Since the 1970s, health communication (HC) has attracted widespread attention from practitioners and researchers in various fields in China, leading to the production of a vast array of literature. In order to reveal the current state, popular themes, and research frontiers of HC research, this study employed the CiteSpace software to conduct a comprehensive review based on 1505 HC publications from 1992 to 2021 retrieved from the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) database. The results demonstrated that (1) the number of HC publications has experienced an annual increase over the past 20 years, albeit with certain inverted S-shaped fluctuations and (2) the most prolific authors mainly included Wang L.Y., Zhang Z.L., and Wang Y.L., while well-known universities played a leading role in HC research in China. A significant finding was that a stable core group of authors or institutional has been not formed in the HC field. Furthermore, (3) research hotspots included health education, new media, health literacy, health information, animal husbandry and veterinary medicine (AHVM), the doctor–patient relationship, and public health emergencies. Additionally, the development of the field could be divided into four stages, indicating a significant shift in HC research from focusing on medicine and public health issues towards communication issues. Finally, (4) new research frontiers have mainly included the WeChat official account and Health China.

In recent years, the development and utilization of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) has become an increasingly significant research topic. Worldwide, however, little research has been systematically and comprehensively conducted to review relevant ICH literature. The application CiteSpace was used to identify the research hotspots, frontiers, and trends in China’s ICH field from 2003 to 2020. The results showed that the quantity of published literature has steadily increased throughout the respective period. Scholars and research institutions alike have shown poor cooperation whereby ICH protection received most of the attention. In addition, the digitalization of ICH is an inevitable trend in ICH protection and inheritance, while the combination of ICH and cultural industries constitutes an important approach to ICH utilization and communication. Hence, the ultimate goal of ICH research consists of seeking ways to achieve its sustainable development to satisfy the increasing cultural demands. Findings furthermore show that ICH for rural revitalization constitutes a unique research topic with Chinese characteristics. This study provides insights for scholars and practitioners worldwide to facilitate a better understanding of ICH in China.