Beijing, May 18, 2024 – The context is long, and the past is new. Recently, Mercedes-Benz Wishing Star Foundation and the Palace Museum jointly held the launch ceremony of the third phase of public welfare cooperation and the launching ceremony of Gyeongbokgung Palace's research conservation and repair. Since 2018, the two sides have continued to carry out two phases of strategic cooperation in public welfare, and have achieved remarkable results in the fields of ancient building restoration and cultural relics protection, archaeology and academic research, youth traditional culture education and international exchanges. In 2024, the new phase of public welfare cooperation will continue to support the protection of ancient buildings and archaeological research, explore the historical and cultural value of cultural relics, and promote the sharing of project results with the public. Mercedes-Benz will act as a protector of cultural heritage and a relay of cultural inheritance, and participate, witness and promote the sustainable development of excellent traditional culture with the "way of humanity". The event also showcased the phased results of the "Gyeongbokgung Palace Research Conservation" project that the two sides have cooperated for six years, released the trailer of the "Gyeongbokgung Research Conservation" series of documentaries, and officially started the renovation phase of the project.
Wang Xudong, Director of the Palace Museum, said: "The Palace Museum is a precious wealth and historical resource of all mankind, and it is an inevitable trend to work openly with the world to protect and inherit cultural heritage, and jointly promote academic research and talent building. In recent years, the Palace Museum has adhered to the concept of opening up its institutions, opening up its cultural resources and academic achievements, and linking up with all sectors of society to carry out foreign cultural exchanges and promote the formation of a new pattern of comprehensive opening up. The Mercedes-Benz Star Wish Fund is an important public welfare partner of the Palace Museum on the road of opening up and cooperation, and has carried out two phases of public welfare cooperation with our institute from 2018 to 2023, providing an important boost to the development of our hospital. In the future, let us give full play to the advantages of both sides to jointly promote the promotion and dissemination of excellent traditional Chinese culture, and look forward to more and more public welfare forces to devote themselves to the cause of cultural heritage protection with us! ”
Wan Xuejun, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee, Vice Chairman and Secretary-General of the China Youth Development Foundation, said: "Culture is related to the country's foundation and fortunes, and it is our common responsibility to protect historical and cultural heritage and continue the Chinese cultural context. Over the past six years, thanks to the Palace Museum's expertise in the field of cultural relics protection and restoration, as well as the ingenuity of experts and scholars, the cooperation between the Mercedes-Benz Star Wish Fund of the China Youth Foundation and the Palace Museum has yielded fruitful results and contributed to the sustainable development of China's cultural public welfare. In the future, the Wishing Star Foundation is willing to continue to deepen cooperation with the Palace Museum, so that the results of public welfare can benefit more people, help build a cultural power, and promote the prosperity and development of culture. ”
"The 'confidant friendship' between the Forbidden City and Mercedes-Benz is the integration and mutual learning of traditional Chinese civilization and the world's industrial civilization, and is a witness of the times on the road of inheritance and innovation. Over the past six years, we have worked with the Palace Museum to use culture as a bridge and turn responsibility into action to help build an 'academic Palace Museum' and a 'vibrant Palace Museum'. In the third phase of public welfare cooperation, we will adhere to the public welfare and sense of responsibility to promote traditional culture, and take 'Gyeongbokgung Palace Research Protection' and 'Archaeological Research on Architectural Sites of the Construction Office' as the starting point to expand the channels for the public to contact history and culture, and contribute to the protection of historical treasures and the inheritance of cultural essence. Duan Jianjun, President and CEO of Beijing Mercedes-Benz Sales & Service Co., Ltd., said: "As a member of the Chinese hot land, Mercedes-Benz has always adhered to the sustainable development concept of 'business responsibility', explored cultural stories with scientific and technological ingenuity, interpreted future-oriented heritage stories, and told Chinese stories through the perspective of international brands. ”
The ingenuity is the same, creating a new model for the protection of architectural heritage
Gyeongbokgung Palace is located in the northeast corner of the Ningshou Palace area of the Forbidden City, and was originally designed as a living place for the Qianlong Emperor after his return to power. As an architectural heritage of the Forbidden City, which combines the art of landscape architecture and the construction of ancient official buildings (the "Eight Great Works"), Gyeongbokgung Palace is rich in historical, artistic, scientific, social and cultural value. Since 2018, Mercedes-Benz Wishing Star Fund has launched a strategic cooperation with the Palace Museum to support the "Gyeongbokgung Palace Research Conservation" project. This is the first large-scale and systematic renovation of Gyeongbokgung Palace in 100 years. The project will contribute to the promotion of the research conservation practice of ancient buildings in the Forbidden City, and also provide a typical example for the future conservation of ancient Chinese buildings.
