Exploring "What is China" from General Secretary's "Cultural Footprint" - Exclusive Manuscript|

How can the millennium cultural heritage continue? How can a brilliant civilization shine with glory?

Looking back at history, the ancient wind has blown across the land of China and swept across mountains and rivers for thousands of miles. The giant pen of history has engraved the answer to the era of "why China".

The new journey is like a steadfast road.General Secretary stands at the strategic height of the sustainable inheritance of the Chinese nation and civilization, guiding us to draw cultural confidence from inheritance and development.

Searching for the Roots of Civilization

On the coordinates of history, using history to learn from the present and inspire the future

Culture connects the past, present, and future of a nation.

The Sanxingdui Site, located in Deyang City, Sichuan Province, represents the appearance and development level of ancient Shu civilization thousands of years ago. It is the largest, longest lasting, and most abundant archaeological site from the pre Qin period known to date in the southwestern region of China.

"This job is not easy! Carry forward the spirit of 'slow work and meticulous work', take it slow, work hard for a long time, and achieve success one by one."

The newly completed museum showcases over 1500 cultural relics, including pottery, bronze, jade, gold, ivory, and other artifacts, of which nearly 600 are on display for the first time. Each cultural relic has a magnificent momentum, shining brilliantly in the magnificent galaxy of Chinese civilization.

Before this symposium, General Secretary specifically inspected two cultural landmarks - the National Version Museum of China and the Chinese Academy of History. He walked and pondered on continuity throughout the process.

Visit the Central General Hall of the National Version Museum of China, visit the National Library, Exhibition of Ancient Chinese Civilization Editions, Exhibition of Contemporary Chinese Publishing Boutique and Characteristic Editions, carefully observe the exhibition of classic versions of Marxism with Chinese characteristics and modernization, and visit the exhibitions of "Combination of Carving of Han, Tibetan, Mongolian, and Manchu Tripitaka Scriptures" and "Combination of Four Complete Books"; Entering the Chinese Academy of History, visiting the special exhibition on the origin of civilization and the homestead of China, learning about major archaeological discoveries in the Neolithic and Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties, inspecting some precious ancient books and literature archives in the collection... General Secretary is eager to explore the roots of civilization and do a good job in cultural relic protection.

Detect a speck of ash and glimpse the textile craftsmanship of over 3000 years ago; AI technology enables the restoration of bronze artifacts from different sacrificial pits to be fully restored; In recent years, various disciplines and technological means have continuously assisted archaeological research, providing strong support for the exploration and protection of civilization, including multifunctional archaeological work chambers, ultra depth of field microscopic analysis, 3D models, X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, etc.

Nowadays, major projects such as the exploration of the origin of Chinese civilization, Xia culture, and the process of civilization in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, such as the "Archaeological China" project, are being coordinated and promoted. The National Version Museum has been put into operation, and the research and interpretation of the origin of Chinese civilization continue to deepen.

Knowing what has always been, knowing where to go.

Looking back at the historical coordinates and looking forward to the great journey, the General Secretary demarcated a new direction - "Chinese path to modernization gives modern power to Chinese civilization, and Chinese civilization gives Chinese path to modernization deep deposits" "Chinese path to modernization is the old and new destiny of the Chinese nation, and will certainly promote the Chinese civilization to regain its glory".

Searching for the root and exploring the source contains the power of civilization of "why China".

Cultural Relics Protection

Activating, protecting, and promoting sustainable inheritance along the cultural axis

A city of Gusu, half of the Jiangnan poetry.

Strolling along Pingjiang Road, with crisscrossing alleys, intertwined waterways, and changing scenery, ancient and modern collide here.

The Pingjiang Historical and Cultural District, located in the northeast corner of Suzhou Ancient City, Jiangsu Province, has a history of over 2500 years.

A "Pingjiang Map" clearly displays the plan outline and street layout of ancient Suzhou. There are a total of 3 national key cultural relics protection units, 2 provincial-level cultural relics protection units, 14 municipal cultural relics protection units, 44 controlled and protected buildings, and 202 cultural relics registration points here.

Repairing cultural relics and historical sites, dredging and regulating rivers, renovating residential courtyards, and revitalizing protection will bring this city back to a bustling world. The ancient city today is basically consistent with the picture of Pingjiang, as if one can glimpse the bustling scenery of Suzhou during the Song Dynasty.

"Suzhou has done a great job in combining tradition and modernity, not only inheriting historical and cultural heritage, but also showcasing high-tech innovation and high-quality development, representing the direction of future development," said General Secretary.

In the process of protection and development, we aim to find a "connection point" between the past and the present - adopting the restoration method of "restoring the old as it is, preserving its authenticity", and formulating the "Pingjiang Historical Block Protection and Renovation Plan" and "Pingjiang Road Street View Protection and Renovation Plan". Through in-depth investigation and careful recording of historical sites such as houses and bridges, we aim to promote the protection of the block's style and environmental governance.

