【正确答案】The Zhusuan, otherwise known as the Chinese abacus has successfully made its way onto the shortlist of the 2013 UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritages.
According to the shortlist, Chinese abacus is one of the most important inventions in ancient China, with a history of over 1,800 years. As a convenient counting tool with unique mathematical connotations, Chinese abacus is considered as "the world's oldest computer. "
Up to now, China has successfully applied for thirty-seven items to be listed as World Intangible Cultural Heritages , becoming the country with the highest number of intangible cultural items listed by UNESCO. Twenty-nine items, including Kunqu opera, acupuncture and shadow play, are listed as Intangible cultural Heritage of Humanity, while another seven items, including the wooden movable-type printing are on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding.
UNESCO believes the Intangible Cultural Heritages can bring a sense of identity and history to the communities that own them, and that it is the key to ensuring cultural diversity and human creativity.