Culture

A hundred flowers bloom in spring, filling the garden - watching China's aid in the restoration of overseas cultural heritage

2025-01-02   

The cultural heritage of countries around the world is a carrier of their glorious history and culture, as well as a valuable resource for maintaining the diversity of human civilization and promoting equal exchange, mutual learning, and mutual learning among civilizations. Guided by the Global Civilization Initiative, China firmly upholds the diversity of world civilizations, actively carries out overseas cultural heritage assistance, and has made China's contribution to protecting the essence of human civilization. 1. The Chinese cultural heritage preservation team is working on restoring the world cultural heritage site of Angkor, located in Siem Reap, Cambodia. This area is home to numerous historical and cultural relics of the Angkor Dynasty, spanning over 600 years, representing the brilliant civilization created by ancient Khmer civilization. In 1992, Angkor's historic site was listed in the The World Heritage List as an endangered heritage. In 1993, Cambodia and UNESCO launched the International Restoration Action for Angkor Wat heritage. In 1998, at the invitation of the Cambodian government, China sent a cultural relic protection team to participate in the restoration of Angkor Wat. They successfully restored two sites, the Temple of Zhousa and the Temple of Chajiao, and received high recognition from the Cambodian government, local residents, international organizations, and peers from various countries. In 2019, the Cambodian government handed over the core of Angkor Wat's heritage - the Royal Palace Site - to China for the third phase of restoration projects. With more than 20 years of sincere cooperation between China and Cambodia, the splendid Angkor cultural heritage is reproducing its former glory. I am willing to offer a bag of gold, just to take a glance at Shiva This proverb tells the beauty of the ancient city of Khiva in Uzbekistan for thousands of years. The ancient city of Khiva showcases the civilization and glory of the Khwarezm Empire to the world, witnessing the exchange and mutual learning of Eastern and Western civilizations. However, due to years of disrepair, the ancient city gradually fell into disrepair and abandonment. Amir Tula Institute and Hassan Murad Kush Begi Mosque are the two buildings in the ancient city with the most serious danger, the greatest difficulty in restoration, and the highest technical requirements. At the invitation of the Uzbekistan government, our cultural relic restoration team came to the ancient city of Khiva to carry out restoration work with the locals. With the joint efforts of both China and Ukraine, the two buildings have been fundamentally repaired, and the infrastructure such as roads, drainage, and lighting in the ancient city have been thoroughly renovated, greatly improving the living and development environment of local residents. The restoration of the ancient city has brought more job opportunities to the local people. More and more young people have returned to Shiva, and they are proud of it: "This is not the broken Shiva, but the Shiva in our hearts." The ruins of Kathmandu Valley in Nepal were included in the The World Heritage List in 1979, which is Nepal's first world cultural heritage. Here, ancient Indian Buddhism and Hinduism are integrated with local beliefs, presenting a unique multi religious and multi cultural blend. In 2015, a strong earthquake struck Nepal, causing severe damage to the entire nine story temple complex. The restoration of the site is urgent. After the Nepalese government requested assistance from our country, we dispatched a cultural relic restoration team to carry out the restoration work of the nine story temple. The whole nine story temple complex collapsed seriously, and every rainstorm in the rainy season will continue to accelerate the destruction of the site. The Chinese work team overcame numerous difficulties and worked together with local cultural relic protection workers to maximize the use and restoration of original materials, and to protect and preserve the cultural and historical information of the Nine story Temple to the greatest extent possible. After nearly 5 years of renovation and restoration, the nine story temple complex has regained its grandeur. Nepalese President Bandari praised: "The nine story temple project combines the ancient religious arts of Nepal with modern Chinese restoration technology, and it is worth learning to take protective repair on cultural relics." In 2019, the ancient city of Bagan in Myanmar was included in the The World Heritage List. The Pagan Dynasty built over ten thousand Buddhist pagodas here, hence Pagan is known as the "City of Ten Thousand Pagodas". His Bingyu Pagoda is the crown of Pagodas in Bagan and enjoys a high status in the hearts of the Burmese people. The 2016 Myanmar earthquake caused damage to hundreds of Buddhist pagodas and statues, including the Ta Bing Yu Pagoda. The main structure of his Bingyu Pagoda was severely damaged in the earthquake, and the situation is extremely critical. At the invitation of the Myanmar government, China has sent a multidisciplinary