More than 300 volunteers participate in the "adoption" of cultural relics What is the story behind them?

Source: Chongqing Evening News

There is such a group of people who like cultural relics, love cultural relics, and "adopt" cultural relics. After they "adopt" cultural relics, they must not only excavate the stories of cultural relics in an all-round way, but also sort out these stories and tell them to others, and also conduct daily inspections of cultural relics... In December last year, the "Cultural Relics Adoption" volunteer service project won the 13th China Youth Volunteer Outstanding Organization Award.

What kind of group of people are they, and what kind of story is behind the "adoption" of cultural relics?

The spokesperson behind the artifacts

Wan Siyuan, 34, is a staff member of the judicial administration system, and in addition, he has another identity, that is, a "cultural relics adoption" conservation volunteer. Talk about why you want to take the initiative to "adopt" cultural relics in addition to your busy work? He said that he is a native of Chongqing, so he has special feelings for every brick and tile in Chongqing, and hopes to know the hidden story behind this brick and tile.

Therefore, in 2017, Wan Siyuan took the initiative to apply to become a cultural relics protection volunteer. In 2018, the "Cultural Relics Adoption" volunteer service project was launched, and Wan Siyuan took the initiative to "adopt" three cultural relics, namely the chimney of Shunchang Iron Works, the Huang Weixian Martyrs Monument and the General Machine Factory Cinema.

"At that time, the three cultural relics were 'adopted' because they were close to home, convenient for ordinary inspection, and the three cultural relics were related to each other in history." Wan Siyuan said that after "adopting" these cultural relics, he began to inquire about materials and historical materials through the Internet and libraries to fully understand the cultural relics he "adopted".

After combing through and memorizing the situation of "adopting" cultural relics, Wan Siyuan will tell the stories of these cultural relics to the people around him, and through publishing relevant articles on online social platforms, let more people listen to the "telling" stories of these cultural relics, and he has become the spokesperson for these cultural relics.

In addition to helping cultural relics tell their own stories and protect the "adopted" cultural relics, he will also pay attention to the discovery of cultural relics around him, as well as the discovery of cultural relics that are improperly protected or accidentally damaged. He even joined the yuzhong district professional inspection team to conduct regular inspections of national and municipal cultural relics.

During the inspection process, Wan Siyuan was more impressed by an incident that happened at the end of 2020. "During my inspection, I found that there was a tomb near Chenjiaqiao in Shapingba District, the handwriting on the tombstone was severely weathered, surrounded by vegetable fields and construction sites, and the cultural relics safety responsibility public notice board was just randomly nailed to a tree next to it." Wan Siyuan's investigation found that the owner of the cemetery was related to the Xinhai Revolution and had important research value, and should not be left to ruin. To this end, he wrote an article and posted it to his personal public account. Soon, the article was seen by the relevant departments in the sand area and immediately rectified.

"Chongqing is a cultural city with a unique history, and I hope to use my spare time to understand Chongqing, protect and discover Chongqing's cultural relics, and let these cultural relics tell their own stories, so that these stories can inherit Chongqing's culture and retain everyone's nostalgia." Wan Siyuan said.

They "saved" an ancient bridge

Another cultural relics "adoption" protection volunteer, Liu Chaosheng, is a 50-year-old employee of a state-owned enterprise who lives in Yubei District. The cultural relics he "adopted" were renmutan wanshou bridge, Longxi Festival filial piety and so on. Speaking of the cultural relics he "adopted", Liu Chaosheng felt that he had a deep relationship with these cultural relics.

For example, he "adopted" the Longxi Festival Filial Piety Square, which was originally located next to the New Arch Interchange, and there was a renhe and Jie Filial Piety Square in front of the archway. Later, due to the surrounding development, Longxi Festival Xiaofang moved to Yubei Lianglu in the 1990s. "I remember that thirty years ago, I passed by this archway, and I was instantly attracted by the exquisite carvings on it, and I did not expect that this arch would one day become the object of my inspection and protection." Liu Chaosheng said that a torii arch not only witnessed the development of a city, but also seemed to witness the growth of a generation.

After "adopting" cultural relics, Liu Chaosheng will carefully inspect them every month, and if there is any problem with the cultural relics, he will reflect to the relevant departments and assist the relevant departments to solve them.

In addition to taking good care of the cultural relics he "adopted", Liu Chaosheng also implemented the awareness of protecting cultural relics into his daily words and deeds.

In December last year, he went out to play, but accidentally found that the Qing Dynasty ancient bridge in Cizhu Town, Huilong Bridge, was slotted and installed on the pier by the construction party during the pipeline installation process of a gas company, causing partial damage to the ancient bridge. Liu Chaosheng immediately took photos and collected evidence of the damaged part and sent it back to the Wenbao Volunteer Service Corps at the first time. Subsequently, through feedback and communication with the relevant departments of cultural relics protection, the construction party was finally urged to dismantle the pipeline and repair the damaged part, and the relevant responsible party was also dealt with.

More than 300 volunteers participate in "adoption"

According to Wu Yuanbing, director general of the Chongqing Municipal Cultural Relics Protection Volunteer Service Corps, since the launch of the "Cultural Relics Adoption" volunteer service project in 2018, more than 1,350 volunteers have been recruited, of which more than 300 volunteers have participated in the "adoption" and daily patrol work.

Volunteers are required to inspect their "adopted" cultural relics at least once a month, and they are required to submit inspection forms explaining the inspection situation and the protection of cultural relics. In addition, there are 100 cultural relics that the volunteers "adopted", covering 10 districts (counties) such as Yuzhong District and Shapingba District. Each volunteer "adopts" at least two artifacts, while a maximum of five people "adopt" a cultural relic. In this way, each artifact will be better protected in the cross-patrol.

At the end of last year, the "Cultural Relics Adoption" volunteer service project won the 13th China Youth Volunteer Outstanding Organization Award for its significance and relevant achievements.

"This year, we will build on our previous achievements and further develop and expand the project." Wu Yuanbing said that they will expand the team of cultural relics "adoption" protection volunteers, and will subdivide the work, for volunteers who do not have time to participate in daily patrols, other tasks will be arranged. "At the same time, we will carry out the work of sorting out the historical relics of Chongqing and organize a photography exhibition of ancient buildings in Chengdu and Chongqing."

Wu Yuanbing revealed that in order to let the volunteers better carry out cultural protection work, they have launched a small program software yesterday. After volunteer registration, they can use the "hand-clapping" function of the Mini Program to upload the cultural relics found during daily play or patrol. "In this way, more and more cultural relics can be included in the database, and finally a big data can be formed, so that the current status of the protection of various cultural relics can be seen at a glance."

Chongqing Evening News - Upstream News Reporter Fan Shengqing Intern Zhang Ruoyu Photo Report