BEIJING, June 25,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- In June
2023, at a key meeting on cultural inheritance and
development in Beijing, Chinese
President Xi Jinping summarized five distinctive features of
Chinese civilization, emphasizing its outstanding continuity,
originality, unity, inclusiveness and peaceful nature.
China's cultural missions in
the new era are to further advance cultural prosperity, build a
leading country in culture and foster the modern Chinese
civilization, Xi said. To use Xi's own words: "Without full
confidence in our culture, without a rich and prosperous culture,
the Chinese nation will not be able to rejuvenate itself."
One year on, Global Times reporters talked with experts,
scholars and cultural workers, reviewing how efforts were made
during the past year under the guidance of Xi's speech to shoulder
the new cultural mission of further promoting cultural prosperity
and developing a great culture in China and a modern Chinese civilization from a
new starting point.
China has seen a boom in
cultural prosperity inspired by growing cultural confidence,
especially among the young people, one year after President Xi
Jinping summarized the five features of Chinese civilization and
called for efforts to build a modern Chinese civilization.
At a meeting on cultural inheritance and development in
June 2023, Xi noted China's excellent traditional culture has many
important elements that have jointly shaped Chinese civilization
through five prominent features: continuity, originality, unity,
inclusiveness and a peaceful nature.
The past year has seen a host of remarkable cultural
achievements made on both domestic and international stages, while
Chinese people's cultural confidence has reached new heights as
young people have been proudly wearing traditional Chinese clothing
and watching dramas about traditional culture. Chinese cultural
products, ranging from online novels to TV series such as the Joy
of Life and The Double, have become hits around the globe, while
various forums and exchanges have taken place involving Chinese
civilization and other civilizations across the world.
A series of significant archaeological discoveries have captured
widespread attention and the nationwide enthusiasm for museums has
reached new heights over the past year. The rise of traditional
culture, such as Chinese-style clothing, showcases cultural
confidence, forging a deep connection between traditional culture
and the younger generation.
Zhang Yiwu, a professor of Chinese language and literature at
Peking University, told the Global Times that the five distinctive
features of Chinese civilization are precise summaries of Chinese
history and culture and the public's growing confidence shows their
appreciation of the features.
He said that although many countries in the world also boast
similar features like "originality" and "peaceful nature," the
Chinese belief is not viewing those qualities as separate virtues
but as a "five-in-one totality."
"Many historical events in our country can demonstrate that
those distinctive features are interrelated. For example, our
archaeological project to trace the origins of Chinese civilization
is dedicated to inquiring into the continuity of Chinese
civilization, yet when looking into archaeological discoveries in
China's Xinjiang [Uygur Autonomous
Region], you can see the diversity and unity of Chinese culture,"
the expert emphasized.
Despite noting such features are abstract, Zhang said that
emerging trends such as "China
chic," "the rediscovery of traditional Chinese culture" and the
"high popularity of museums" are exemplifying these features in
real life.
"The public's growing confidence in traditional Chinese culture
and archaeological stories shows that the public acknowledges and
agrees with those features," Zhang noted.
Clear continuity
Xi emphasized that Chinese civilization has a long and
continuous history stretching back to antiquity.
As prominent features of Chinese civilization, continuity
determines, on a fundamental level, that the Chinese people must
follow their own path, while originality shows the enterprising
spirit of the people.
With the booming development of Chinese archaeology and the
museum industry, many Chinese cultural scholars and archaeologists
told the Global Times that exploring the origins of Chinese
civilization provides an important source to understand the
continuity of China's long history
and offers strong support to enhance our historical consciousness
and strengthen cultural confidence.
In February, a new building at the renowned Yinxu Museum in
Anyang, Central China's
Henan Province, opened to the
public. The new building displays the fruitful achievements of
nearly a century of archaeological exploration at the Yinxu Ruins,
a World Heritage Site that can be traced back to the Shang Dynasty
(c.1600BC-1046BC).
Zhao Qingrong, deputy director of the Yinxu Museum, told the
Global Times that the Yinxu Ruins were verified by historical
records and archaeological excavations to be the capital of the
late Shang Dynasty. The Yinxu Ruins and the unearthed oracle bone
inscriptions at the site fully confirmed historical records on the
Shang Dynasty, pushing the written history of China back by about 1,000 years.
"The continuity of Chinese civilization is very prominent. On
this new journey, this key site that clarifies the origin,
formation, and development of Chinese civilization will continue to
reveal secrets about Chinese civilization and carry on the
spiritual roots of the Chinese nation," she said.
