THE recognition of the Wangchuan ceremony, jointly nominated by Malaysia and China, in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity reflected the strong historic ties between the two countries and would further promote people-to-people exchange, Malaysian government officials and participants of the joint efforts said.

During an online meeting of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in December, “Wangchuan ceremony and related practices for maintaining the sustainable connection between man and the ocean” was included as intangible cultural heritage items on the UNESCO list.

Malaysia’s Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Nancy Shukri said the success was not only historical as it was the first time that Malaysia achieved such recognition together with other countries, but also a “testament” to Malaysia’s relationship with China that has been intertwined for centuries, which contributes to the diversity and uniqueness of the cultural heritage of this country.

According to the UNESCO lists, the Wangchuan ceremony and related practices are rooted in folk customs of worshipping and developed in China’s Minnan region (the southern part of Fujian Province) between the 15th and 17th centuries. The element is now centered in the coastal areas of Xiamen Bay and Quanzhou Bay, as well as in the Chinese communities in Malacca, Malaysia.

The element evokes the historical memory of ancestors’ ocean-going, reshapes social connections when confronted with emergencies such as shipwrecks, and honors the harmony between man and the ocean. It also bears witness to the intercultural dialogue among communities.

“As someone who participated in the efforts, we are extremely proud that the Wangchuan ceremony was listed as a UNESCO heritage,” said Ronald Gan, who has been organizing the Wangchuan ceremonies in Malacca.

According to him, it was said that the Wangchuan ceremony was first held in Malaysia back in the mid-19th century, before one held in 1905 with written and photo records. Several ceremonies were held since then with the most recent one held in Malacca earlier this year.

The idea of joint nomination by Malaysia and China arose when a Minnan cultural society from Xiamen of China’s Fujian Province visited Malacca in 2015 and found that the practice of Wangchuan ceremony exits in Malaysia. Since then, more than 30 societies from both countries have participated in the nomination, Gan told Xinhua.

Gan Tian Loo, Malacca’s Special Envoy to China, who has joined in the nominating efforts, said the Wangchuan ceremony is one of the most iconic events of Minnan culture and has been brought by the Chinese when they traveled and settled in Southeast Asia, including today’s Malaysia.

“During the past four years, governments of Malaysia and China, as well as societies in the two countries, have actively participated in the nomination, including holding the Wangchuan event, working on the nomination process, and even building platforms for academic exchanges. The success could not be achieved without such joint efforts,” he said.

Gan Tian Loo said the joint nomination demonstrated the cultural background shared by both Malaysia and China, which will further facilitate people-to-people exchange and even cooperation on the Belt and Road Initiative between the two countries.

(Xinhua)