Cultural Heritages in the Series of Gateway to Heilongjiang Province

Located in the northeastern border of China, Heilongjiang Province is inhabited by multiple peoples and immigrants. Here Han people accounts over 90% of the total population whereas the population of ethnic minorities is relatively less with 10 major peoples as permanent residents including Manchu, Hui people, Korean nationality, Mongolian, Daur, Olunchun, Kirgiz, Hezhe and Xibo Nationalities. Most of the historical development and folk customs of these peoples are based on the clan culture. Of these people, the Manchu, Mongolian, Olunchun and Daur nationalities etc have a rich heritage of legends and lengthy rap about heroes has been popular among Hezhe, Olunchun and Daur nationalities for quite a long time, for example, the “Yimankan” (credited as the living fossil of primitive language art in northern Asia) of Hezhe nationality, “Mosuni” (ranking in the first list of national intangible cultural heritages) of Olunchun nationality and “Wuqin”( also ranking in the list like “Mosuni”)of Daur nationality. These epic raps are all valuable treasures of the culture of ethnic minorities here.

In modern years, it gradually developed a kind of culture typical of the border areas and ethnic minorities where the eastern and the western cultures coexisted in harmony. In the early Qing Dynasty ((1644-1911), immigrants inside Shanghaiguan Pass came here for the government began to lift the ban from free entry to this area which once was the place for exiling prisoners and where the emperor appeared. These immigrants brought with them the virtuous tradition of Chinese people and folk customs inside Shanghaiguan Pass which interacted with aboriginal culture here. In the early 20th century, Heilongjiang province, in particular Harbin, Heihe, Suifenhe Port became center for international commerce and trade. As a result, civilization of different peoples in many eastern and western countries like Russia, Japan, Germany, Netherlands and France, etc which presented itself in such respects as architecture, religion, culture, education and hygiene collided and interacted with regional culture here, which made up an important part of civilization in Heilongjiang River Valley.

It abounds in intangible cultural heritages with some used for creation in subfields of literature and art, some giving birth to a number of excellent works while others used for developing cultural tourism industry, making contribution to society and economy. On the third of March, 2007 the government of Heilongjiang province published the first list of provincial intangible cultural heritages, amounting to 57 items in total, of which those labeled★were also listed in the national intangible cultural heritages, coming up to 9 items.