Intangible cultural heritage research in China from the perspective of intellectual property rights based on bibliometrics and knowledge mapping

Abstract This research scrutinizes the trends and dynamics of Intellectual Property Protection (IPP) of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) in China, utilizing a dataset of 91 papers from the CNKI database spanning 2011 to 2020. The study uses CiteSpace software to visualise and analyse the literature across multiple dimensions, including article count, authorship, institutional affiliations, and keyword co-occurrence. Findings indicate a lack of robust collaboration among authors and institutions in IPP and ICH, with a scarcity of active cooperative groups. Critical research hotspots identified encompass intangible cultural heritage, intellectual property protection, inheritors, legal protection, copyright, intellectual property law, and geographical indications, with the legal safeguarding of ICH’s intellectual property, digital conservation, traditional cultural expressions, and original authentication emerging as the leading research frontiers. This investigation provides a holistic view of China’s IPP and ICH landscape, offering essential scientific insights for ongoing scholarly discourse. This study mainly benefits policymakers and stakeholders in the cultural heritage sector, underscoring the necessity of enhanced authorial and institutional collaboration and the prioritization of legal and digital protection mechanisms to safeguard China’s intangible cultural legacy for posterity. The analysis is critical, informing policy formulation and strategic planning to bolster ICH’s protection and sustainable management in China.