[Explanation] China and Malaysia jointly declared "Send the King Ship-Ceremony and Related Practices Concerning the Sustainable Connection between People and the Sea" was approved to be included in the UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity on the evening of December 17, Beijing time .
As witnesses, Chen Geng, the head of the Xiamen Intangible Heritage Expert Team and Yan Yonghe, the president of the Malaysian Overseas Chinese Association, who participated in the joint "Willing for Heritage" of the two countries throughout the process were very pleased.
[Explanation] "Ship to the King" is a folk belief widely spread in the southern Fujian region of China and the coastal areas of Malacca, Malaysia, to worship the "Lord of the Heavenly Hunter" and comfort the victims at sea.
In southern Fujian, the "Send the King Ship" is held every three to four years. It is held by the temple or the ancestral hall when the northeast monsoon begins. The local people call the local guardian god of the "Daitian Hunting" as the "Lord", and the ceremony to send the king ship At the beginning, people asked the prince to board a carefully prepared royal ship, and the people cleared the way with various art formations, flocking around the "prince" to patrol the surrounding areas of the community to ensure the safety of all quarters.
[Concurrent] Chen Geng, head of Xiamen Intangible Heritage Expert Group
Our ancestors created such a ceremony in such a difficult and difficult situation in order to inspire people's confidence and courage to go to the ocean, and to comfort the hearts of the victims and their families. We can only admire and admire the wisdom of our ancestors. And we should pass on this wisdom and inspire our children and grandchildren to move toward the ocean from generation to generation.
[Explanation] After learning that the joint application was successful, Chen Geng, who was over 70 years old, was overjoyed. He told reporters that if the ancestors had not brought the custom of "sending the king ship" to Malaysia, there would be no joint declaration today.
[Concurrent] Chen Geng, head of Xiamen Intangible Heritage Expert Group
They brought our culture to the (Malaysia) side, took root and were open and inclusive at the same time, so we saw that this joint application for the Indian Palace Temple also participated, and the Indian Malays also participated. Various ethnic groups Join us in this cultural ceremony.
[Explanation] Since its formation in the 15th to 17th centuries, along with the "Sailing to Southeast Asia" and maritime trade, "Sending the King Ship" gradually spread from China to Southeast Asia.
Since July 2015, Xiamen Minnan Culture Research Association and the Malaysian Overseas Chinese Association have jointly initiated the joint application of "Send the King Ship".
[Explanation] After the success of this application, as Chen Geng’s partner, Yan Yonghe, president of the Malaysian Overseas Chinese Association, was very excited. In an exclusive interview with a reporter from China News Agency, he said that people-to-people bond is a cooperative application. Basically, Yan Yong, who is originally from southern Fujian, feels very cordial every time he comes to China to communicate with colleagues in Xiamen in southern Fujian.
[Concurrent] Yan Yonghe, President of Malaysian Overseas Chinese Association
The most important foundation is that the people are connected and have the same culture. When we come to Xiamen and occasionally speak some Hokkien dialects, we feel very cordial and easy to communicate with. When we talk to some old Hokkiens, we feel like we are talking to ourselves (Hokkien). Words) Grandpa and grandma talk like that, it feels very good.
The people-to-people exchanges between the two countries are so close, and the future of sending the royal ship will be better tomorrow.
[Explanation] It is understood that after the joint application is successful, China and Malaysia will set up a "bilateral working committee" to establish a joint protection and cooperation mechanism to fulfill their commitment to further protect the heritage project.
Li Siyuan, Chen Yue, Chen Zhiting reports from Xiamen, Fujian
Editor in charge: [Tang Weijie]