Abstract: In the period of social transformation, China’s intangible cultural heritage (ICH) is faced with a complex and multifaceted inheritance context. There are three main paths of China’s ICH inheritance: aboriginal inheritance on the native land, secondary inheritance on the nativeland and derivative inheritance on discrete land. A thorough understanding of the current ICH context, the inheritance paths and their interactions is aprerequisite for a comprehensive summary and in-depth analysis of the current China’s ICH inheritance patterns and inheritance laws. Furthermore, a full understanding of the inheritance context can promote subject inheritance of ICH so as to realize overall socialized safeguarding and sharing of ICH.

At present, China is still in the period of social transition of various economic, political and social factors strongly superimposed, infiltrated and blended. This status quo undoubtedly leads to the complex and three-dimensional inheritance context of China’s ICH. It is becauseof such a complex and three-dimensional inheritance context that the ICH is always in a process of constant changes and adjustments. It is also such the inheritance context that enables the ICH to develop various new social functions under the premise of continuing its main aboriginal functions. The current China’s ICH inheritance context shows a trend of globalization and localization, urbanization and new rural construction, solid localization and mobility, self-reliance and commercialization, collectivity and individuation.

There are three main paths of China’s ICH inheritance: aboriginal inheritance on the native land, secondary inheritance on the nativeland and derivative inheritance on discrete land.

The aboriginal inheritance on the native land mainly refers that the ICH achieves intergenerational transfer and continuation according to the traditional logic. This inheritance still plays a major role.

The secondary inheritance on the native land refers that in the new social life space, the ICH is still in the native regional environment. However, cultural holders achieve its economization, transfer and continuation through cultural performances.

The derivative inheritance on discrete land mainly refers that the ICH achieves its inheritance by stage performances from the native natural environment and the social life. This becomes the modern culture and creative industry development which center on the cultural production and cultural consumption and is marked with the cultural and political color and economic characteristics.

These are an integral part of the China’s ICH. In the current complex and multicultural social context, the three ways of ICH inheritance occur and develop simultaneously.