Chinese calligraphy is an artistic practice that, while fulfilling the practical function of information exchange through writing Chinese characters with brushes, ink, and paper as the main tools and materials, conveys human contemplation of nature, society and life and thus reflects the unique character, spirit, temperament, interest, and philosophy of the Chinese people through special graphic symbols and writing rhythms. Along with the appearance and evolution of Chinese characters, Chinese calligraphy has developed for more than 3,000 years and become a symbol of Chinese culture. In its development, calligraphy has developed a complete set of theories and skills. The art has enjoyed orderly propagation and continuous development through personal instruction and documented records, and presented distinct features in correspondence the change of time and alteration of tools and materials. Chinese history has produced a large number of prestigious calligraphers, such as Wang Xizhi (303-361 A.D.), Yan Zhenqing (709-785 A.D.), and Su Shi (1037-1101 A.D.).

China 2009

As one of the conventional skills, China Engraved Block Printing Technique includes a series of processes: cutting tools are applied to the engraving of characters or patterns on wooden blocks, ink and paper are utilized for printing purpose and the printed book pages are bound into books. Historical cultural relics show the application of engraved block printing technique dates back to the end of the 6th century and early 7th century. The invention and application of engraved block printing technique in China has made tremendous contributions to the progress and development of human civilization thanks to its functions typical of recording and transmitting thoughts, knowledge and experience of human society.

China 2009

Sweets are an integral part of the national cuisine. Uzbek cuisine is famous for its confectionery products based on natural ingredients: nuts, honey, fruits, berries and sugar. As a rule, it is customary to prepare national sweets without fail before the holidays for family events. A meal will not be complete without sweets such as: - Zangza - rather fatty brushwood - Kush-tili - deep-fried butter dough - Nishalda - thickly whipped protein with sugar - Parvarda - homemade caramel sweets, rolled in flour - Halvaitar - halva, the consistency of which is slightly thinner than usual - Pashmak - a kind of cotton candy (denser than traditional) - Behi-dulma - resembles stuffed apples. Quince is stuffed with nuts, honey, sugar and baked - Sumalak - a sacred sweetness made from sprouted wheat, which is mainly prepared before Navruz - Baursak - buns of sweet yeast dough fried in a large amount of oil - Urama - reminds brushwood. sweet dough, wrapped in tubes, fried in boiling oil - Chak-chak is a sweet dish, which is made of dough in the form of "vermicelli", cubes or balls, filled with honey syrup.

The Bhutanese tradition of xylography and printing was begun in the 15th century by Terton (Hidden treasure discoverer) Pema Lingpa (1450-1521) and his sons, creating the root of virtues for the wellbeing of both living and dead in the country. Thereafter, the biography of the Terton and his collected works were printed on woodblocks and distributed to his residential monasteries and his patrons both in Bhutan and Tibet. Following the arrival of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal (1594-1651) in Bhutan, the hitherto divided country was united under the main influence of the dual system of governance. Thereafter, the successive abbots of the monastic system and heads of the temporal system and then the successive far-sighted kings of the Wangchuck Dynasty, together with the heads of various other schools of Buddhism have continued to uphold the tradition. Skills training in woodblock making, engraving and printing were facilitated to provide sufficient copies of works on science and crafts, and the biographies and excellent teachings to be distributed to the communities of ordained monks and practitioners, dzongs and temples throughout the country. Therefore, Trashigang in the east, Trongsa in the centre, and Punakha and Paro in the west of the country became popular centres for such activities, until the reign of 3rd King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck (1928-1972). Starting 1970s, however, distribution has entered into a commercial phase, with increasing numbers of scriptural works being offset printed in India and then returned to Bhutan for distribution. At the same time, the interest in and practice of the traditional method of printing on woodblocks have been gradually losing their value among the users. Nowadays, printing machines have been set up in ever increasing numbers countrywide and these can produce, in larger quantities and within a very short time, scriptural volumes and other books that have a clear typeface, and are colourful and pleasing in appearance. On the one hand, this is a clear indication of progress in economic development, but on the other, this has become one of the main reasons for losing the precious heritage of woodblock print, among others.

