, 准教授 (30632228)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 無形文化遺産 / 水上居民

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this research, I analyzed various practices of people who use folk culture, which is said to be the culture of former water floating residents in Guangdong, China, as intangible cultural heritage. We investigated and analyzed the intentions of the government official recognition as an intangible cultural heritage, the intellectuals who contribute to the official recognition process, and the singers who perform the songs.
Because of the COVID-19, it was not possible to fully confirm people's intentions through field surveys. However, with regard to groups that have already gained a certain level of name recognition and have been organized, rather than as tourism resources, they are mobilized for government publicity events, such as campaigns against COVID-19 and anti-drug campaigns. We have confirmed moves that go beyond the speculation of governments and intellectuals, such as conservation and regional tourism promotion.

Free Research Field

文化人類学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

中国の無形文化遺産保護については、これまで多くの研究がなされてきた。これまでは、どのように観光資源化を目指しているか、そこにどんな葛藤があるかを論じるものが多かった。本研究はコロナ禍によりデータの不十分な点は否めないものの、中国の無形文化遺産をめぐる新しい動向を明らかにした点に意義がある。