For the first time, Shandong announced that the "Weihai Bay No. 1 Shipwreck Site" of the Underwater Cultural Relics Protection Area was basically confirmed as the site of the wreck of the Beiyang Navy flagship "Dingyuan"

Public Network Poster News Reporter Li Jinshan reported from Jinan

On January 20, the Department of Culture and Tourism of Shandong Province held a press conference to introduce the sixth batch of provincial-level cultural relics protection units and the first batch of underwater cultural relics protection areas.

Wang Shougong, director of the Cultural Relics Protection Division of the Department of Culture and Tourism of Shandong Province (Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau), said that the underwater cultural relics protection area announced this time is the site of the No. 1 shipwreck in Weihai bay, which is basically confirmed as the wreck site of the flagship "Dingyuan" of the Beiyang Navy, which is the first time in shandong's history to announce the underwater cultural relics protection area, and Shandong has become the second province in the country to publish an underwater cultural relics protection area after Guangdong.

Northeast of the mountain bordering the Bohai Sea, east of the Yellow Sea, coastline accounted for one-sixth of the country, inland water system developed, lakes and wetlands, the Grand Canal, the Yellow River runs through the whole territory, unique geographical conditions and a long history of navigation, shipping, to Shandong left a wealth of underwater cultural relics, these cultural relics and land cultural relics, witnessed historical changes, highlighted the Qilu ancestors to live by the water perseverance, the courage to fight against the water, the wisdom of the water, embodies the Chinese nation's open and inclusive courage and exquisite skills. With the rapid development of the economy, the coastal areas are fully developed in various fields such as aquaculture, coastal tourism, real estate, new expansion of ports, and development of submarine mineral resources, and the inland water areas are also facing a series of problems such as the expansion of new urbanization, and the protection of underwater cultural relics is facing no small challenge. Delineating underwater cultural relics protection areas and establishing and improving protection systems and control measures are conducive to strengthening the protection of underwater cultural relics, and are of great significance for inheriting and promoting Qilu's excellent traditional culture, accelerating the construction of a modern marine province, and deeply integrating into the "Belt and Road" strategy.

The poster news reporter learned that the concept of underwater cultural relics protection areas is actually not new, as early as 1989 "People's Republic of China Underwater Cultural Relics Protection and Management Regulations" was proposed to establish, in 2016 "State Council on further strengthening the work of cultural relics guiding opinions" once again emphasized the need to "demarcate underwater cultural relics protection areas". However, due to the late start of the underwater archaeology cause, the complex and changeable underwater situation, the high difficulty and risk coefficient of operation, and the lack of specific standards and norms to guide and learn from, the delineation of underwater cultural relics protection areas has been in the exploratory stage.

According to the general office of the Shandong Provincial Government "on several measures to further strengthen the protection and utilization of cultural relics" "announced the first batch of Shandong underwater cultural relics protection area" target task, the Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism systematically sorted out the underwater archaeology projects in Shandong Province in recent years, after Weihai City recommended confirmation, the Provincial Underwater Archaeology Research Center review, expert discussion meeting review, that the "Weihai Bay No. 1 shipwreck site" archaeological research results are fruitful, basically confirmed as the Beiyang Navy flagship "Dingyuan" shipwreck site, The basic conditions for the publication of underwater cultural relics areas are available.

According to the relevant provisions of Article 5 of the Regulations of the People's Republic of China on the Protection and Administration of Underwater Cultural Relics, the "Weihai Bay No. 1 Shipwreck Site" was announced as the first batch of underwater cultural relics protection areas in Shandong Province, becoming the second province in the country to publish underwater cultural relics protection areas, providing new ideas for the overall protection of underwater cultural heritage and making useful explorations.