Asanee is a wool mat made from sheep wool in its natural colour. The wool is either black or white in colour. The name has come into existence from the honorific term of Lhotshampa (Southern Bhutanese) dialect Asaan, Garaan, Garnus which means please sit down. Therefore, Asaan is a respectful term for sit and nee is a mat for sitting and Asanee is a sitting mat. The patterns are made depending on the availability of the colour of the wool. The most common pattern of the element is white background with black checks and at times the white background is bigger than the black checks. It is determined by the demand of the customers and the availability of the wool. It is rectangular in shape and used as cushion covers for diwan and sofas as well as sitting mat. The origin of the element has begun in the community of sheep bearers. The wool mat saw its existence when the economy of the community was at its minimal where they wove various products from wool for the exchange of clothes and other basic necessities of life. The community bartered the wool mat and wool blanket called Raree for basic needs like kitchen stuff and clothing. However, all the sheep rearing community did not weave the element and also they did not have the right to own and weave by certain community. The weaving of wool mat spread to those women who were interested to learn to supplement the economic status of the family. According to informant (Dil Maya Gurung), the culture of weaving Asanee had come from parts of Sikkim, However, not very sure to state the origin clearly. Knowledge of weaving Asanee has deteriorated due to the change in the life style of people as it messes up the room due to the split of the wool being carried out every corner of the house in the process of brushing, combing and spinning the wool. And the women of the day do not take interest in weaving due to long hectic yarning process. While working, the wool gets tangled with the clothes which makes untidy. More so, with the rapid economic development and changed in life styles under the dynamic leadership of our great monarchs, the sheep rearing has extinct and weaving of the element must have pass down to younger generations if the sheep rearing practice is there in Tsendagang community. The other reasons for not taking the weaving of element on board is the opening of doors to education where everyone has obtained education and decent jobs. Though weaving of Asaanee culture is not so vibrant as of today but every household have the mat which they usually use it when honourable guests visit their house.

The Mongolian Naadam is inseparably connected to the nomadic civilization of the Mongols who have practiced pastoralism on Central Asia’s vast steppe for centuries. Mongols’ traditional Naadam festival consisting of three manly games is considered as one of major cultural heritage elements which Mongols contributed to the nomadic civilizations. The three types of sports games – archery, horserace and wrestling – are directly linked with lifestyles and living conditions of Mongols and thus become the authentic cultural traditions among nomads. National Naadam is celebrated from July 11 to 13 throughout the country, in soums (counties), aimags (provinces), and the capital, Ulaanbaatar. Naadam represents distinct features of Mongolians’ nomadic culture and traditions, with expression of their unique cultural characteristics and images to become an identity of Mongolian people to the outside world. Thus, Mongolian Naadam has served a key factor to unite the Mongolian people and an important symbol of national solidarity. Mongolian people develop their physical strength, strong will power, patience, space and time related sensitivity and friendly hospitality from the three manly games which provides the cognitive and moral education basis. Main bearers of this cultural heritage are practitioners of the three games. i.e. those who significant part of the Mongolia population. Currently, over 100,000 people practice the traditional wrestling in various clubs and training courses, in addition to 3,000 students studying in several wrestling universities and colleges. Besides, the home schooling is considered one of most effecient forms, as it is the main traditional method to teach and learn the wrestling. Youths who practice wrestling would develop postive personalities such as being friendly, caring to the elderly and modest, besides strong will power, physical strength and courage. The main bearers of horserace appear racehorse trainers and jokey-children. Nowadays, about 400-500 horserace tournaments take place annually and altogether 200,000 horses (some recounted across tournaments) participate in them. About 100,000 racehorse trainers normally train these horses, while over 70,000 children ride and race. Besides, the audience of those tournaments would reach over 300,000 people. The Mongolian traditional home schooling provides extensive knowledge and skills, traditions and customs, culture and art elements of horserace. Compared to other two forms, relatively fewer people (about 10,000) practice and are interested in archery. Similarly, home schooling methods tend to dominate in learning and transmitting archery that family members and relatives become archers a lot. There are hundreds of thousand artisans and craftmen who make various tools and items used in the three manly games through employing meticulous skills and design to make them as collections of various art pieces. For instance, wrestling outfits – hat, boots and shorts, racehorse saddles and jokey’s outfits, and bows and arrows used in archery competitions have specific traditional technology and techniques each. These three sports games make a core blend of traditional arts and sports. Title-singing of horses and wrestlers indicate musical elements embracing songs and melodies. • Wrestling. After the wrestling site has been chosen based on the quality of the grass and the flatness of the site, the wrestling matches begin. Judges in groups of 8, 16, or 32 are divided into two groups which line up at the right and left side of the wrestling site and the wrestlers are divided into two groups at the left and right wings. To present the wrestler to the audience, judges will hold the participant's hat and sing praise songs while the wrestler performs an eagle dance before assuming the position to begin. Wrestling is not only a display of strength and bravery; it is also a competition of skill and technique. The object of the match is to make one’s competitor to fall on the ground with his elbows, knees or any other part of the body touching the ground, at which point he loses. Wrestlers who lose in each round will get eliminated from the tournament. The number of rounds differs from tournament to tournament. There are often 9 rounds at the national festival which takes place on July 11-12 annually and altogether 512 wrestlers wrestle. A half leaves after each round. From the fifth round, winning wrestlers can earn titles starting from hawk, falcon, elephant, garuda /mythical bird/, and lion, to the coveted champion. Wrestlers are divided into two groups or so-called ‘wings’ that the highest ranking wrestlers are listed at the top depending on their titles, such as first grand champions, then champions, lions, garudas, elephants, hawks, falcons etc. • Horserace. Horse-trainers choose potential race horses among horse flocks and train them meticulously, carefully adjusting their daily training and diet. Horse races are grouped in age-specific categories such as stallions, adults, 4-years old, 3-years old, 2-years old and 1-year old which race in different distance categories from 10 km to 30 km. Race horses have their mane and tails trimmed to improve their appearance while their trainers use specially crafted wooden sticks or a brush to remove the sweat from the horse after the race. These sweat-removing tools are often carved and decorated with traditional patterns and images of horses to symbolize their strength. Young riders wear special clothing including the deel and hat. Typically, children aged 6-10 years old jockey racehorses. When registration of the applicant horses is completed, the race administrator rides around the Naadam site three times, while children riding race horses sing ‘Giingoo’ to raise spirits of horses before racing. The winning horse is given the title of ‘Tumnii ekh’ (the mightiest of all), whereas the last horse in the race is given a nickname ‘Buren jargal’ “complete happiness”. The praise song is performed to congratulate winning horses and is called ‘singing titles’. • Archery. This competition is divided into two categories; Khana sur (big bow) and Khasaa sur (small bow). Men shoot from a distance of 75 meters to the target, and women from 65 meters. The target is called ‘zurkhai’, and is made of leather balls neatly lined along the flat ground in two rows. Each archer shoots 40 arrows and the one who shoots the most targets wins.