team of professional technicians in archaeological excavation and cultural relic protection to Myanmar to carry out the restoration and archaeological exploration of the Ta Bing Yu Temple site. This is the first joint cultural heritage restoration project between China and foreign countries jointly carried out by a multidisciplinary and comprehensive research team. At present, the restoration and protection plan for the Bingyu Temple site has been fully designed and is being carried out in an orderly manner. At present, China has cooperated with Cambodia, Mongolia, Uzbekistan, Nepal, Myanmar, Kyrgyzstan and other countries to carry out cultural heritage restoration projects, allowing the civilization information of cultural heritage in many countries to continue to pass on over time, and protecting the essence of human civilization in the exchange and mutual learning of civilizations. 2. Implement the Global Civilization Initiative to Promote Civilized Exchanges and Mutual Learning In 2023, the "Global Civilization Initiative" was first proposed at the high-level dialogue between the CPC and the world's political parties, advocating respect for the diversity of world civilizations, carrying forward the common values of all mankind, attaching importance to the inheritance and innovation of civilizations, and strengthening international people to people and cultural exchanges and cooperation. China has adhered to the Global Civilization Initiative in the construction of overseas cultural heritage and established a new model of cultural heritage protection cooperation on a global scale. Respect the diversity of world civilizations. The diversity of human civilization is a fundamental characteristic of the world and also the charm of human civilization. In the process of assisting in the construction of overseas cultural heritage, China fully respects the diversity of civilizations in other countries, protects cultural heritage with reverence, respects, and understands the cultural customs of partner countries and regions, and promotes mutual understanding, respect, dialogue, and cooperation among different civilizations and cultures. Before each project is launched, the Chinese aid construction team will conduct thorough research and detailed surveys of relevant buildings and cultural relics, including their cultural background, religious beliefs, craftsmanship materials, historical evolution, etc., and repeatedly communicate with local cultural relics experts and people to find a systematic solution that can respect and preserve their cultural characteristics and cultural features. Respecting the cultural relics themselves, the culture behind them, and the voices of the people in the countries where they are located are the "soul" of China's overseas cultural heritage assistance. In the process of restoring the ancient city of Xiwa, the aid construction team adhered to the principle of "raw materials, raw craftsmanship, original prototype, and original methods", maximizing the authenticity, historicity, and integrity of the cultural relics and ancient architecture of the ancient city. In order to find authentic building materials, the work team tried their best to purchase old bricks, stones, and wood in the ancient city, and specially trained local craftsmen to use and repair various raw materials and components removed from old buildings. At first, we didn't understand why we had to use traditional materials that were difficult to find instead of stronger new materials. Many local residents who participated in the restoration work were puzzled by this. The aid construction team insists on using authentic old components and using traditional techniques to complete the restoration, and the final effect has impressed local residents. Through sincere communication and working side by side with local experts and craftsmen, foreign aid experts have not only restored the ancient charm of the ancient city, but also greatly improved the safety and convenience of the residents' lives. In the restoration of the nine story temple, in order to preserve its historical and cultural elements to the greatest extent possible, the aid construction team visited local old craftsmen, collected old photos of the original objects, and extensively employed local Nepalese craftsmen. Following the principle of minimal intervention, the focus was on repairing and reinforcing the existing condition, achieving the goal of "restoring the old as it is". During the restoration process, local Nepalese staff had this question: "Repairing old components is time-consuming and laborious, why not replace them with new ones?" Chinese cultural relic restoration experts believe that replacing new components is naturally easy, but it loses the authenticity of historical and cultural heritage. After sincere communication, local Nepalese craftsmen gradually recognized the importance of not changing the original state of cultural relics? Respect historical values? The concept of cultural relic restoration. In this restoration, the utilization rate of old components reached 85%, maximizing the protection of the original cultural and historical elements of the nine story temple. Value the inheritance and innovation of