The renovation was carried out in a "research-based conservation" mode. During the renovation process, the project team carried out a comprehensive survey of the "immovable cultural relics" ancient buildings, in-depth study of the shape and characteristics of the building itself, materials and processes, and recorded the whole process of survey, mapping, evaluation, design and protection in detail and science. The project is implemented around two dimensions: on the one hand, the project carries out skills training for young craftsmen to promote the contemporary inheritance of construction skills; On the other hand, the project will shoot a documentary "Gyeongbokgung Palace Research Conservation", which will comprehensively, coherently and high-quality record the work process, show the technology, ingenuity and humanistic elements behind the restoration, so that the original appearance of the building and historical information can be truly and effectively protected and inherited.
At present, the "Gyeongbokgung Research Conservation" project has been carried out in six years, carrying out all-round, multi-angle, difficult and comprehensive research, integrating knowledge from multiple professional fields such as architecture, color painting, stone relics, ancient trees, and environment, to provide scientific basis and technical support for the restoration and protection work. Through in-depth value evaluation and solid historical research, the project thoroughly sorted out the historical evolution of Gyeongbokgung Palace and its renovation process. For the first time, the BIM system was applied to data information management in the renovation of the Forbidden City's cultural relics, realizing big data analysis and visual recording of the whole cycle of heritage protection, and successfully building a digital "twin Gyeongbokgung Palace".
Under the new phase of cooperation, the renovation of the Gyeongbokgung Palace Research Conservation Project will begin this year, and documents documenting the results of historical research and conservation will be published in the future. The implementation of the Gyeongbokgung Palace project will truly and completely preserve the original historical appearance and architectural features of the Gyeongbokgung Palace area, and fully present its historical value and cultural connotation.
Review the old and refresh the new, and continue the civilization of the Forbidden City
In 2024, the Mercedes-Benz Star Wish Fund and the Palace Museum will launch the third phase of public welfare cooperation, focusing on the restoration of ancient buildings, archaeological research and public display, to provide strong support for the construction and development of the Palace Museum in the new era.
As a key gift for the centennial celebration of the Palace Museum in 2025, the third phase of the cooperation will continue to support the "Archaeological Research on the Architectural Sites of the Palace Museum". The site of the office is the site area with the largest area, the most diverse types of relics, the most complete sequence of eras, and the richest unearthed relics in the Forbidden City so far. Archaeological relics are of great value to the construction history, functional pattern, production and life of the research office. Through archaeological excavations, exhibitions, public education and academic seminars, the project will promote the exchange and sharing of project results with the whole society. At the same time, the site of the construction office is an important empirical evidence of the historical changes of the Forbidden City for more than 600 years, and it is also an important harvest of the archaeology of Beijing's central axis.
Since the two sides started their cooperation in 2018, the public welfare projects have covered the research protection of one architectural heritage, one archaeological site of architectural relics, organized five international exchange forums, supported more than 40 research projects on "Palace Museum Studies", and deeply participated in major projects such as the exploration of the Silk Road and the archaeology of Sanxingdui cultural sites, and led more than 2,000 children and teenagers from remote areas to the Forbidden City. Mercedes-Benz Star Wish Fund has long been committed to multi-dimensional cultural protection and inheritance, and has been deeply engaged in the "living room" of Chinese culture in the Forbidden City, continuously exploring cultural stories, interpreting inheritance stories, and spreading Chinese stories from an international perspective.
Walk with the times and write a story of responsibility with the "way of humanity".
As an international brand rooted in China, Mercedes-Benz adheres to the sustainable development concept of "business responsibility", practices public welfare in various fields, continues to invest in public welfare issues such as environmental and biodiversity protection, cultural inheritance and social care, and continues to write a story of responsibility for development in China.
In the field of environmental protection, Mercedes-Benz has in-depth cooperation with 14 World Heritage sites, covering 4 major national parks, building a multi-dimensional biodiversity conservation paradigm, and expanding projects in the field of carbon neutrality. In terms of cultural inheritance, as the only international brand that has carried out public welfare cooperation with the Palace Museum and Dunhuang Academy, Mercedes-Benz is committed to cultural inheritance and innovation, and protects the essence of the two Chinese civilizations. In terms of education, the children's safety education project "Safe Children's Walking" has been carried out continuously for 12 years, and has achieved all-round coverage of road safety education from 210 project schools across the country to 450 community public welfare bases. In the field of vocational education, the "Vocational Education Assistance Program" continues to promote the vigorous development of vocational education and help promising young people realize their career dreams. In addition, Mercedes-Benz has also worked with authorized dealer partners to practice public welfare in the location of dealerships, and has carried out more than 2,600 activities with nearly 180,000 people participating.
In the future, Mercedes-Benz will continue to deepen the "way of humanity" and "the way of nature", be in awe, walk with the times, practice corporate social responsibility, tell the story of China from the perspective of an international brand, convey the humanistic spirit, and continue to understand and understand China with the world.