Decoding Cultural Confidence as a Sample City | "Wenshu" Shines New and Shines Jinling - Decoding Cultural Confidence as a Sample Culture in the Ancient Capital of Nanjing | City | Jinling

The ancient capital of six dynasties and the capital of ten dynasties. Nanjing, with a history of 2500 years of city building and 450 years of capital building, has a rich cultural heritage and unique cultural landscape, making it a prominent coordinate carrying Chinese civilization.

Strolling through Nanjing, amidst the misty rain by the Qinhuai River, there are talented and beautiful people deeply intertwined; In the generosity of looking back on the river, there are ever-changing circumstances and tigers perching on the dragon's plate. Standing at the Six Dynasties Museum, one can overlook the 1700 year old archaeological site of Jiankang City from a close view, and the towering Ming City Wall, which has a history of 600 years, can be seen from a distance; The Confucius Temple Cultural District, built in the Ming Dynasty with the plaque "Tianxia Wenshu", is not only a top tier check-in spot, but also a vivid annotation of the city's cultural heritage.

Yuejiang Tower and the urban scenery of Nanjing. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Ji Chunpeng

General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized at the cultural inheritance and development symposium held not long ago that we must strengthen cultural self-confidence, shoulder the mission, work hard, and work together to create a new culture that belongs to our era and build a modern civilization of the Chinese nation.

Along the direction of the general secretary, the ancient capital, which is prosperous in literature, handsome in characters and beautiful in mountains and rivers, strives to continue its cultural heritage, stir up the spirit of the times and compose today's chapter of modern Nanjing.

Drawing inspiration from the past and nourishing the present, a lineage of scholarly fragrance is passed down through the ages

"Half of the three mountains fall into the blue sky, while the two waters divide into the White Egret Continent." Teacher Xu Zheng led the children to recite Li Bai's poem "Ascending the Phoenix Terrace in Jinling," while using the "Metaverse Ecological Platform" to guide them to immerse themselves in the landscape depicted in the poem. This literature class at the foot of Jilong Mountain, aimed at primary and secondary school students in Nanjing, has been taught for about a hundred sessions so far.

Looking back at the sea of history, over 1500 years ago, China's first literary museum was born at the foot of Jilong Mountain in Nanjing. Afterwards, this place gave birth to the influential poetry theory and criticism monograph "Poetry Products", and the well-known children's enlightenment reading material "Thousand Character Essays"... The fragrance of books is dense and far-reaching for thousands of years.

The Tianxia Wenshu plaque in the Nanjing Confucius Temple scenic area. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Li Bo

To observe the present, it is advisable to learn from the past. Without the past, one cannot achieve the present. The once literary hub of the world is now recognized by UNESCO as the "Capital of World Literature". The "first-class good thing" that was once enjoyed exclusively by the high-ranking and noble families has now flown into ordinary people's homes with Wang Xie, becoming close to the fragrance of books, and has become the urban atmosphere of Nanjing and the joy of life for Nanjing people.

With the launch of the "Literary Empowerment Plan", numerous literary spaces with urban characteristics have emerged in Nanjing. During this time, you may encounter a writer who is brainstorming a new book while drinking coffee, or a scholar who talks freely about the history of Mount Zijin, or you may meet other book lovers. As of now, there are nearly 900 reading organizations in Nanjing, holding more than 15000 reading activities each year. The comprehensive reading rate of residents reaches 96.53%, and over 60% of people read for more than one hour a day.

In addition to written books, one can also read cultural relics books. The Nanjing City Wall Museum integrates the latest technology into the exterior curtain wall, achieving light and shadow overlap and ancient and modern isomorphism. During the day, you stand on the city wall and watch the scenery, while the people watching the scenery are watching you in the museum.

Nowadays, "going to the museum" and "listening to the museum talk" have become the "Jinling trend". As of now, there are a total of 70 registered museums and 15 national level museums in Nanjing; The 631 collections of Nanjing Library have been selected for the National List of Precious Ancient Books... These precious cultural relics and classics have become a cultural hub that connects the history and reality of the city, the context of the times, and people's hearts.