Mongolia 2010

"Lacquer" is a material composed of resin from (Kreol Tree), the last resin, water resin, and ash palm leave. That is why we sometimes hear the composition called "Mareak lacquer". Lacquer has been used since ancient times, as there are sculptures and inscriptions describing the use of this lacquer. For example, temple inscriptions. Kork Poti (K, 814), the inscription in Kampong Thom (K. 444), and the inscription of Prasat Chi Kreng (K. 168). Apart from being used for painting luxury and auspicious objects such as “Tork” wooden or golden plate used for holding valuable objects, “Tang Rong” wedding boxes, betel nut and leave boxes, and other everyday items, lacquers are also used to decorate crowns and masks for royal ballet and Lakhon Khol. That is why to this day, although the decoration on the mask of the dance is not made of lacquer, it is still called "mask lacquer". In general, the lacquer masks that are produced often have a giant mask, monkey masks, Ey sei masks, Ream masks, Preah Leak masks, or other animal masks, all of which are used in classical and Khol dance. According to the traditional method, in order to get the mask for the dancer, the clay is first kneaded into the desired shape, then applied glue on paper one layer at a time until another layer is thick enough. Next, left it to dry before removing the sample. However, this type of lacquer can only be used once or twice because the clay mold is easily damaged. After 1960, Mr. On Sok, a professor of "Khmok-Smach" at the School of Fine Arts, came up with the idea of making a mold from cement that can be used for a longer period than the one made of clay. When the mask sample is dried, you need to start gluing paper on it, but before gluing you need to soak the mask with water first to make it easier to peel off. Then use a piece of parchment paper to cover the mask and crumble another paper to glue on it with 10 layers but if the mask is small, it will be glued only 6 layers. The glue known as (Bay Marn is made by cooking rice flour with water). Let the mask dry before peeling, gluing, and sewing. When the mask is completely dried, start drawing ornament details of the mask such as Kbang, crown, ears or called (Jhon Trojeak) all of which are made by the lacquer. To make it you will need to boil Mareak resin, last resin, water resin and ash palm leave together then pour it into Kbach mold and let it cool before using it to glue on the mask. Then apply a layer of tan paint before applying gold foil on the lacquer. In the past, the molds were carved on marble, but later wax was added and cemented instead. The next step is to paint the mask according to the characters and then use a small brush to cut the strands into eyebrows, mustache, ears, and neck. Lastly, holes are pierced in the eyes and nostrils for the performer to see and breathe. Nowadays, traditional mask lacquer making is very rare as raw materials are becoming more and more difficult to find, and lacquer masks are sold at high prices, making it difficult for artists to buy and use them. Therefore, most of the dances that artists wear today are paper ornaments instead of lacquer.

