Peking University, May 20, 2014: "PKU has not only been the initiator of protecting the intangible cultural heritage, but also the active practitioner over the years." Professor Duan Baolin from the Department of Chinese Language and Literature of PKU said in his lecture held at PKU library on May 16th.

Professor Duan, the vice chairman of China Folklore Society, was invited by PKU Library to give a lecture on the relationship between PKU and the intangible cultural heritage, and the connection between the Chinese Dragon and the PKU Spirit, in celebration of the World Book and Copyright Day 2014.

Professor Duan Baolin gives the lecture.

Vice curator of PKU Library Xiao Long first introduced the intimate relationship between Professor Duan Baolin and PKU Library. In 2007, Professor Duan Baolin donated his personal collection of over 15,000 books about folklore to PKU Library. The library paid high attention to this precious donation, and set up the Duan Baolin Donation reading room for researchers and people who were interested in folklore.

The lecture of Professor Duan Baolin started with questions. In answering questions, Professor Duan made the meaning of intangible cultural heritage clear to the audience, and stressed the importance and necessity of protecting the intangible cultural heritage.

"The intangible cultural heritage mainly refers to the folk culture. As the intangible cultural property, it is the foundation of the national culture." Professor Duan said. "But nowadays the intangible cultural heritage is faced with vanishing crisis."

Professor Duan pointed out the deep relationship between PKU and the intangible cultural heritage. He said that then PKU President Cai Yuanpei initiated the Folk Music Research Institute and published the magazine Folk Music Weekly, making PKU the headstream of Chinese folklore and folk art in 1918.

"PKU was the only academy that insisted on teaching folklore courses in the 1960s. And the theoretical system of folk literature set up by PKU is now universally applied in the folk literature field nationwide." Professor Duan elaborated the story between PKU and the folk culture. What's more, he mentioned that the Collected Works of Chinese Folk Literature and Art compiled by PKU received the high praise from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESC).

Speaking of the connection between the Chinese Dragon and the PKU Spirit, Professor Duan regarded the invincible confidence lying in the Chinese Dragon as the reflection of the PKU Spirit.

The lecture of Professor Duan Baolin showed his in-depth knowledge and deep love of Chinese folk culture. The audience asked questions and discussed with Professor Duan on the intangible cultural heritage during the lecture..

Written by: Gao Hongfei
Edited by: Zhu Wenjia 
Source: Peking University News (Chinese)