At the famous commercial district of Xinjiekou, the top floor of the commercial landmark Deji Square is an art museum covering nearly 10000 square meters; From here to the east, historical and cultural landmarks such as the Central Art Museum and the Jiangning Weaving Museum are strung into a chain of beads. At night, the small town of Jinling is brightly lit, with actors dressed in ancient costumes showcasing exquisite scenes of cloud brocade production; In the nearby Wenxin Hall, children experience the production of intangible cultural heritage such as cloud brocade, velvet flowers, gold foil, etc

Tourists are visiting and playing in the small city of Jinling in Nanjing. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Li Bo

On the basis of systematically protecting historical and cultural areas and scenic areas, the "Implementation Opinions on Strengthening the Protection, Inheritance, and Construction of High Quality National Historical and Cultural Cities" issued by Nanjing in February this year clearly states the construction of an urban pattern with "ancient capital as the core, rivers and rivers merging, hills and green spaces, and multi center radiance", protecting the texture, scale, and environmental characteristics of historical areas, and constructing historical and cultural routes, corridors, and networks that integrate into contemporary production and life. The vitality of Nanjing is intertwined with the charm of ancient capital, elegant style, and local customs, forming a diverse and symbiotic atmosphere.

"Nanjing is a book that can be opened and read at any time," said Qian Xiaohua, founder of Pioneer Bookstore.

Adhering to integrity and innovation, Juncai Xingchi wins the past and the present

The Yangtze River has thousands of miles and hundreds of tributaries, while the Qinhuai River is famous for its culture and flourishes for its literati.

"The Jiangnan Gongyuan on the banks of the Qinhuai River, from its construction to the abolition of the imperial examination system, has produced more than 80 top scorers and more than 10000 successful candidates. Jiangzuo is a talented and refined institution," said Feng Jiahong, the director of the Nanjing China Imperial Examination Museum.

The former location of Jiangnan Gongyuan is now crowded with higher education institutions. There are 53 universities in Nanjing, including 13 "Double First Class" universities. There are 96 academicians from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Academy of Engineering in Nanjing, and 35200 out of every 100000 permanent residents have a university education level, all ranking among the top in the country.

The rich resources of science and education have achieved Nanjing's unique advantage in "talent first resource" and provided abundant internal strength for innovation as the first driving force. In 2021, Nanjing was approved to build a leading national innovative city. Through comprehensive innovation, collaborative linkage, and integration of industry and city, Nanjing is accelerating the construction of a scientific and technological innovation pattern.

Green windows and red households, shining on both sides of the strait. Today, on the banks of the Qinhuai River, the most cutting-edge innovative ideas are sprouting in the elegant and ancient traditional architecture.

Fengjiang Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd. focuses on the agricultural Internet of Things, and its newly developed agricultural machinery intelligent driving system is sold worldwide. The office space of the company is located under the Ming City Wall, where the old factory has transformed into a creative workshop. The serrated roof, traditional flower windows, and modern office equipment complement each other. Tang Xiaoting, the Marketing Director of Fengjiang Intelligence, said that this unique cultural and aesthetic office environment has made customers both domestically and internationally envious.

Qinhuai Silicon Lane Youth Innovation Port located in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Li Bo

In the "Qinhuai Silicon Alley", which has transformed from a batch of old buildings, 1210 technology-based enterprises are gathered, and the leading industries such as the Internet of Things, general aviation, intelligent manufacturing, and electronic information have reached an 80% agglomeration degree. "Silicon Alley has activated the vitality of the old city!" Zhang Zhiying, Deputy Minister of Qinhuai Silicon Alley Department in Baixia High tech Zone, Nanjing, expressed many emotions.

The chemical reaction between ancient and profound humanistic temperament, technological innovation, and economic development in cities goes beyond that.

The national intangible cultural heritage "Nanjing Gold Foil Forging Technique" has been passed down from generation to generation, with its core technology showcasing its brilliance in fields such as national defense and aerospace; In the Small West Lake urban renewal project, which has won the UNESCO Asia Pacific Cultural Heritage Protection Award, indigenous residents can choose to move and stay independently. After moving out, new cultural and tourism formats are implanted in the space released, and the remaining space can be either self occupied or leased, opening up a modern new life; The Wuxiangshui Town in Lishui, which gathers folk and folk arts, has ignited the local night economy

Adhere to righteousness and know where you come from, innovate and understand where you go. "Only by approaching the past of culture can we move towards the future of culture," said Han Liming, Secretary of the Nanjing Municipal Party Committee. "By holding onto the cultural soul of a city, its temperament can naturally emanate.".

