Contemporary Expressions of China's Cultural Heritage

The history of Chinese civilization is an epic of regional and ethnic groups blending over time. From the Yangshao culture of the Yellow River Basin and the foundations of ritual at the Erlitou Xia capital, to the Liangzhu civilization and Bashu culture along the Yangtze River, and the Haogang Site in Lingnan, Chinese civilization has always been characterized by “unity in diversity.” Today, this dialogue across time and space is reflected in the development of cultural tourism:

1. The story of civilization told through national cultural parks: The five national cultural parks dedicated to the Great Wall, the Grand Canal, the Long March, the Yellow River, and the Yangtze River connect the physical and spiritual landmarks of Chinese civilization, serving as key platforms for showing “what makes China China.” For example, the Grand Canal’s Canal Boat Museum and Yangzhou Intangible Cultural Heritage Park combine the ingenuity of water engineering with the aesthetics of Jiangnan, bringing historical memories to life.

2. **Uncovering the roots of regional culture**: Dongguan’s Haogang Site and the Opium Destruction at Humen, as well as Henan’s Erlitou Site and the agrarian civilization of the Yellow River, reveal through the integration of archaeology and cultural tourism how local cultures have become part of the broader course of Chinese civilization.

3. **Reinterpreting symbols of civilization for the modern age**: From the ritual symbolism of the dragon to the evolution of the concept of “China,” as seen in the Western Zhou inscription on the He Zun bronze vessel, “Settling here in the Central States,” cultural tourism projects use historical recreations and digital storytelling to reshape cultural identity.