Heritage listings welcomed - but cash is needed

The government's decision to pick out 480 items of intangible cultural heritage for protection has been welcomed by supporters of the various activities - but they say resources are needed for the listing to have an effect.

The long list includes everything from various branches of kung fu to local rituals and techniques for making delicacies such as salted fish, snake wine and milk tea. The city plans to hammer out measures to preserve the items before they are lost forever.

Ip Chun, the eldest son of legendary kung fu master Yip Man, welcomed the decision to recognise three types of wing chun - a type of kung fu - as part of the city's living heritage. They include Yip Man wing chun, the technique his father popularised.

"This is good news," the 90-year-old wing chun master and teacher said yesterday. "The government should do more by allocating resources to preserve the living heritages."

Ip applied to mainland authorities last year for Yip Man wing chun to be recognised as a piece of national intangible cultural heritage. It had already been recognised on a provincial level by Guangdong, he added.

Mok Pui Ling also welcomed the news. She has been advocating for years for the local technique for making milk tea to be recognised as intangible cultural heritage in Hong Kong and nationally.