The Pottery Making Craft of the Cham people in Bau Truc Village, Phuoc Dan town, Ninh Phuoc district, Ninh Thuan province is a pottery production craft village with a long tradition and is typical not only in Vietnam but also in Southeast Asia. Bau Truc Pottery has existed since the end of the 12th century until now, this is considered one of the very few ancient pottery villages in Southeast Asia that still retains the primitive production method from thousands of years ago. The Traditional Pottery Making of the Cham in Bàu Trúc Village is done by hand, with the main materials being clay and sand taken from the village. The Traditional Pottery Making process of the Cham people includes many interconnected stages. The first is choosing and taking the soil. The treatment of the soil before making pottery determines the quality and efficiency of the product after firing. After taking the soil, people break it into small pieces to filter out the impurities, taking only the yellow clay and then incubating it to keep it soft. Taking a sufficient amount of clay, the Cham woman gracefully kneads it until it becomes soft, then places it on a large jar to create a block. The ceramic product is completely handmade, “shaped by hand, without a turntable.” The artisan walks backwards around the pottery-shaping table and uses the unique Cham pottery-shaping technique of straight strokes (different from the horizontal strokes in pottery villages that use turntables). After that, they use a “circle” to brush around the body of the pottery, then use a wet cloth to wrap around their hands, and rub the outside of the pottery until it is shiny. Next comes the step of decorating the pattern. After shaping, the product is left in the shade for 24 hours, then rubbed thinly and continued to dry for another 7 days until completely dry, before being fired. Thanks to this, the product will be “ripe” thoroughly and will not crack. The product is fired in the open air after being crafted. Depending on the conditions of sunlight and wind, combined with the process and technique of spraying colors (extracted from cashew nut oil, dong tree ...) will produce products with characteristic colors such as red-yellow, pink-red, gray-black, strange and beautiful brown streaks, clearly showing the ancient Cham culture. Products serving daily life, decoration and beliefs, religions such as: ceramic vases, tea sets, animals, reliefs ... Natural colors through the firing and incubation process. Each Cham ceramic product shows the style, craftsmanship, and ingenuity of each craftsman. In addition to household ceramic products, Bau Truc ceramic craft also promotes the development of decorative ceramics, fine art ceramics, souvenir ceramics with aesthetic content, giving high economic value such as: decorative ceramic lamps, night lights, flower vases, water bottles, teapots, vases, water towers, .... The Traditional Pottery Making of the Cham in Bàu Trúc Village contains the secrets and ingenuity of the craftsmen, creating products imbued with the cultural identity of the Cham people. The Pottery Making Craft of the Cham people in Bau Truc Village plays an important role in the economic, cultural and social life. Pottery products are indispensable in the daily life of each family and in the cultural beliefs of the Cham community. With its unique values, the Traditional Pottery Making of the Cham in Bàu Trúc Village has been recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage (in 2017), and this Heritage has also been listed by UNESCO in the List of "Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding" (in 2022).

