According to Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun 18**, the Cultural Council of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology decided on the same day to list "calligraphy" (called "calligraphy" in Japanese) as a candidate for registration as a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage.
According to reports, it is expected that Japan** will submit an application to UNESCO by the end of March 2024 after consultation with the relevant departments, and whether it will be successfully designated as a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage may be announced around November 2026.
According to the report, in ancient Japan, kanji from China and kana derived from kanji spread, and "calligraphy" also permeated the lives of Japanese people. According to the Yomiuri Shimbun, "calligraphy" is inseparable from traditional Japanese festivals and living culture, and became an intangible cultural heritage of Japan in 2021.
Regarding the latest developments, Keidong Ishige, president of the Japan Calligraphy Culture Association, reportedly said, "For many years, I have been hoping that calligraphy as a Japanese culture will be understood by the international community and that it will flourish in Japan." "Thank you very much for being one step closer to achieving this goal."
The news that Japan's ** organization plans to apply for the World Heritage of "Calligraphy" has also sparked discussions on the Japanese Internet. Some Japanese netizens mentioned that Chinese calligraphy had previously been listed as a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage, while others said that kanji is not an "inherent culture" of Japan. According to a previous report by China Art Daily, on September 30, 2009, the fourth meeting of the Inter-Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage of UNESCO officially approved Chinese calligraphy as an "Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity".
A Japanese netizen said: "What is the purpose of making calligraphy an intangible cultural heritage in Japan?As others have mentioned, China (calligraphy) as a source has already been registered, and in this context, is it necessary to register Japanese calligraphy derived from China as a different culture?I think that since China has logged in, then it will be fine. ”
*: @环球网.