Beijing -- China will set up a system to eliminate poorly-managed intangible cultural heritage, according to a notice issued by the Ministry of Culture on Thursday.
The system targets intangible cultural heritage classified as best representing Chinese culture and history.
Intangible cultural heritage includes oral traditions, performing arts, rituals, and knowledge or skills to produce traditional crafts.
The ministry will first issue a warning if an element of intangible cultural heritage is found to be threatened because of poor management by "caretakers." If the no improvement follows, the cultural heritage element will be removed from the list.
In addition, those with improper names or having lost their original cultural preservation values will also be eliminated from the list after approval of the State Council.
China added 191 new elements to its list of intangible cultural heritage on Aug.29, such as traditional music, handicrafts and medicine.
The nation issued its first list in 2006, and now has more than 1,200 elements under state protection.
The government will allocate special funds for the protection of listed intangible cultural heritage and provide subsidies for major masters.
