BEIJING, March 28,
2024 /PRNewswire/ --
"The land of China,
I wish to speak to you
only in the language of land,
only in the green language of paddy,
only in the crimson language of flame."
These are the touching words in the poem The Song of the Land of
China by Pablo Neruda, the famous
Chilean poet and winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature. He
visited China three times and left
behind a number of timeless poems to express his admiration for the
country.
A new exhibition at the China Millennium Monument's Beijing
World Art Museum, The Song of the Earth: Artistic Documentary for a
Better China, documents a total of 100 cases around the vast land
to interpret the concept of a "Better China."
"In the new era, in the name of a better China, we, the Chinese, are composing our own
Song of the Land," reads the explanation for the exhibition's name
from Gao Shiming, chief planner of the exhibition and president of
the China Academy of Art, which hangs over the entrance of the
exhibition.
Some of those cases focus on China's rural revitalization and heritage
conservation, while others take "Chinese people" as a focus to show
how the country has dedicated itself to efforts such as providing
the elderly with caring communities and children with up-to-date
aesthetic education. By integrating these case resources, the
development concepts and experiences of the Better China initiative
are expected to become Chinese experiences that can be shared with
the rest of the world.
Gao told the Global Times that the environment can become a new
driving force and new factor for development, and become a very
important experience for China
that can be shared with many others.
"For example, when we read Charles
Dickens' novels, we wonder where the London fog had gone? Most of the industry had
been moved to the colonies. So for the large number of countries in
the Global South, former colonies, how can they achieve their own
development?"
As the world's factory, "China
can achieve ecological civilization, and more southern countries
can also have the same confidence to form truly high-quality
development. I think the development concepts behind Better China
and Chinese modernization are gifts given by generations of Chinese
people. A true gift to the world," Gao noted.
The Better China initiative is dedicated to collecting different
social and cultural studies over the years and analyzing them to
find new development routes for fields such as cultural education,
cultural tourism, art and technological growth.
The following four cases are selected to give you a glimpse of
how the Chinese are composing their own Song of the Land.
Jujube village revived
Nihegou village in Yulin, Northwest
China's Shaanxi Province
has been revitalized by rebranding its centuries-old jujube
forest.
The ancient village was in decline due to its isolated location.
A project was jointly launched in 2014 by China Agricultural
University, the Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology and the
Rural Culture Renewal Volunteers Association, aiming to preserve
its traditional jujube culture while creating added value for the
red dates.
Sun Qingzhong, a professor with
China Agricultural University, said that connecting local
characteristics with the environment is the key to realizing the
Better China goal.
During the renovation, the research team prioritized the
upgrading of the outdated infrastructure in the village while
preserving its agricultural tradition.
"We tried to use local stone and wood materials as much as
possible, constructing 'ecological toilets' and helping the village
plan and design landscapes such as jujube drying cliffs and jujube
forest trails," Sun said.
At the same time, preserving and carrying on the jujube culture
of the village helped villagers restore their cultural
confidence.
Professional homestay operation teams also pitched in to help
create a cultural tourism brand. The rebranding efforts have
increased the added value of the red dates.
This not only attracts many tourists but also brings more and
more young people back to the village. Contributing to the
development of the village, youngsters have found a sense of
belonging in the revitalized village.
Grand space program
In Hangzhou, East China's
Zhejiang Province, a group of
intelligent art installations has been established to showcase
space themes and elements, thereby initiating reflections on
technology, humanistic exploration and education on aerospace
themes.
Currently, the project involves the conceptual design of
controllable intelligent space robots or space equipment. It aims
to utilize the robots' or equipment's movement, optical, and
acoustic "perception" capabilities to autonomously assess and
provide feedback on the environment. "Regardless of whether it's in
the city or countryside, in urban areas or villages, what concerns
us is whether these practices truly solve problems for the local
people, what resources they provide in return, and most
importantly, whether they genuinely inspire the locals' initiative,
whether they bring about changes," said Gao.
The project team has fully leveraged intelligent devices and
robot technology to transform scientific data into artistic forms
of expression, showcasing the profound integration of technology
and art through interactive intelligent space-themed installations.
Moreover, students involved in the project have gained practical
experiences in designing and arranging smart devices, mastering
algorithm models, writing code and producing hardware to apply
intelligent devices in various scenarios.
Kingdom of Migratory Birds
Nestled at the confluence of the Ganjiang River, Xiuhe River and
Poyang Lake, Wucheng township, Jiujiang city in East China's
Jiangxi Province, is a world-class
migratory bird sanctuary and the core area of the Jiangxi Poyang
Lake National Nature Reserve. The township enjoys a history of more
than 2,000 years and is known as the "Kingdom of Migratory
Birds."
Starting from 2019, local authorities committed themselves to
creating a model for the Better China initiative in Jiangxi by building an international bird
watching destination.
Upholding the concept of symbiosis with nature and leveraging
the advantages of being at the forefront of bird watching, the
eco-tourism destination integrates international bird watching,
wetland sightseeing, cultural exhibitions and leisure
experiences.
The township takes the natural environment as its core, blending
the ecology of migratory birds with the cultural richness of the
millennium-old town, creating an ecologically distinctive haven
with historical and cultural significance. While protecting the
environment, Wucheng has also launched activities such as bird
watching festivals and conducted educational programs on wetland
conservation and field studies.
The development of this migratory bird paradise has promoted
local employment, achieving both income increases for locals and
stimulating economic development. Bird watching tours have not only
promoted the conservation and development of local culture but also
improved the cultural literacy of local residents through
educational opportunities.
Fan Jian, a deputy director of
the Office of the Wucheng Migratory Bird Town, said that by
focusing on building the brand of migratory bird town, three new
agricultural tourism enterprises have been able to thrive. In 2019,
economic output exceeded 10 million
yuan ($1.4 million),
benefiting more than 200 farming households and injecting economic
vitality into the town.
China-Portugal joint laboratory
The China-Portugal Joint Laboratory of Cultural Heritage
Conservation Supported by the Belt and Road Initiative (JLBRI) is
one of 19 Belt and Road Joint Laboratories given grants by
China's Ministry of Science and
Technology in September 2020.
As a strategic platform for technological innovation on the
national level and co-established by the City University of
Macao and the University of Évora
in Portugal, the joint lab is
based in Soochow University in East China's Jiangsu Province.
Wu Yongfa, director of the laboratory and professor with Soochow
University, said that the conservation of cultural heritage is
essential from a national and global perspective.
"Relying on the sensational historical trades and cultural
exchanges during the Han [206BC-AD220] and Tang [618-907]dynasties,
the contemporary Belt and Road Initiative [BRI] seeks mutual
understanding and reciprocal development in business, technology,
and culture among all entities involved. Among this calling, the
research, conservation, inheritance and communication of cultural
heritage of BRI member countries requires its own discourse," said
Wu.
With the principle of "sharing, responding, enabling and
leading," the JLBRI aims to serve the need for communication,
collaboration and development among BRI member countries, providing
a comprehensive platform for research and industrial entities
interested in cultural heritage history, conservation technology
and international education and communication of cultural heritage
conservation.
The laboratory has been dedicated to research in areas such as
traditional Chinese culture, scientific heritage, the Maritime Silk
Road, and cultural heritage conservation in the Greater Bay Area.
It aims to tell China's stories,
foster cultural confidence and protect cultural heritage along the
Maritime Silk Road.
JLBRI has served as a bridge between China, Portugal, and other BRI member countries,
becoming a significant participant in Macao's cultural heritage conservation.
Read more:
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202403/1309652.shtml
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SOURCE Global Times