Shaanxi solidly promotes cultural inheritance and development. China | Archaeology | Culture

Figure ①: Xi'an Branch of the National Version Museum of China.

Figure 2: Xi'an Xiaoyan Pagoda.

Photo by Yuan Bo

Figure 3: Cultural relics exhibited at the Shaanxi Archaeological Museum.

Figure 4: The ancient capital of Xi'an under the night sky.

Figures ①, ③, and ④ are all taken by our reporter Zhang Danhua

Drawing: Wang Zheping

City of Culture and Museum

Assist in exploring the origin of civilization

Recently, the online theme publicity of "Why China in the Prosperous Age" jointly guided by the Central Cyberspace Office, the National Cutural Heritage Administration, the People's Daily and the Cyberspace Commission of Shaanxi Provincial Party Committee was launched in Shaanxi Archaeological Museum.

Entering the Shaanxi Archaeological Museum, the Tang Dynasty style and garden style buildings are grand yet beautiful, attracting archaeologists to come one after another.

"This museum, with archaeology as its theme, took 10 years of careful preparation and showcased over 5000 unearthed cultural relics, each containing the genes and codes of civilization, carrying the wisdom of the ancients, and is an invaluable treasure." said Sun Zhouyong, President of Shaanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology and Director of Shaanxi Archaeological Museum.

Archaeological work provides strong support for promoting excellent traditional Chinese culture and enhancing cultural confidence. Shaanxi has abundant cultural relics resources. In order to explore "why China", reveal cultural traditions, and tell Chinese stories well, Shaanxi archaeologists are tireless.

Explore the unknown and uncover the origin. The Shaanxi Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau recently released the latest achievement - the discovery of millions of years of continuous ancient human cultural relics in the Yellow River Basin. "The new discovery has expanded the temporal and spatial framework for the survival and evolution of ancient humans in the Yellow River Basin, providing more powerful evidence of China's million year uninterrupted human development history and the outstanding continuity of Chinese civilization," said Luo Wenli, Secretary of the Party Group and Director of the Shaanxi Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau.

Over the years, Shaanxi has continued to contribute to the project of exploring the origin of Chinese civilization. 11 archaeological projects, including Shimao Site, Banpo Site, Xianyang City Site of Qin Dynasty, the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor, Famen Temple Site, have been selected into the "Hundred Archaeological Discoveries in a Century" announced by the Chinese Archaeology Conference.

Improve the level of museum construction and protect historical and cultural heritage. Entering the land of Sanqin, tourists can search for the earliest recorded bronze artifacts of the term "China" at the Baoji Bronze Museum; Visit the restoration site of the Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum Museum to see the cultural relics that have been worn down by history regain their brilliance; Visit the Shaanxi History Museum to glimpse the splendor and delicacy of the Tang Dynasty

The magical museum tour showcases the overall characteristics of Chinese civilization, which is diverse, inclusive, and continuous. At present, Shaanxi has built 350 museums, with an average of one museum per 100000 people, far higher than the national average. Museums have become an important window for cultural relics protection and display.

Pay attention to Silk Road archaeology, strengthen archaeological capabilities and discipline construction. As the first Chinese scholar to enter Central Asian archaeology, Professor Wang Jianxin from Northwestern University led an archaeological team that, after more than 20 years of effort, finally confirmed the cultural relics of the ancient Yue clan and Kangju recorded in documents such as the Records of the Grand Historian and the Book of Han, making important contributions to the archaeology of the Silk Road.

Chinese scholars, represented by archaeologists from Shaanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology and Northwestern University, have established deep friendships with archaeologists from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and other countries in their work. They have brought out the concepts and practices of protecting and archaeological sites with Chinese characteristics that have gradually formed in this century, and shared them selflessly.

Technology Empowerment

Expand innovation space

Internet, big data, artificial intelligence... How can we use new technologies to make the past serve the present, bring forth the new, and constantly promote its creative transformation and innovative development?

With over 110 universities and over 1500 research institutions, Shaanxi has strong scientific research capabilities. The lunar exploration project, Mars exploration, Beidou navigation, and "Jiaolong Entering the Sea" all reflect the technology and "wisdom" from this western province behind each "national treasure".

The innovative force formed by numerous outstanding talents has brought to life the heritage displayed on the vast land, the characters written in ancient books, and the cultural relics collected in museums.

Koi carp leap into the sky, fireworks bloom all over the sky, the magnificent Hanyuan Hall of the Daming Palace reappears, and the map of Xuanzang's journey westward slowly unfolds... In the Tang Dynasty Never Nightly City of Xi'an, just wear AR glasses and these beautiful scenes will appear before your eyes. "It's amazing!" The tourists exclaimed repeatedly.

"Shengtang Fantasy Mirror" is a new project launched by Datang Night City this year. This project uses AR technology to shape digital mimetic scenes and embeds them into offline real scenes, providing visitors with an immersive and digital experience in the fusion of virtual and real.

