中国民俗学会成立于1983年5月21日，由全国民俗学工作者自愿结成，是群众性的和非赢利性的民俗学专业学术团体，现有在册会员2654人。中国民俗学会现任会长为叶涛，副会长为敖其、陈岗龙、陈连山、刁统菊、董秀团、黄景春、黄涛、康丽、李刚、林继富、毛巧晖、王加华、王霄冰、杨利慧、杨秀、张勃、张士闪、周福岩，秘书长为施爱东。
本会成立背景：1978年夏天，由钟敬文教授起草，联合顾颉刚、白寿彝、容肇祖、杨堃、杨成志、罗致平等人，致函中国社会科学院，随后发表了《建立民俗学及有关研究机构的倡议书》，得到有关领导同志的高度重视和全国广大民俗学工作者的积极响应。1982年6月，中国民俗学会筹备会在京成立，钟敬文教授任主任委员。1983年5月21日，中国民俗学会成立大会在北京隆重召开，推选周扬为名誉理事长，钟敬文为理事长，刘魁立为秘书长。
本会的基本宗旨：团结全国广大民俗学工作者，调查、搜集、整理、研究我国各民族的民俗文化现象，组织开展学术交流，搜集发布学术信息，促进学术发展。
本会主要业务范围：
（一）搜集、整理中国民俗文献资料与田野资料，逐步建立中国民俗文化信息资源库。
（二）进行民俗学基础理论研究和专题研究，鼓励和组织民俗学田野作业。
（三）组织编辑出版民俗书刊，翻译、评介国外民俗学著作。
（四）通过举办培训班、开办网络论坛、组织田野调查等方式，培养民俗学人才。
（五）组织和参与国内外民俗学学术会议，促进学术繁荣。
（六）积极参与中国非物质文化遗产保护工作。
（七）建设中国民俗学会网站，不断更新、维护，使之成为民俗学研究者及爱好者的学术家园。
2003年10月, “中国民俗学会网”创建；2008年9月经三期改版、更名和系统升级，“中国民俗学网” (China Folklore Network, CFN) 及其两个功能性站点“民俗学博客” (Folklore Blogs) 和“民俗学论坛” (Folklore Forum)上网试运行，2008年12月27日新网全站正式开通。
A Brief Introduction to China Folklore Society (CFS)
Created on May 21, 1983, the China Folklore Society (CFS) is a professional and non-profit organization of the folklorists and folklore fellows all over the China. CFS has so far registered 2654 members; the current President is YE Tao; Vice Presidents are AN Deming, AU Qi, CHEN Ganglong, CHEN Lianshan, DIAO Tongju, DONG Xiutuan, HUANG Jingchun, HUANG Tao, KANG Lim LI Gang, LIN Jifu, MAO Qiaohui, WANG Jiahua, WANG Xiaobing, YANG Lihui, YANG Xiu, ZHANG Shishan, ZHOU Fuyan.
In the summer of 1978, professor Zhong Jingwen drafted out a cosignatory letter, signed jointly by Gu Jiegang, Bai Shouyi, Rong Zhaozu, Yang Kun, Yang Chengzhi, Luo Zhiping, and then submitted to the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, advocating for setting up a national institution regarding folklore studies, which attracted much attention from related leaders and got active responses from folklorists and scholars concerned. In June 1982, the Preparatory Committee for CFS was established in Beijing. Professor Zhong Jingwen was elected as the head. In May 1983, the founding ceremony was grandly held in Beijing; Zhou Yang was elected as the Honorable President, Zhong Jingwen as the President, Liu Kuili as Secretary-general.
The general objectives of CFS (under the Article 3 of the Bylaws of CFS) aim at uniting with and organizing folklorists and folklore fellows throughout the country, to investigate, collect, collate, and study folklore and folk cultural phenomenon among the people of all ethnic groups of the country, to facilitate scholarly exchanges and cooperation with its counterparts both at home and abroad, to gather, disseminate, and share academic information and resources, and to further the discipline of folklore studies.
The professional objectives of CFS are (under the Article 6 of the Bylaws of CFS):
(1) to collect and collate folklore materials from multiform literatures and field investigations, and then gradually build up an information resource database for preserving China's folklore and cultural traditions;
(2) to stimulate studies on basic theories and conduct specific research projects in folkloristics with an emphasis on encouraging and organizing fieldwork in folklore in all its aspects;
(3) to compile and publish folkloristic books, field study reports and periodicals, and at the same time to enhance translations from and reviews of overseas works in folkloristics.
(4) to train talents and discover qualified personnel by all the means, such as holding workshops, launching online forums, and carrying out field study practices, as well as facilitating other appropriate channels;
(5) to organize and participate in domestic and international conferences in order to reinforce scholarly discourses and academic exchanges;
(6) to participate in the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage with professional spirit and initiative;
(7) to strengthen the website construction of the China Folklore Network (CFN), keep it up to date and well maintained, and make it become a home for all the folklore fellows and folk culture amateurs.
CFS's governance is implemented by its Executive Board, Professional Committees and by its Secretariat, primarily through organizing conferences, publications, training, promoting folkloristics from theories to practices, enhancing multilateral cooperation, strengthening capacity-building, all of which ensure that CFS maintains a recognized competence in specialization.
中国民俗学会办公室位于北京民俗博物馆(东岳庙内)
CFS's headquarter is based in the Dongyue Taoist Temple / Beijing Folklore Museum
