Ancient Civilization with an Open Mind

by Gong Haiying

The past decade welcomed the onset of the golden age of Chinese archaeology. As more and more archaeological findings have unraveled the mysteries of 5，000-year-old Chinese civilization， evidence has also emerged that China’s spirit of openness and inclusiveness was maintained across history， a key factor driving the uninterrupted evolution and inheritance of its ancient civilization.

For the past 10 years， China’s cultural and art circles have been tracing the origins of Chinese civilization and leveraging modern digital technologies to protect and revive intangible cultural heritage and explore the unique charm of traditional Chinese culture. They have been bringing a wide range of Chinese cultural products including literature， film， and drama to the international stage and promoting the integration of Chinese and Western cultures as well as combining tradition and modernity.

Golden Decade of Chinese Archaeology

Known as the earliest Chinese written scripts and the root of China’s written history， oracle bone inscriptions discovered at the Yin Ruins shine light on the social life of the Shang Dynasty（1600-1046 B.C.）. The archaeological finding provided vital clues to trace the origins of Chinese civilization.

The decades-long excavations and studies of oracle bone inscriptions coincided with the gradual maturity of Chinese archaeology. After 2012， Chinese archaeology entered a golden decade. Increasing numbers of archaeological findings and historical studies have verified one million years’history of human activities， 10，000 years’ history of culture， and over 5，000 years’ history of civilization in China. They also show that as part of human civilization， Chinese civilization continued to communicate， collide， and integrate with other civilizations throughout its formation process.

The Spirit of Craftsmanship

The spirit of craftsmanship refers to craftspeople’s dedication to endeavoring to perfect their work as much as possible. The first use of the phrase in China’s 2016 government work report indicates the government’s desire to encourage enterprises to cultivate such a spirit to provide customized products and promote refined production. The phrase soon went viral. In recent years， China has striven to encourage development of skilled workers through a series of policies and measures such as enhancing salaries with an aim of training all professionals with the spirit of craftsmanship.

Bringing Ancient Treasures to Life

Every museum is a “university.” In the recent decade， many museums have constantly sought innovation， bringing ancient cultural relics back to life. Some have adopted new media technologies to bring exhibitions online and others allow visitors to experience the entire relic restoration process to remove the mystique of ancient artifacts. Fusing traditional culture with modern life has been shown to make ancient cultural heritage regain life and awaken public memories of history and recognition of traditional culture， fostering more profound and extensive cultural confidence among the people.

National Reading Campaign

In 2012， the report to the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China （CPC） first called for launching“reading programs for the general public.” Since 2014， the call has been included in China’s government work report for nine consecutive years. Encouraging passion for reading among the public has been a crucial strategy to build a nation of avid readers， enhance public scientific literacy， and better meet the intellectual and cultural needs of the people.

In the past decade， a plethora of reading programs have been launched in China， substantially improving Chinese citizens’reading habits. The most recent decade brought a surging tide of digitalization. Digital technologies have resulted in a revolution in methods of reading， with countless readers shifting from printed books to e-books.

Chinese Literature Goes Global

Over the past decade， a large quantity of Chinese literary works including science fiction have been translated into foreign languages alongside the rise of online literature. Thanks to the continuous prosperity of contemporary Chinese literature， more and more Chinese books have spread abroad and increasing numbers of Chinese writers have earned global fame.

Digital Protection of Cultural Relics

Laser structural scanning， 3D printing， VR experiences， X-ray detection… Over the past 10 years， many new technologies have been applied to cultural heritage protection. To better conserve and utilize cultural heritage resources， the Chinese government joined museums and research institutions in strengthening digital protection of cultural relics， injecting vitality into the conservation of ancient treasures.

Rise of Theme Parks

Theme parks in China have seen remarkable progress in location selection， planning， and operation after years of development. Over the past decade， worldfamous theme parks such as Disneyland and Universal Studios have consecutively settled in China. Their arrivals have not only brought Chinese tourists great fun， but also created more possibilities for development of China’s theme park market.

According to Tourism Development in China： Analysis & Forecast （2021-2022） released by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences on March 16， 2022， China has become the world’s most important theme park market and is expected to maintain even greater vitality in the next 10 to 20 years.

Innovative Expressions of Traditional Culture

In recent years， traditional Chinese culture has won wide attention and recognition thanks to the introduction of innovative expression methods. The dance drama Only Blue and Green injects endless vitality and imagination into China’s traditional cultural legacies and tugs at the heartstrings of the audience， which helped it become a viral hit across the country. It was a successful attempt to promote innovative interpretation and expression of fine traditional Chinese culture.

Contemporary Usage of Intangible Cultural Heritage

Intangible cultural heritage is an integral facet of fine traditional Chinese culture. The best way to protect and inherit intangible cultural heritage items is to integrate them into daily life. Over the past decade， people from all walks of life have helped constantly enhance China’s intangible cultural heritage protection work through improved laws and regulations， sound inheritance and protection mechanisms， and innovative utilization. The situation for many intangible cultural heritage items looks a lot better today. They have started to play a more active role in promoting the fine traditions of the Chinese nation.

Chinese Film’s Journey Abroad

Over the past decade， Chinese films have constantly explored overseas markets. The Belt and Road Initiative， the BRICS Film Festival， and other international exchange programs have expanded the avenues for Chinese movies to go abroad. A program has been launched to enable China’s domestic movies to premiere and be screened concurrently in more than 100 cities around the world. In addition to big-budget action movies， other genres of Chinese films with less investment are drawing greater and greater attention. Many have won prizes at international events and become windows for foreigners to learn about China. Analysts expect the experience of exploring overseas markets to help Chinese filmmakers enhance the quality of their productions.

Experiencing Art Virtually

Alongside steep improvements in internet technologies in the last 10 years， online films， virtual theaters， and online exhibitions have become increasingly popular. Especially since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic， China’s cultural and art circles have continued to expand their reach into the online market and explore ways to move cultural events and art performances onto the internet， creating brand-new experiences for users. Such efforts have helped Chinese culture overcome the impact of the raging pandemic and break geographic limits to reach more people around the world.

Fusion of Chinese and Western Cultures

The Wuzhen Theater Festival， launched in 2013， has not only presented many original Chinese plays， but also invited many famous overseas troupes to perform in China. The event transforms Wuzhen， a picturesque water town in southern China， into a theatrical paradise and cultural magnet for artists from around the world. Moreover， it has set a successful example for similar drama festivals and cultural events. Based on drama， the influential festival has helped advance the fusion of Chinese and Western cultures and boost the development of contemporary Chinese culture.

Game on for Sports Reform

Over the last 10 years， “reform” has been the keyword for China’s sports development. Since 2012， China has accelerated reform and innovation of its sports administrative system. With professional sports and football as the focus， reform measures have been taken to develop physical education on campus and encourage private capital to participate in the sports industry. The country’s sports sector has gradually shifted to market-oriented development， laying a solid foundation for its growth in the next two decades.