As a national key protected unit of ancient books, the Xi'an Museum has a collection of over 100000 ancient books. How can ancient books be transformed from cultural relics into documents and realize their value as books, leaving the Sutra Pavilion? This has always been a question that Fu Haixiang, the head of the Collection Preservation Department at the Xi'an Museum, is pondering.

The digital protection project of ancient books provides a solution to this problem. With the help of "Internet plus", more than 100000 ancient books collected by Xi'an Museum have been completely described in terms of author, binding, copyright, etc. Through the exchange of ancient literature with important ancient book collection units such as the National Library and the National Version Library of China, ancient books have come to life.

The Shaanxi History Museum, through high-definition imaging and data collection, creates a new experience for viewers to immerse themselves in the murals of Tang and Han Xiu tombs through digital virtual display. By scanning QR codes on their mobile phones, more viewers can enjoy and perceive the brilliance of Tang Dynasty murals up close and in all directions.

At present, cultural digitization has been widely applied in cultural venues such as museums, libraries, local chronicles, archives, art galleries, and cultural centers in Shaanxi. "Internet plus public culture" has been deepening, and public cultural services have gradually stepped onto the "cloud" and "fingertip".

"We should create digital cultural products with care and emotion, combine the acceptance psychology and interests of the public, especially young people, and use modern technology to enrich the contemporary expression and artistic presentation of excellent traditional culture, and continue the Chinese cultural heritage through innovation and utilization." said Wang Changshou, Director of the Institute of Culture and History, Shaanxi Academy of Social Sciences.

Open Frontiers

Showcasing Modern Power

In the evening of Mount Li, the Qujiang River flows and drinks, and the long songs of the Silk Road compose new songs.

At the China Central Asia Summit held in May, accompanied by the recitation of "Amidst the sea, close friends are like neighbors in the distance", all the flowers in the Lotus Garden of the Tang Dynasty bloomed. 64 dancers, holding Yue in their left hand and Zhai in their right hand, presented the highest ceremonial dance of ancient China, the Eight Yi Dance, to their Silk Road friends. The integration of ritual and music, as well as the leisurely charm of culture, express the warm hospitality of the people of the ancient capital Xi'an, and reflect the inclusive spirit of Chinese culture.

Trade promotes communication, communication promotes understanding. Since the establishment of the China Pilot Free Trade Zone 7 years ago, it has accelerated the development of cultural service trade and promoted mutual understanding and identification between different cultures.

Going out - "Chicago Happy Spring Festival · National Style and Qin Yun Special Performance", "Lighting up the Yuanxiao (Filled round balls made of glutinous rice-flour for Lantern Festival) Festival in Copenhagen", "Belarusian Chinese Shaanxi Culture and Tourism Festival", and overseas intangible cultural heritage projects such as Hancheng Drum Festival, Tang Palace Tea Banquet, Ansai Paper Cuttings, woodblock New Year pictures, opera masks, shadow carving, fully demonstrate the unique charm of Chinese culture.

Please come in - the Silk Road International Art Festival attracts artists from over a hundred countries and regions to gather in Xi'an and jointly create an art feast; The directors, writers, and actors of the Silk Road Film Festival gathered together to explore the innovation and reference of film culture through film as a link.

Creating tourism through culture and highlighting culture through tourism. The cultural industry and tourism industry are inseparable.

Night tours in Xi'an have become a new trend and way to open up this city. At the beginning of the night, the "Silk Road Dance" is being performed in the South Square of the Wild Goose Pagoda, as if Dunhuang Flying Apsaras have descended upon the human world; The "Shengtang Secret Box" performance, which is popular all over the internet, features two Tang Dynasty celebrities, "Fang Xuanling" and "Du Ruhui", randomly selected tourists to answer questions on stage, with humorous interactions and continuous laughter.

"The 'Shengtang Secret Box' integrates Tang Dynasty cultural celebrities' IP addresses, historical and cultural knowledge, and talk shows, and through performance and interaction, it combines education with entertainment," said Su Hui, General Manager of the Performance Management Center of Xi'an Qujiang Culture and Tourism Co., Ltd.

Opera is the calling card of Chinese culture. A century old society of easy customs, with a melodious Qin voice. Primary school students sing Qin Opera Opera, walk on the stage, tune by tune, and inherit the ancient rhyme.

Tang poetry is a treasure of Chinese civilization. Under the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, in the ancient poetry street, when the lights are dim, the poetry shines brightly on the trees. As one moves forward, one can easily find their favorite lines of poetry and perform Chinese style romance. Chinese culture is flowing with lush branches and leaves, attracting tourists from all over to linger and forget to return.

Chang'an will work hand in hand and pay attention to the precious wealth. With the opening up of the Three Qins and the rich culture and vigorous development, we invite guests from all directions to make a millennium long promise.