In a major win for cultural preservation, China's Hezhen Yimakan storytelling tradition has officially been moved to UNESCO's Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage as of December 11, 2025. This oral art form – once classified as endangered – is now celebrated globally for its unique blend of poetry, improvisation, and musical rhythms. 🎉
The decision came during UNESCO's 20th safeguarding session in New Delhi, recognizing efforts by communities and the Chinese mainland to protect this 1,300-year-old tradition practiced by the Hezhen people, one of China's smallest ethnic groups with fewer than 5,000 members. 📜
"Yimakan isn't just stories – it's our living history textbook," said a UNESCO representative during the announcement. The art form, performed in the Hezhen language without written scripts, features epic narratives about tribal alliances and ecological wisdom.
Chinese Ministry of Culture officials called this upgrade "a bridge between ancient wisdom and Gen Z audiences," noting recent TikTok collaborations where young Hezhen storytellers reinterpret myths through short-form videos. 📱✨