Using literature to carry the way, opening up a new atmosphere of "cultural hub"

In 1921, China's cement plant was located in Nanjing and the quarry was located in Tangshan, Jiangning. The new light of industrial civilization first illuminated the ancient "Stone City", but it also left a shocking ecological scar on it in the future. Nowadays, the "Old Moon on the East Side of the Huai River" has witnessed a new scene in the "Stone City" - the transformation of cement factories into beautiful gardens, the reappearance of abandoned mines in the magnificent scenery of Jiangnan, and the ability to "see the beautiful Jiangsu in a day" by visiting the Garden Expo Park.

The mountains, waters, cities, and forests blend together, with beautiful rivers, lakes, and springs, and ancient and modern civilizations intertwine throughout the city. In order to shoulder a new cultural mission and strive to build modern civilization of the Chinese nation, Nanjing continuously explores new paths to reshape the relationship between the city and nature, the city and the world, and the city and people.

An aerial view of the urban area of Nanjing. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Li Bo

Continuously promoting the concept of coexistence between all things and the unity of heaven and humanity in ecological and water system restoration. The Muyan Riverside Scenic Area has shut down 9 quarries, restored 2.6 million square meters of vegetation, and transformed the mining site into a leisure destination; The once devastated Niushou Mountain, an ecological restoration site, has been transformed into gold. This year's May Day holiday saw over 50000 visitors per day; On Xinjizhou, low-lying areas and paddy fields have been restored by water systems to form lakes, which have become habitats for migratory birds. Images of finless porpoises playing and hunting at the head and tail of the island occasionally appear

"The black imprint of the past has become a green landmark today, essentially abandoning the development model of blindly seeking and practicing the new concept of ecological civilization feedback and symbiosis." Nanjing Mayor Chen Zhichang said that Nanjing is firmly exploring a new path of modernization for harmonious coexistence between humans and nature.

Drawing wisdom from the treasures of civilization, highlighting the values of honesty, harmony, and kindness towards neighbors. More than 600 years ago, Nanjing served as the starting point of Zheng He's seven voyages to the West, connecting the maritime Silk Road with close economic and cultural exchanges; In 2020, the smiling face of the "Six Dynasties people with facial patterns and tiles" departed from Nanjing and launched the "Power in Culture" - Global Smile Transmission Activity, becoming a "smiling ambassador" for cultural exchange and mutual learning.

"It always reminds me of my hometown Damascus." Latin, a Syrian boy who has lived in Nanjing for many years, said that he helped his father Walid Ali plan an art exhibition, spread the true image of Syria through art, and show the profound friendship between countries that jointly build the "the Belt and Road".

Drawing strength from the memory of suffering, cultivating a spirit of perseverance and self-improvement. The 1519 martyrs who left their names on Yuhuatai, including Peking University student Deng Zhongxia, Tsinghua University student Shi Huang, and Dr. Xu Baoye, sacrificed their lives at an average age of less than 30 years old. After visiting the School of Public Health at Southeast University, Dan Zengre exclaimed, "What kind of youth should today's youth be? They have given their own answers in history."

"Remember hardships, but do not indulge in them, constantly draw strength from the 'best textbooks' for progress." Chen Yong, Minister of the Propaganda Department of the Nanjing Municipal Party Committee, believes that this is the spiritual code in Nanjing's history of enduring hardships but constantly striving for self-improvement, experiencing setbacks and rebirth.

Culture is like water, benefiting people with the highest goodness; Civilization is like a tide, vast and mighty. Today, Nanjing is showcasing to the world a grand atmosphere that combines its cultural heritage and the trend of the times with a more dignified and confident demeanor.

Video production: Xia Peng, Xi Jingxian, Sun Jiaojiao, Qinling, Kong Chen, Fang Yan, Jiang Zizi, Liu Min, Wang Yucong, Wang Qiang