KUALA LUMPUR, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) -- The recognition of the Wangchuan ceremony, jointly nominated by Malaysia and China in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity reflected the strong historic ties between the two countries, a Malaysian official said.

As announced during the online meeting of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage on Thursday, Malaysia gained joint recognition for the Wangchuan ceremony, or Chinese barge festival, with China and the pantun poetry style with Indonesia, following a joint nomination for these intangible cultural heritage items, according to Malaysia's Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Nancy Shukri.

Nancy said this success was not only historical as it was the first time that Malaysia achieved such recognition together with other countries.

"This success is a testament to Malaysia's relationship with China and Indonesia that has been intertwined for centuries, which contributes to the diversity and uniqueness of the cultural heritage of this country," she said.

According to the UNESCO lists, the Wangchuan ceremony and related practices are rooted in folk customs of worshipping and developed in China's Minnan region between the 15th and 17th centuries. The element is now centered in the coastal areas of Xiamen Bay and Quanzhou Bay, as well as in the Chinese communities in Malacca, Malaysia.

The element evokes the historical memory of ancestors' ocean-going, reshapes social connections when confronted with emergencies such as shipwrecks, and honors the harmony between man and the ocean. It also bears witness to the intercultural dialogue among communities. Enditem

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