Viet Nam 2022

In China, the art of seal engraving is recognized as one of the finest examples of traditional arts and crafts and is of immeasurable cultural value with a history of over 3,000 years. In ancient China, seals served as the personal signature of their owners, and, more significantly, also served as a symbol of legitimacy for a ruler or an entire government. Seal engraving represents the harmonious combination of calligraphic aesthetics with the precise skills of engraving and meticulous attention to detail. The seal must use what is often a very limited space in order to convey the unique character traits of its purpose or the personality of its owner. For thousands of years, it has had both a purely functional use as well as attaining the highest levels of artistic and cultural aesthetics. Seal engravers preserve artistic traditions while also reaching out in new directions and revealing fascinatingly different styles: exaggerating the thinness or thickness of a character, elaborately curving or angling a stroke, or even deliberately re-forming traditional ideograms for artistic effect. Indeed, the work of master seal engravers is no less important than the work of well-known painters or calligraphers in Chinese history. The engraving process is unique. The tools used for seal engraving include the knife, seal holder, seal ink, writing brush, and xuan paper. A design is made on paper—when engraved, the characters have to be written on stone surface opposite to what they will look like. After the engraving is completed, press the seal in the seal ink to make an impression on xuan paper. Additional text is often engraved on the side of the seals, from which rubbings can be made. Seal engraving has the following unique characteristics: 1.The artists use engraved characters to show the aesthetics of traditional Chinese culture through the harmony of positive and negative and the balance of abstract and concrete forms. 2.The artists use seals to express their accumulated ideas, artistic sensibilities, and engraving skills in a very small space. 3.The creation of seals is an integration of man and nature through the engraving process. 4.Seals display the quality of the stone and the style of the calligraphy. The art of seal engraving embodies important cultural and social functions. It is the expression of the artists’ own imagination, as well as a way of personal cultivation and the blending of art, literature, aesthetics, and language. Seals also serve as a means of communication and have been used by scholars and art collectors as a means of personal identification, a claim of ownership, or for social interaction. The art of seal engraving also reached other parts of East and Southeast Asia as part of the exchanges of culture and art among different nations. Today the art form enjoys worldwide appeal among historians, art lovers, and collectors.

China 2009

Nôm Tày Writing emerged during the Mac dynasty in Cao Bang, flourished throughout the 15th and 16th centuries, and continues to this day thanks to the efforts of numerous generations of Tày intellectuals. Tày scholars recorded the Tày language, known as Tày Nôm Writing, using the Han character system. Tày Nôm Writing is a hieroglyphic writing system that originated from the Chinese letters used by the Han people residing in the North. The principles of writing Chinese characters in Tày Nôm Writing must also be followed: top first, bottom after; inside before, outside after; left first, right after; write from left to right, top to bottom (in vertical rows); use kanji to recognize semantics and characters. There are numerous variations because of the direct teaching approach and manual copying. It's also rather typical to use Sino-Vietnamese terminology while reading Tày pronunciation. Writing in Tày Nôm is done on native paper, or chỉa sla. To write with bold strokes, use a brush dipped in Chinese ink and glide the tip of the pen evenly across the paper. Poetry books, storybooks, and songbooks written by Taoist monks are recorded using Tày Nôm Writing.

National Intangible Cultural Heritage, Republic of Korea Hwagak is a transparent plate made of finely ground ox horn. Hwagakjang refers to the handicraft skill of making such a plate or to an artisan with the skill. The materials are scarce and the work requires a great deal of time and a meticulous procedure. This artwork was chiefly used by upper class people. During the Goryeo Period (877 – 1394), cases for keeping Buddhist scriptures and rosaries were made from the skin of the hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata). Artisans used a technique of applying colors to the back of an object which permeated to the front, along with mother-of-pearl. This practice continued until the mid-Joseon Period (1392 – 1910). In the ensuing period, handicrafts adorned purely with hwagak developed. Objects made with hwagak skill include wardrobes, chests of drawers, side tables, dressing tables, pencil cases, powder cases, sewing rulers, desks, workbaskets, hand-held fans, and writing brush handles. Hwagak handicraft features elaborate ornamentation in colors and patterns.

The words of propitious omens are the shorter forms of benedictions used for expressing the best regards and happiness in people’s daily routine works and practices. The words of propitious omens are regarded as respect for others and widely used for greeting purposes. The words of omens are predicting the good things that can be happened in the future, and this makes the omens similar to benedictions but its function and use is different. The words of omens do not have different parts, as shorter as possible, words or poems which does not have any melody. The words of omens associated with any actions are always said same and its meaning has a connection to that actions. For instance: if somebody is writing a script, the omen word is said as “May the brush would sharpest”, if somebody is churning the Airag, the omen is said as, “More butter comes to the Airag” and so on.