civilization. Every civilization carries on the spiritual bloodline of a country and nation, which requires not only passing on the torch and guarding from generation to generation, but also keeping up with the times and daring to innovate. The Chinese aid construction team creatively used metal ropes to reinforce the weak points of the nine story temple complex's wooden material, which is hard and lacks flexibility. This achieved the restoration of "overall reinforcement+soft connection" and effectively solved the seismic problem of hard wooden buildings, reflecting the principle of minimal intervention and reversibility in cultural relics. From 3D scanning technology to digital modeling, from laser detection to high-precision cultural relic restoration tools, multiple high-tech technologies for the restoration of Chinese cultural relics and ancient buildings have been widely used overseas, helping to promote the inheritance and protection of diverse civilizations and cultures. The constituent materials of cultural relics and buildings will age and degrade over time. The public's demand for the value and experience of cultural heritage is constantly changing, and new requirements have been put forward for the interpretation, display, and presentation of cultural relics. The Chinese aid construction team, based on the diverse needs of the local people, uses the approach of "technology+cultural heritage" to modernize and diversify the expression of local architecture, cultural relics, and culture. In the Cambodian Royal Palace Site Project, the assistance includes the restoration of cultural relics and buildings, archaeological research, stone carving protection, laboratory construction, exhibition center construction, environmental improvement, and site display, etc., using new technologies and expressions to help achieve creative transformation and innovative development of cultural heritage. China is exploring a sustainable development path that combines heritage protection with new expressions of cultural relics in the restoration of overseas cultural heritage, helping recipient countries seek a balance between site protection and tourism demand, cultural innovation and social development. 3. Strengthen aid construction work to promote people to people connectivity. The Global Civilization Initiative advocates strengthening international cultural exchanges and cooperation. China takes cultural exchanges as the core, actively carries out international exchanges and cultural cooperation in cultural heritage, and works with other countries to build a global cultural heritage dialogue and cooperation network. China has contributed its wisdom and great power responsibility in talent cultivation, concept shaping, standard promotion, knowledge popularization, and other aspects. The cultural heritage aid project aims to benefit the general public, enhance the happiness of local residents, and promote people to people communication. Through training and sharing relevant knowledge and skills, it has improved the employment ability of local craftsmen, created more job opportunities, and benefited the local people. The construction of overseas cultural heritage assistance is not only a project, but also a stage for academic, cultural, and civilizational collision and exchange between different countries. In the implementation of multiple overseas aid projects, China actively explores the cooperation and exchange mechanism of "innovative cooperation and collaborative implementation", conducts multilateral cooperation and exchanges with relevant international organizations, aid teams from other countries, local governments, and the public, and carries out practical cooperation. In addition to China, many countries such as France, the United States, Germany, Japan, Italy, and India have also participated in the protection and restoration of Angkor Wat. Different countries have engaged in sincere dialogue and extensive cultural exchanges in terms of cultural heritage protection concepts and technologies, and staged a cultural exchange and technology competition to showcase their own cultural charm, cultural heritage protection concepts, and restoration technologies. The Chinese aid construction team collaborated with experts in the restoration of cultural relics and ancient buildings from multiple countries in Angkor, sharing experiences, exchanging skills, and conducting extensive cultural and technological exchanges with the local government and people, promoting cultural exchanges and enhancing people to people connectivity. Promote the establishment of an international cultural heritage protection mechanism and platform. In 2015, the International Society for the Protection and Restoration of Cultural Relics Training Center was established at the Palace Museum, and has held 6 training sessions so far, promoting the development of global cultural relic protection and restoration. In 2018, the Asian Regional Cultural Heritage Protection and Management Talent Training Course was held in China, where the training shared the concepts, experiences, and techniques of Chinese cultural heritage protection

Edit:momo Responsible editor:Chen zhaozhao

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