The heritage foundation and Chinese Korean’s Arirang

The folk song “Arirang” is known by Koreans around the world, including on the Korean Peninsula. It has formed in a variety of ways alongside upheavals in history as well as the migration history of Chinese Korean over a hundred years. The people have been continuously creating and passing down folk songs that contain characteristic mores, aesthetic consciousness, and hope for the future. There is no doubt that “Arirang” is at the center of these songs.“Arirang” was recognized as an intangible cultural heritage work by Yanbian Chinese Korean Autonomous Prefecture and Jilin Province in 2009 as well as a national intangible cultural heritage work of China in June 2011. After that, it was recognized as a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage piece on December 5, 2012. These achievements mean that “Arirang” holds a firm position as a folk song with ethnic features in China.This paper compares characteristics between the traditional “Arirang” and the newly formed “Arirang” that was created by Chinese Koreans based on literature. It also analyzes the distinguished feature of Chinese Koreans’ culture, which can be expressed through the newly formed “Arirang.”