Archives
A visual journey through China's intangible cultural heritage — photographs, documents, maps, and archival materials.
A master playing the guqin in a traditional scholar's studio
Spring Festival celebration with red lanterns and fireworks
Master weaver operating a Da Hualou loom for Yunjin brocade
Peking Opera performer in elaborate costume and makeup
Exquisite Chinese shadow puppet made from carved leather
Traditional Chinese paper-cut artwork with auspicious motifs
Longquan celadon vase with characteristic jade-green glaze
Dragon dance performance during Spring Festival celebration
Taijiquan practitioners moving in unison at dawn in a park
Mazu temple ceremony with pilgrims and incense smoke
Colorful kites filling the sky at Weifang International Kite Festival
A Chinese tea ceremony being performed with gongfu style tea set
Sichuan Opera face-changing performer with a dramatic mask
Dragon boat race with paddlers in synchronized motion
Shu embroidery detail showing a panda in silk thread
Suzhou embroidery with intricate silk thread detail
Kunqu opera performance on a traditional garden stage
Intricate cloisonné enamel vase with floral patterns
Master calligrapher executing brush strokes on rice paper
Tibetan Opera performer in traditional mask and costume
Uyghur Muqam ensemble performing traditional music
Mongolian long song performer on the grasslands
Thangka painting depicting scenes from the Gesar epic
Dong ethnic group performing their traditional grand song
Regong thangka painting with intricate Buddhist iconography
Traditional Xuan paper making in Anhui province
Traditional Chinese movable-type printing workshop
Carved red lacquerware with traditional motifs
Artisan weaving bamboo strips into functional basketry
Intricate Dongyang wood carving architectural panel
Classical jade carving showing masterful craftsmanship
Camel caravan on the ancient Silk Road through the desert
The Forbidden City in Beijing, imperial palace of Ming and Qing dynasties
Life-sized terracotta warriors guarding Emperor Qin's tomb
The Great Wall snaking through mountainous terrain
Map of the Han Dynasty empire at its greatest extent
Tang dynasty court scene with musicians and dancers
Song dynasty landscape painting with mountains and mist
Yuan dynasty blue-and-white porcelain with floral motifs
Ming dynasty blue-and-white porcelain vase
Qing dynasty imperial palace architecture
Classic Jiangnan garden with pavilions and lotus pond
The ancient Silk Road route through Central Asia
The vast Tibetan Plateau with snow-capped peaks
Misty mountains of the Sichuan basin
Traditional illustration of the Nian monster from Spring Festival legend
Scene from The Peony Pavilion, classic Kunqu opera
Memorial temple dedicated to Qu Yuan, the poet behind Dragon Boat Festival
Traditional illustration of Mulan, the legendary female warrior
UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage proclamation document
Source: UNESCO
Chinese National Intangible Cultural Heritage inventory list
Source: Ministry of Culture
Historical photograph of traditional Chinese street performance, early 20th century
Ethnographic map showing distribution of ethnic groups in China