02185nas a2200205   4500008004100000022002000041245012300061210006900184490000700253520138700260653002001647653002101667653003301688653003001721653002701751653003101778100001401809700001201823856014401835       2022                        eng d  a20771444 (ISSN)00aReligion-Related Intangible Cultural Heritage Safeguarding Practices and Initiatives of the Contemporary Chinese State0 aReligionRelated Intangible Cultural Heritage Safeguarding Practi0 v133 aThis paper reveals the contemporary Chinese state’s active role in shaping the country’s religion-related intangible cultural heritage (ICH) safeguarding, through a systematic review of China’s official inventories of national representative ICH projects and extensive investigations of relevant local practices and initiatives. Although China is ruled by a political party officially embracing an atheist ideology, various elements of the contemporary Chinese state have been proactively involved in safeguarding religion-related ICH. The Chinese state’s involvement in de facto religion-related ICH safeguarding predates its adoption of explicit ICH safeguarding narratives. Still, the Chinese state’s practices and initiatives in safeguarding religion-related ICH flourished after ratifying the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2004. Since then, China’s central government has established a nationwide framework to recognise representative ICH items, including religion-related ones. Beyond Beijing, various local state agencies have also developed noticeable enthusiasm for supporting the safeguarding of religion-related ICH. In addition to engaging directly with ICH safeguarding, the contemporary Chinese state has also shaped China’s religion-related ICH by working closely with some academics and religious groups.10aheritage policy10aICH safeguarding10aIntangible cultural heritage10areligion-related heritage10astate-centric approach10astate–religion relations1 aXu, Yawen1 aTao, Yu  uhttps://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85136805412&doi=10.3390%2frel13080687&partnerID=40&md5=14313fe38b11f042536e973797c969e8