Heritage Categories

Eight
Domains

8 categories encompassing 103 heritage items — the UNESCO classification of intangible cultural heritage.

Traditional Music

Traditional Music

From ancient court melodies to folk songs passed down through generations, China's traditional music traditions span millennia of cultural expression.

12 items 8 UNESCO
Traditional Dance

Traditional Dance

Energetic and symbolic, traditional Chinese dances tell stories of harvest, celebration, and community through precise, expressive movement.

10 items 1 UNESCO
Traditional Drama

Traditional Drama

Elaborate costumes, painted faces, and poetic librettos — Chinese opera forms are among the world's most sophisticated theatrical traditions.

10 items 5 UNESCO
Quyi (Folk Arts)

Quyi (Folk Arts)

The art of spoken-word performance: storytelling, comic dialogue, and lyrical recitation that have entertained audiences for centuries.

10 items 3 UNESCO
Traditional Sports

Traditional Sports

Martial arts, board games, and athletic traditions that cultivate both physical prowess and mental discipline.

10 items 2 UNESCO
Traditional Crafts

Traditional Crafts

Exquisite handcraftsmanship in silk, clay, wood, metal, and paper — techniques refined over centuries into living art forms.

31 items 16 UNESCO
Traditional Medicine

Traditional Medicine

A holistic system of healing developed over thousands of years, integrating herbal medicine, acupuncture, and therapeutic massage.

10 items 2 UNESCO
Folk Customs

Folk Customs

Seasonal celebrations, ancestral rites, and community festivals that mark the rhythms of the agricultural calendar and Chinese spiritual life.

10 items 7 UNESCO

All Heritage Items

Browse all 103 heritage items in one searchable, filterable listing.

Browse All Items