China's construction of modern
civilization now has a relatively rich product matrix of modern
cultural industries that provide support and a clearer grasp of the
path forward. As a result, traditional culture and mainstream
values have become widely disseminated and welcomed among young
people, ultimately achieving a unity of social benefits, economic
benefits, and professional evaluation, said Sun Jiashan, an
associate researcher at the Central Academy of Culture and Tourism
Administration. "Therefore, we can see that museum tourism is
becoming increasingly popular, and the 'China chic' trend is being increasingly
embraced by young people," Sun said.
Adapting to changing times
The originality of Chinese civilization is demonstrated by its
dedication to integrity and innovation, alongside a profound
respect for traditional culture without being constrained by it.
Throughout history, Chinese civilization has been marked by its
openness to new ideas and its ability to adapt to changing
times.
A diverse array of literary and cinematic works have made
headlines over the past year, showcasing the vitality of
traditional Chinese culture and its impact in strengthening
China's national cultural
confidence.
From the Hangzhou Asian Games to the phenomenal Yue Opera
production New Dragon Gate Inn, the Xiaobaihua Yue Opera Troupe
from East China's Zhejiang
Province staged a record of over 200 performances in 2023,
sparking a new craze for the traditional art among younger
audiences who are usually not opera-goers.
The novelty of the new Yue Opera productions lies in its efforts
to offer audiences immersive storytelling experiences and ways of
expression that align with the development of the times and the
aesthetic tastes of young audiences.
"The popularity of Yue Opera was definitely not achieved
overnight. It is due to the accumulation of creative ideas that
generations of Yue Opera actors and actresses have continued to
explore and update," said Mao Weitao, a renowned Yue Opera
performer and the artistic director of New Dragon Gate Inn.
Another art production to receive rave reviews is the TV series
To the Wonder, which sheds light on the natural beauty, ethic
culture and nomadic life of Altay in Northwest China's Xinjiang.
The show was shortlisted with seven other TV series for the
Cannes International Series Festival in April.
Altay, a region with a diverse population that includes the Han,
Kazak, Mongolian, and Hui ethnic groups, exemplifies the unity in
diversity of Chinese civilization and the cultural integration of
diverse ethnic groups. The cultural identity of Chinese
civilization serves as a shared spiritual home that provides a
strong foundation for the integration of diverse ethnic groups.
The unity of Chinese civilization throughout history has given
rise to the integration of the various ethnic cultures of the
Chinese nation, which rally closely together, even when faced with
major setbacks, President Xi said.
Strengthening dialogue
In a congratulatory letter to the first Liangzhu Forum held in
East China's Zhejiang Province in
December, Xi said that Chinese civilization is open and inclusive,
which allows it to continuously enrich itself by drawing on the
essence of other civilizations and thereby greatly enrich the
garden of world civilizations in return.
He also called for efforts to promote the vision of equality,
mutual learning, dialogue and mutual accommodation to help
different civilizations live in harmony and reinforce one another,
as well as enhance friendship and mutual understanding and
affection between people of different countries.
These efforts are being carried out in various ways.
The Emei Kung Fu Girls group, who made a splash in China recently with their stunning martial
arts performances, will perform in Paris,
France during the upcoming Olympic Games, acting as a
cultural ambassador.
The ongoing exhibition The Forbidden City and the Palace of
Versailles: Exchanges Between
China and France in the 17th and
18th Centuries at the Palace Museum in Beijing is one of the many cultural events
celebrating the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic
relations between China and
France.
In May 2023, the China-Central
Asia Summit was held in Xi'an,
capital of Northwest China's
Shaanxi Province. Known as
Chang'an in ancient times, Xi'an
is an important cradle of Chinese civilization and also the
starting point of the ancient Silk Road.
"With their joint endeavor of hundreds of years, Chinese and
Central Asian peoples made the Silk Road expand and prosper, a
historic contribution to the interaction, integration, enrichment
and development of world civilizations," Xi said in a speech at the
summit, stressing the need to strengthen dialogue between
civilizations to promote China-Central Asia cooperation.
The five prominent features of Chinese civilization not only
highlight the unique charm of Chinese civilization but also inspire
a sense of cultural pride and creative enthusiasm among the Chinese
people.
As these cultural ideas take root in the hearts of the people,
they foster a deeper love and confidence in Chinese culture,
driving the construction and development of modern Chinese
civilization.
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SOURCE Global Times