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China and Malaysia join forces to catapult lion dance onto Unesco cultural heritage list
- An agreement between Li Qiang and Anwar Ibrahim to help protect the famous lion dance could also aid Chinese-Malaysian ties, experts say
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It is a well-known ancient art form, and now, the lion dance is set to be jointly nominated by China and Malaysia for Unesco’s intangible cultural heritage list.
During Chinese Premier Li Qiang’s maiden visit to Malaysia in June, which celebrated 50 years of bilateral diplomatic relations, he and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim underlined the cultural significance of the dance by signing a joint communique to nominate it for the Unesco Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Observers say the move by the two Asian nations highlights the part played by the dance in helping people form social networks in local and diasporic communities, while accentuating the “transnational nature” of Chinese cultural heritage across Southeast Asia and also supporting Chinese-Malaysian ties.
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The aim of the list from the UN’s heritage body is to help safeguard inherited traditions and living expressions across civilisations around the world, such as Chinese silk farming, Arabic calligraphy and Thailand’s “nora” dance.
References to the lion dance have been found in writings from as early as the fourth century, including the Chinese literary canon Shujing, also known as the Book of Documents. The tradition is widespread across Southeast Asia, carried by communities that historically originated in southern China.
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“Both sides celebrate the lion dance as a form of shared history and jointly promote the safeguarding of the shared heritage,” a statement on the joint nomination said.
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