Journalist's note: Understanding "Why China" culture from General Secretary's trip to Sichuan | History | Journalist

A "sun bird" flying from the depths of history ignited the summer night in Chengdu. The ancient Jinguan City warmly embraces a youthful event.

On the evening of July 28, the Chengdu Universiade was grandly opened. General Secretary Xi Jinping visited the scene to witness the highlight moment of "Chengdu's dream.

The imagery of the "Sun God Bird" unearthed at the Jinsha site, integrated into the entire opening ceremony, amazed the world: traveling through three thousand years of time and space, the "God Bird" gracefully arrived, spinning with agility, twelve golden lights shining, fireworks blooming in the night sky, and the holy flame burning fiercely... Chengdu, with the unique language of Bashu culture, expresses beautiful wishes for the bright future.

At the first World Comprehensive Games held in western China, people opened another window to understand "why China".

At the same time, heading north from Chengdu, by the Duck River in Guanghan, a new Sanxingdui has been built, which has been dormant for thousands of years and startled the world upon waking up.

On the afternoon of the 26th, the general secretary came here to inspect and congratulate the new Sanxingdui Museum on its completion and use.

Entering the museum exhibition hall is like entering a dreamy world full of imagination.

On the "Heavenly Divine Tree", golden crows inhabit and wandering dragons meander; Bronze vertical eyed mask, protruding eyes and huge ears, mysterious and solemn; Bronze bird foot deity statue, with a head on the head, hand supported Lei, and bird on foot; Bronze human avatars of various shapes gather into a magnificent "square formation"

In the exhibition hall, the general secretary stopped frequently, sometimes looking at the front, walking slowly around the display cabinet, looking at the different side details of the cultural relics, admiring that "modern people do not have this kind of imagination and creativity".

Tools are used to conceal rituals, and objects are used to carry the Tao. Staring at these shining immortal creations, how can it not be thought-provoking for a thousand years.

Where do they come from?

The archaeological experts who explained to the general secretary said with certainty: "these cultural relics are born from the matrix of civilization in the Yangtze River and Yellow River basins, and are the achievements of the innovation and creation of the ancestors of ancient Shu. They have their unique imagination and spiritual belief in the 'heaven, man and goddess', as well as a clear mark deeply influenced by Xia and Shang culture."

"Gradually restore the development process of civilization from a trickle to a confluence of rivers." The general secretary attaches great importance to the significance of archaeology in exploring the roots of civilization.

The wind of the Bronze Age gently brushed over this land and also swept across mountains and rivers for thousands of miles. Sanxingdui is a brilliant star in the starry sky of Chinese civilization, and a vivid demonstration of the diversity and unity of Chinese civilization.

"After reading it, our national pride has doubled, and we have five thousand years of Chinese civilization, and we are even more looking forward to the discovery and excavation of a longer period of Chinese civilization," said General Secretary.

The answer to "why China" lies in both things and people.

Guo Hanzhong, a "great country craftsman" who grew up near the Sanxingdui site and has been engaged in cultural relic restoration work for 39 years, has a calm gaze and simple language: he "only knows how to do this.".

In order to detect and analyze the damaged cultural relics, traditional tools were used for orthopedics, and the incomplete parts were measured and matched ...... In the Sanxingdui Museum's Cultural Relics Protection and Restoration Hall, Guo Hanzhong carefully told the General Secretary about the restoration process of an altar base.

"It's very complicated! How long will it take for you to repair this one?" asked the General Secretary.

"At least one year," Guo Hanzhong replied.

Currently, there are tens of thousands of newly unearthed cultural relics in Sanxingdui that need to be protected and restored. This job requires a sense of responsibility that never waits, as well as meticulous patience that requires concentration and breathlessness.

"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. Thank you for your contributions to the protection of cultural relics." General Secretary expressed deep affection.

Cultural relics have their own spring and autumn. If it were not for the relay inheritance of generations of archaeologists who have "shoveled and released heavenly books", and without the careful care of generations of cultural relics protectors who have "willingly sat on cold benches", how could the treasures of civilization be presented to the world and passed down to future generations.

What I am most concerned about is the most precious thing left by the vicissitudes of Chinese civilization. Cultural relics carry splendid civilization, inherit historical culture, and maintain national spirit. Only by deeply understanding ancient China can we deeply understand modern China and continuously create a future China.

The long river of history flows endlessly, and the path of civilization is endless.

This time, General Secretary took the high-speed train to Sichuan. The route of passing through the Central Plains, entering Guanzhong, crossing the Qinling Mountains, and crossing the Bashan Mountains is roughly along the direction of the ancient Shu Road.

On the afternoon of the 25th, at the first stop of the inspection, the General Secretary came to Cuiyun Corridor near Xiongguan, Jianmen.

The reason why this ancient Shu Road has such a poetic name is precisely due to the spectacle of "holding a space of three hundred miles and a lush green sky" - more than 12000 ancient cypresses are planted on both sides of the more than 300 mile long ancient road.

Along the ancient road, gazing at ancient cypresses that have been around for thousands or even two thousand years, one cannot help but think of the Qin and Han moons, Tang and Song melodies, and reminisce about the legendary stories and catchy poems that Chinese people love to talk about.

The ancient path and ancient cypress coexist and exist together; Nature and culture complement each other to create brilliance.

Immersed in it, one always wonders: Who planted these ancient cypresses?

Professor Cai Dongzhou from West China Normal University has conducted extensive research on this topic.

Previous generations planted trees, while later generations enjoyed the cool. Cuiyun Corridor was not built in a day, it relied on the power of time and the people.

"The Cuiyun Corridor is really amazing!" "I don't feel like I 've seen enough." The general secretary was very emotional, "here we can get a lot of enlightenment, dig out a lot of significance, and have a sense of awe for nature."

This scene is so familiar and meaningful.

I still remember that in May 2016, deep in the Xiaoxing'an Mountains, in the forest farm of Yichun City, Heilongjiang, looking up at a red pine tree, the general secretary sighed, "This is the sense of time!"

I still remember in April 2021, standing in front of an 800 year old sour jujube tree in Maozhushan Village, Guangxi, on the banks of the Xiang River. I looked back and forth and said, "I have a reverence for these very old trees."

Respecting history, culture, and ecology contains profound wisdom of "why China".

The ancient road winds through the mountains and stretches into the distance. The ancient cypress stands tall in the sky, rooted in the earth, with lush branches and leaves.

The past goes on for thousands of years. The eternal lament that the difficulty of the Shu Road is greater than reaching the blue sky has long been a history.

Today, on the map of western China, there are green mountains and clear waters, and roads crisscross. On the banks of the ancient Sichuan Road, super Sichuan roads such as the Xicheng High Speed Railway and the Beijing Kunming Expressway have reshaped their time and space, with 42 passageways entering and exiting Sichuan University, reaching all directions.

The legendary path of the new era is still ongoing.

Looking along this road, Chinese path to modernization is like a mainstay, and the prospect of the modern civilization of the Chinese nation is glorious: "Our culture is here! It is very civilized, progressive, and advanced. In the future, it will be passed on for five thousand years, and more than five thousand years."