The Measures for the Administration of National Eco-cultural Protection Area, which was rolled out by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism recently, will take effect on March 1st, 2019.
According to the Measures, to build national eco-cultural protection areas, we should uphold the convictions of prioritizing resource conservation and pursuing systematic protection and practical usage, and adopt comprehensive protection for intangible heritage and cultural environment with the goal of enriching heritage, cultivating cordial atmosphere, developing distinctive features and benefiting people.
It stated that favorable systematic protection base is a necessity when applying for national eco-cultural protection area, and the systematic protection plan needs to be exercised for more two years with good effects. After its establishment, the provincial cultural department will be responsible for its evaluation instead of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Meanwhile, the systematic plan will be implemented and reported to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism as backup. After three years of implementation, provincial cultural department can apply for the acceptance of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism who will announce those qualified as national eco-cultural area and grant certificates.
It makes clear that we should check and evaluate the overall conditions of national eco-cultural protection areas, including its planing, implementation and construction. Those that are excellent in construction will be praised and receive special support while those that are lacking in protection will be punished and lose their qualification.
It is our country’s unique institutions of intangible heritage protection to set up eco-cultural experimental areas and pursue systematic regional protection for important and distinctive cultural formats featuring profound cultural and historic deposits and good maintenance. Currently, 21 national eco-cultural experimental areas have been approved by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and there have been 146 unique provincial eco-cultural areas in different provinces.