| China’s ivory carving might be traced back to the Neolithic period 7,000 years ago.It is an outstanding representative of Chinese traditional culture.In 2006,Beijing ivory carving and Guangzhou ivory carving were listed in the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage list.Since then,representative ivory carving projects in various places have been listed in the local intangible cultural heritage protection list.More than 20 senior carvers with unique skills have been rated as successors of intangible cultural heritage.China closed the domestic ivory market by the end of 2017,and the commercial processing and sales of ivory were completely banned.This move is a concrete embodiment of China’s fulfillment of international obligations and the role of a responsible country.This measure has undoubtedly had a devastating impact on the domestic ivory carving industry.The inheritance and cultural journey of ivory carving has once again encountered a tremendous frustration.Whether it should continue to be inherited,whether it could be inherited,and how to inherit it,are the problems which contemporary people must think about.Ivory resource is the conveyor of the ivory culture,and the wildlife resource supervisor should act on it.In this study,a large number of historical documents and studies were consulted to comprehensively sort out the origin,development,achievements and current situation of the domestic ivory carving industry;27 processing enterprises in the industry replied to a questionnaire survey before and after the ban,telephone interviews were conducted with specific objects to understand and grasp the relevant situation of the industry during transition period,the public opinions of the media and related organizations and individuals were collected and collated,the successful cases of rescue of other intangible cultural heritage types in China were analyzed and used for reference.After analysis,it is found that it is necessary to continue to inherit the ivory carving culture in the current political and economic context both at home and abroad.It is demonstrated from the aspects of the historical tradition,the excellence of culture and the contemporary demand for ivory carving skills.It is pointed out that the inheritance of ivory carving is the concrete embodiment of strengthening the national cultural confidence.On the basis of insights of the industry,this study points out the dilemma of "discrete personnel,lack of successors","lack of raw materials" and "continuous pressures from external opinion" faced by ivory carving inheritance,and analyzes the vital conditions for China’s ivory carving inheritance,including professional and technical personnel,reserve of raw materials,people’s belief and adherence to traditional culture,and likelihood of cultural inheritance,etc,after the domestic ban.This study puts forward the measures that can be taken for the inheritance of ivory carving in China under the current conditions,such as establishing guru carver’s studio,productive conservation demonstration base,and non-state-owned museum as a platform.It can not only protect the existing talents but also play the role of inheritors in nurturing successors,and the platform can be utilized for public welfare publicity and positive guidance.It can adopt advanced digital technology.The unique production process of the senior artists will be fully recorded to pass to future generations.Universities and Higher Vocational Colleges will help carry on intangible cultural heritage and create a good social environment for the ivory carving culture.The excellent Chinese traditional culture,including ivory carving,which has been bred and developed in the long history of Chinese civilization for more than 5,000 years,representing the most unique spiritual and aesthetic symbol of the Chinese nation,condenses the deepest cultural pursuit of the Chinese nation,is the spiritual nourishment for the survival of the Chinese culture,is the ideological soil and nutrition for the root of socialism with Chinese characteristics,and plays an important role in the development and continuation of Chinese civilization. |
