BEIJING: As China’s National Day draws to a close, people have flocked to cities and attractions rich in cultural heritage. According to Trip.com data, four of the five most searched themes during this vacation are culture-related, highlighting strong interest in “Textbook Travel,” popular museums, music festivals and travel trips. study.
The concept of “Traveling with Textbooks” involves parents taking their children to visit cities or sites featured in their school materials. For example, some visited Tsinghua University, inspired by “Moonlight on the Lotus Pond” by the famous Chinese poet Zhu Ziqing, or went to the ancient town of Fenghuang, in the central province of Hunan, after having read “Border Town” by Shen Congwen. Shen is one of China’s great modern writers.
Additionally, tourism has been heavily influenced by movies and video games. For example, fans of the TV series “To the Wonder” are drawn to Altay, a district city in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, while some explore Shanxi Province in northern China, inspired by the popular game “Black Myth: Wukong”. » Shanxi features the largest number of filming locations for the game.
Museum visits have also increased. For example, the Sanxingdui Museum in Sichuan Province recently launched the country’s first immersive virtual reality experience of an archaeological site, which helped sell out tickets during the holiday.
In recent years, as China’s economy and society have developed rapidly, people have placed greater importance on cultural and spiritual life. This shift in travel preferences reflects a growing appreciation of traditional Chinese culture and growing confidence in national identity.
Chinese President Xi Jinping once said: “Culture is the soul of a nation. A country will only prosper if its culture prospers, and a nation will only be strong if its culture is strong. Without high cultural confidence and prosperity, there can be no great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. He made the statement in a report delivered at the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in October 2017.
Making China a culturally strong country
Xi has always advocated the importance of Chinese culture and the development of cultural confidence and prosperity in the new era. Since 2012, he has visited numerous cultural sites and articulated various cultural development strategies. In October 2023, at a key meeting in Beijing, Xi’s thinking on culture was formally presented. Theorists argue that the establishment of this thought shows that the Party’s historical and cultural confidence has reached new heights.
Under Xi’s leadership, China has stepped up efforts to transform the nation into one with a strong socialist culture. In 2022, the 20th National Congress of the CPC set a goal of establishing a powerful cultural nation with significant soft power by 2035. Following this meeting, the central government issued a five-year plan to cultural development, outlining plans to boost cultural industries over the coming years. five years, improve public cultural services and deepen the integration of culture and tourism.
The plan also aims to improve people’s moral and scientific knowledge and increase the global influence of Chinese culture, promoting deeper exchanges and dialogues between nations.
Guided by Xi’s cultural vision, China focuses on preserving cultural relics, safeguarding intangible heritage, promoting free access to libraries and museums, and narrowing cultural gaps between urban and rural areas. At the international level, he launched various programs of civilizational dialogue and cultural exchange.
In September this year alone, China hosted a series of dynamic cultural exchange events, including the 2024 Belt and Road Media Cooperation Forum, the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), the Beijing Cultural Forum and the 7th Silk Road (Dunhuang). ) International cultural exhibition.
Xi also showed great interest in other countries’ cultures, emphasizing the importance of mutual learning and respect for different civilizations.
Since taking office, Xi has traveled to more than 70 countries. During a visit to the Parthenon in Greece, he was told that a statue reflected the idea that “man is the measure of all things”, before referring to an ancient Chinese saying which emphasizes on “putting people first”. In Belgium, he compared Chinese tea to Belgian beer, emphasizing the importance of valuing diverse cultures. In Mexico, he expressed interest in the parallels between certain aspects of Mayan civilization and Chinese symbols, such as the dragon.
At FOCAC, Xi pledged that “China will uphold mutual respect, inclusion and coexistence of different civilizations on the path of modernization, and jointly strive for more fruitful results under the framework of the Global Civilization Initiative.