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Intellectual Property Tools in Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage: A Chinese Perspective

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International Journal for the Semiotics of Law - Revue internationale de Sémiotique juridique Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Intangible cultural heritage (ICH) is an invaluable treasure for human being and China is a country endowed with rich ICH. Among all the measures of safeguarding ICH, intellectual property (IP) tools are effective while controversial. As China started relatively late in the legal protection of ICH, the gap between legislation and judiciary needs to be filled in. This study examines the IP protection of ICH in China based on the current laws and regulations and then provides a semiotic approach to the relevant legal evolution in China. This study, taking in some experiences outside China, goes further to provide recommendations for improving the IP protection in China.

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Notes

  1. Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions.

  2. UNESCO. Dive into intangible cultural heritage!. https://ich.unesco.org/en/dive&display=threat#tabs, accessed 2 November, 2019..

  3. UNESCO. 1982-2000: from Mondiacult to Our Creative Diversity. https://ich.unesco.org/en/1982-2000-00309, accessed 5 November, 2019.

  4. UNESCO. 2000 onwards and the drafting of the Convention. https://ich.unesco.org/en/2000-onwards-00310, accessed 5 November, 2019.

  5. UNESCO. 1982-2000: from Mondiacult to Our Creative Diversity. https://ich.unesco.org/en/1982-2000-00309, accessed 5 November, 2019.

  6. Case concerning false publicity: Chengdu Tongdefu Hechuan Peach Slices Co., Ltd. v. Chongqing Municipality Hechuan District Tongdefu Peach Slices Co., Ltd. and Yu Xiaohua. https://www.pkulaw.com/en_case/a25051f3312b07f3f1d61f2349c36aca9d3523fdd7af539abdfb.html, accessed 10 November, 2019..

  7. Case concerning unfair competition: Shandong Lujin Industry Co., Ltd. v. Juancheng Lujin Crafts Co., Ltd. and Jining Lizhibang Home Textile Co., Ltd.. https://www.pkulaw.com/en_case/a25051f3312b07f32ca6640cead04764e8c29577587eb590bdfb.html, accessed 10 November, 2019.

  8. WIPO. Traditional Knowledge. https://www.wipo.int/tk/en/#training, accessed 10 December, 2019.

  9. See an example of the Practical Workshop on Intellectual Property, Traditional Knowledge and Traditional Cultural Expressions for Countries from the Arctic Region from May 14 to May 16, 2019 (Iqaluit, Canada). https://www.wipo.int/meetings/en/details.jsp?meeting_id=52847, accessed 10 November, 2019.

  10. See an example of the first pilot Cultural Documentation and IP Management Training Program in Kenya in 2008. https://www.wipo.int/tk/en/folklore/digitizing_traditional_culture.html, accessed 10 November, 2019.

  11. WIPO Academy—[DL] Distance Learning Program. https://welc.wipo.int/acc/index.jsf?page=courseCatalog.xhtml&lang=en&cc=DL203E#plus_DL203E, accessed 10 November, 2019.

  12. UNESCO. Browse the Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage and the Register of good safeguarding practices. https://ich.unesco.org/en/lists?text=&country[]=00045&multinational=3&display1=inscriptionID#tabs, accessed 13 December, 2019.

  13. Catalogue of the Representative Items of Intangible Cultural Heritage at the National Level. http://www.ihchina.cn/project.html, accessed 13 December, 2019.

  14. See more China’s policies on intangible cultural heritage on http://www.ihchina.cn/zhengce, accessed 13 December, 2019.

  15. Chinese national folk culture protection project. http://paper.people.com.cn/rmrb/html/2008-05/13/content_48537469.htm, accessed 13 December, 2019.

  16. Notes on the Law of the People's Republic of China on Intangible Cultural Heritage (Draft). http://www.npc.gov.cn/wxzl/gongbao/2011-05/10/content_1664872.htm, accessed 13 December, 2019.

  17. Notice of the Revitalization Plan for Traditional Chinese Crafts. http://www.ihchina.cn/zhengce_details/11566, accessed 13 December, 2019.

  18. Thousand patents boost the industrialization of Suzhou embroidery. http://cpc.people.com.cn/n/2013/1109/c87228-23484043.html, accessed 14 December, 2019.

  19. China Memory -- Database of Basic Resources of Chinese Traditional Culture and Art. http://www.cefla.org/technology/detail?category_id=52, accessed 14 December, 2019.

  20. Article 9. The trademark for registration shall be distinctive for easy identification, and may not be in conflict with any prior legal rights acquired by others.

  21. Article 32. No application for trademark registration may infringe upon the existing prior rights of others, and bad-faith registration by illicit means of a trademark with a certain reputation already used by another party shall be prohibited.

  22. See more ICH cases concerning IP on https://www.pkulaw.com/case/adv, accessed 15 December, 2019.

  23. See Leading Case No.80, 46 and 58 on https://www.pkulaw.com/case/, accessed 15 December, 2019.

  24. See more details on this case on https://www.pkulaw.com/pfnl/a25051f3312b07f3a18a5091312712376ab953597abcdcddbdfb.html?keyword=非物质文化遗产%20, accessed 15 December, 2019..

  25. The Biological Diversity Act, 2002.

  26. Regulations on the Protection of Copyright of Folk Literature and Art Works (Draft for Comments).

  27. Intangible Cultural Heritage and Poverty Alleviation: Old “skills” with New Vitality. http://www.cttv.co/news/16724.html, accessed 7 January, 2020.

  28. Qiandongnan Prefecture: Make Good Use of Intangible “Treasure” to Help Fight Poverty. http://www.ddcpc.cn/szx/qdn/201811/t20181106_280681.shtml, accessed 7 January, 2020.

  29. See more ICH cases involving trademark infringement on https://www.pkulaw.com/case/adv, accessed 7 January, 2020.

  30. See more details on this case on https://www.pkulaw.com/en_case/a25051f3312b07f3f1d61f2349c36aca9d3523fdd7af539abdfb.html, accessed 7 January, 2020.

  31. Native American Tribal Insignia. https://www.uspto.gov/trademark/laws-regulations/native-american-tribal-insignia, accessed 7 January, 2020.

  32. Law of the People's Republic of China on Intangible Cultural Heritage.

  33. See more details on the documentaries on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLItKMW2sDo, accessed 13 January, 2020.

  34. See more details on the subsidy of national representative inheritors on http://culture.people.com.cn/n1/2016/0330/c87423-28238644.html, accessed 8 January, 2020.

  35. Nine nominated as living treasures. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2001/06/16/national/nine-nominated-as-living-treasures/#.XhrcfBczY_V, accessed 8 January, 2020.

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Acknowledgements

This study is supported by the Research Funds of the Central Universities of the PRC.

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  1. Institute of Cross-cultural and Regional Studies, School of International Studies, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China

    Le Cheng & Yuchang Yuan

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  1. Le Cheng
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  2. Yuchang Yuan
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Correspondence to Yuchang Yuan.

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Cheng, L., Yuan, Y. Intellectual Property Tools in Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage: A Chinese Perspective. Int J Semiot Law 34, 893–906 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11196-020-09732-7

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