In the process of development, we need to protect and find a balance point for people's livelihoods - "one plaque, one bucket, one well, one line" - and gradually improve practical livelihood issues such as water leakage, dampness, and water and electricity consumption in the ancient city through renovation measures.

In Zhengding, Hebei, cultural and tourism development counties were proposed; In Zhejiang, conduct research on the Liangzhu Site and pay attention to the application for World Heritage status of the ancient city; In Fuzhou, Fujian, promoting the formulation of regulations and plans for the protection and management of historical and cultural cities in Fuzhou... The protection of cultural relics and historical sites is a consistent focus.

Visiting ancient cities and touching history time and time again, General Secretary's "cultural footprint" covers the land of China.

In recent years, various measures such as planning and protection, inheritance and utilization, supervision and management have provided guidance for the protection of ancient city cultural heritage, bringing new formats and vitality to the city.

"Avoid 'one side of a thousand cities, one face of ten thousand buildings'" "Let residents see mountains, water, and nostalgia"... Along the direction of the General Secretary, Zhengding Ancient City reappears the style of the northern town, Liangzhu Ancient City Site is included in the The World Heritage List, Beijing Hutong is engraved with the memory of the ancient city, and the construction of the national cultural park is steadily advancing, and the historical context is constantly integrated and integrated with modern life.

As time passes, cultural relics and historical sites connect the memory of Chinese culture.

The protection of cultural relics contains the power of inheritance of "why China".

Cultural inheritance

Innovating and integrating on the path of development to safeguard and safeguard

Embroider beautiful rivers and mountains with needle and thread as the brush and ink.

As one of the representatives of Chinese embroidery art, Su embroidery has a long history of over 2000 years and was selected as one of the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage in 2006.

In Jiangsu, the General Secretary watched the production of Su embroidery and was concerned about cultural heritage. "The excellent traditional Chinese culture has been passed down from generation to generation, demonstrating resilience, patience, and determination, which is a part of the spirit of the Chinese nation," sighed General Secretary.

In Shaanxi, the General Secretary praised Hanzhong Tengbian and paid attention to industrial development. "Hanzhong rattan weaving and other intangible cultural heritage sites have long been renowned, and we need to develop and strengthen characteristic industries to better drive people's income growth and prosperity."

In today's China, intangible cultural heritage projects use the unique language of Chinese culture to showcase the cultural charm of ancient Eastern civilizations to the world, showcasing a timeless and youthful image of China.

Legal Protection - In recent years, a series of policy plans have been intensively introduced, and the legal and regulatory system for cultural heritage protection has been continuously improved. In the 2023 legislative work plan announced by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the revision of the Cultural Relics Protection Law is included. Ten provinces including Beijing, Hebei, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, Shanghai, Fujian, Shandong, Guangdong, Chongqing, and Shaanxi have introduced local regulations on revolutionary cultural relics, underground cultural relics, social cultural relics, and cultural heritage.

Institutional guarantee - The "Opinions on Implementing the Project of Inheriting and Developing Excellent Traditional Chinese Culture" for the first time elaborates on the inheritance and development of excellent traditional Chinese culture in the form of a central document, and the "Opinions on Further Strengthening the Protection of Intangible Cultural Heritage" improves the representative inheritor system... With the continuous improvement of the "four beams and eight pillars" of cultural heritage protection, it provides guarantees for the inheritance of culture.

Industrial integration - The Digital Exhibition of "A Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains" is very popular, "The Journey of a Legendary Landscape Painting" brings an audio-visual feast, and copper galloping horses become famous for cultural innovation... Today, many intangible cultural heritage are deeply branded and intelligent, industry university research integration, extension of the value chain, continuous practice of creative transformation and innovative development, and "Chinese romance" attracts the world's attention.

Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, eight cultural heritages have been included in the The World Heritage List, and the protection of cultural heritage has reached a new level. At present, there are more than 100000 representative projects of intangible cultural heritage at all levels, including 1557 national level representative projects of intangible cultural heritage.

"the outstanding innovation of Chinese civilization fundamentally determines the enterprising spirit of the Chinese nation in being upright and unconservative, respecting the past and not going back to the old, and determines the fearless character of the Chinese nation that is not afraid of new challenges and has the courage to accept new things." The general secretary said.

Intangible cultural heritage resonates with the times and constantly innovates and develops in the inheritance of cultural skills. Generations of inheritors continue to sing string songs, bringing new vitality to traditional skills.

At the opening ceremony of the Chengdu Universiade, the "Sun Bird" rose into the air, symbolizing a symbol of Chinese cultural heritage and igniting this summer.

Innovation and integration contain the power of the times for "why China".