In order to celebrate the 2023 “China Cultural and Natural Heritage Day”, to promote exchanges and cooperation between Mainland China and Macao in the field of protection of intangible cultural heritage, and to enable Macao residents to better experience the rich cultural essence of China, the “Genesis and Spirit – Showcase of Hainan Intangible Cultural Heritage”, presented by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People’s Republic of China and the Secretariat for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macao SAR Government, organised by the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macao SAR Government and the Department of Tourism, Culture, Radio, Television and Sports of Hainan Province, co-organised by the Hainan Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Centre, and supported by Galaxy Entertainment Group, was inaugurated in the evening of 30 June at the Mount Fortress Garden.

The opening ceremony was officiated by the Chief of Office of the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Ho Ioc San , representing the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macao SAR Government; the Deputy Director of the Bureau of International Exchanges and Cooperation (Department of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs) of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People's Republic of China, Kong Lun; the Director of the Department of Publicity and Culture of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao SAR, Wan Sucheng; the Vice President of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, Cheang Kai Meng, representing the President of the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macao SAR Government; the Deputy Director of the Department of Tourism, Culture, Radio, Television and Sports of Hainan Province, Liu Cheng; and the Vice President of Galaxy Entertainment Group, Linda Wong, and was attended by distinguished guests from Hanan Province and representatives of Macao’s national intangible cultural heritage items. The ceremony was held in a lively atmosphere with Hainan performers presenting a traditional performing arts showcase consisting of the province’s nine national and provincial intangible cultural heritage items, including Hainan opera; bamboo and wood instrumental music of the Li ethnic group; folk songs of the Li ethnic group; folk songs of the Miao ethnic group in Hainan; The Tone of Danzhou; Bamboo Dance, Rice Husking Dance, and Solidarity Dance of the Li ethnic group; and man-and-puppet shows of Lin'gao County.

A plaque presentation ceremony was also held during the event, where the plaques of representative items of national intangible cultural heritage were presented by the Deputy Director of the Bureau of International Exchanges and Cooperation (Department of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs) of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People's Republic of China, Kong Lun to representatives of safeguarding entities of three items to designate their responsibility for the relevant preservation and transmission efforts. Macanese Gastronomy, Patuá Theatre and the Belief and Customs of Tou Tei were inscribed on the List of the Fifth Batch of Representative Items of National Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2021. The representatives of the safeguarding entities of the aforesaid intangible heritage items, including the President of the Macao Institute for Tourism Studies, Vong Chuk Kwan, , the President of Dóci Papiaçám di Macau Drama Group, Miguel de Senna Fernandes, and the Vice President of the Association of Cheok Chai Un Fok Tak Chi Tou Tei Mio Chek Lei Wui of Macao, Lao Mei Kun, were awarded the commemorative plaques, respectively.

The province of Hainan is a place that gathers diverse cultures, with a rich array of splendid intangible cultural heritage. At present, Hainan has 82 representative items of intangible cultural heritage at the provincial level or above, of which 32 representative items of intangible cultural heritage at the national level. The “Genesis and Spirit” series features activities in various forms such as a thematic exhibition, stage performances, live demonstrations and experience workshops, all seeking to display the diverse, simple yet delicate intangible cultural heritage of Hainan Province and reveal the characteristics of its fascinating coconut-and-ocean-based culture to the people in Macao.

The “Genesis and Spirit – Exhibition of Hainan Intangible Cultural Heritage” will be held from 1 July to 8 October at the Macao Museum. Themed around “Cradle of Coconut City”, “Spirit of Li Ethnicity” and “Lifestyle of Li People”, the exhibition showcases works of Hainan coconut carving and traditional Li textile techniques of spinning, dyeing, weaving and embroidering as well as cultural and creative products featuring intangible cultural heritage elements of Hainan, introducing both residents and tourists to the unique crafts of Hainan’s intangible cultural heritage and its practice of the concept of intangible cultural heritage transmission “through people, their items and their lives”. The “Genesis and Spirit – Performances of Hainan Intangible Cultural Heritage” will be held on 1 July in Broadway Food Street and Iao Hon Market Park, respectively, featuring the fashion show of the Li ethnic group, Hainan opera, music and dance by ethnic minority groups and puppet theatre.

The series of activities also include arts and crafts demonstrations and interactive workshops, in which inheritors will present the essence of the techniques embedded in intangible cultural heritage of Hainan. From 1 to 7 July, experiential activities of incense-making and tea-tasting will be held at the Lou Kau Mansion, in which participants can experience the unique charm of intangible cultural heritage of Hainan through the process of making incense powder, sachets and traditional tea techniques of Li ethnic group. From 1 to 2 July, workshops on Hainan coconut carving, pottery-making techniques and bamboo-weaving techniques of Li ethnic group, and embroidering and wax dyeing techniques of the Miao ethnic group will be held at the Mandarin’s House, allowing residents to experience the arts and crafts of Hainan at close range.

The first edition of the “Genesis and Spirit – Showcase of Hainan Intangible Cultural Heritage” was held in 2011 and over the years it provides a learning opportunity for Macao and provinces of Mainland China, with the country’s rich intangible cultural heritage as a carrier to showcase the long history of Chinese civilisation and the diversity of ethnic cultures, broadening the cultural exchanges between Mainland China and Macao in breadth and depth, and allowing residents and tourists to experience the charm of intangible cultural heritage.

For more information on the series of activities of “Genesis and Spirit”, please visit the thematic website “China Cultural and Natural Heritage Day” at www.icm.gov.mo/CHD/2023/en/, follow the official WeChat account “IC_Art_Macao” or the “IC Art” page on Facebook. For enquiries, please contact IC through tel. no. 2835 7911 during office hours.