Representative inheritors of TCM released

On June 5, the Ministry of Culture (MOC) released the first batch of representative inheritors of the national intangible cultural heritages. Among the 226 representative inheritors of 5 categories, including folk literature, acrobatics and athletics, folk arts, traditional handcrafts and accomplishments and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), 29 are from the circle of TCM.

The first batch of ICH protection list were issued by the State Council in June 2006 and to effectively protect and pass on the national ICHs and to encourage and support the representative inheritors' study of these ICHs, the MOC has constituted the Interim Measure on Recognizing and Managing Representative Inheritors of the National Intangible Cultural Heritages.

The Measure defines three standards of inheritors – comprehensively mastering the ICH or the special skill; acquiring the representativeness, authoritativeness and influence of the ICH; and actively carrying out inheriting activities to foster talents.

TCM develops together with Chinese traditional culture, involving Chinese traditional concept of value and manner of thought and its medical value and cultural diversity value are also the important knowledge fortune for human health as well as future development.

The principle of ICH protection is "respect, protect, inherit and develop", therefore, the state endows the inheritors with the obligations of protecting national tradition. [Chinese version is available on Science & Technology Daily]