Foreign guests captivated by nation's rich heritage

A group of foreign guests who recently visited the Liangzhu Museum in Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang province, were irresistibly drawn to the unique charm of Liangzhu culture, which has earned global recognition as a hallmark of China's 5,000-year-old civilization.

They visited Hangzhou ahead of the two-day Global Civilizations Dialogue Ministerial Meeting, which started in Beijing on Thursday, in order to gain a deeper understanding of Chinese culture.

Thriving in the Yangtze River Delta region between 3,300 and 2,300 BC, Liangzhu culture boasted exquisite jade artifacts and distinctive architectural styles, reflecting the advanced craftsmanship and rich heritage of ancient China.

The Liangzhu Museum is an archaeological site museum designed by renowned British architect David Chipperfield. It is dedicated to the collection, research, exhibition and promotion of Liangzhu culture.

The museum's permanent exhibition — titled Liangzhu: A Testament to the 5,000-Year History of Chinese Civilization — systematically presents the achievements and heritage embodied in the local ruins. The display of priceless jade artifacts and an ingenious water conservation system at the museum's exhibitions left the foreign guests spellbound.

The group also visited the Hangzhou branch of the China National Archives of Publications and Culture, also known as the Wenrun Pavilion, a significant cultural project in Zhejiang dedicated to the preservation and exhibition of chinoiserie, a style of art or decoration inspired by Chinese elements, and China's traditional culture.

The experiences left a deep impression on the visitors as they immersed themselves in ancient Chinese civilization and marveled at its continuity over five millennia.

Georgios Katrougkalos, former foreign minister of Greece, who was part of the group, commended the exhibition not only for its exquisite collection of artifacts, but also for its demonstration of unity across civilizations. What's important are the common themes of humankind presented by the museum, Katrougkalos emphasized.

"Seeing this museum, I understand how different civilizations are, and yet how much they have in common," he said. "They all try to satisfy basic human needs — not just material, but also spiritual. So now that we have the possibility of direct contact between different civilizations, we can understand how meaningful the effort is for a dialogue."

At the Wenrun Pavilion, the story of Chinese civilization is retold through a collection of 2.5 million publications in various categories — from ancient books and documents to contemporary journals, videos and computer games.

The pavilion's theme is designed around the aesthetics of the Song Dynasty (960-1279). The most striking feature is a row of magnificent screens, which are made from prized bluish-green Longquan porcelain.

After the tour, Katrougkalos said the most impressive thing about Chinese civilization is its continuity, with over 5,000 years of history.

Apart from ancient classics, the Hangzhou branch of the national archives also displays other collectibles such as postcards, tickets and trademarks.

Charalambos Christodoulou, vice-president of the EDEK Socialist Party of Cyprus, said this was his first visit to China. "I was watching and thinking about when I was in school, and the teachers talked about China and its civilization. It's very beautiful to actually see this civilization," he said.