First batch of ICH announced

　　The Chinese State Council unveiled the first batch of intangible cultural heritage of the country on May 20, 2006.

　　The list contains 518 items in 10 categories, including folk literature, folk music and dance, traditional opera, ballad singing, cross talks, acrobatics, folk fine arts, traditional handicraft, traditional medicine and folk-custom, such as the Spring Festival, Peking Opera, acupuncture, The Legend of Madame White Snake and Shaolin Kungfu.

　　The 518 items were selected by a jury organized by the Ministry of Culture and the Academy of Arts of China from more than 1,300 candidates across the country.

　　Intangible cultural heritage in China is facing a rigorous challenge in its battle against urbanization and globalization. The protection of intangible cultural heritage has been increasingly hot in China as the maintenance and protection of the cultural diversity is growingly recognized in the world over the past five years.