Cultural dialogue in Star City

The picture shows a corner of Yuelu Academy in Changsha. 　　Photo by Su Jinpeng (Image China)

　　In mid-August, 87 foreign youth representatives from 33 countries gathered in Changsha to participate in the 2024 World Youth Development Forum on Cultural Inheritance and Innovation. During the week, they visited the historic new city, told stories of youth, exchanged cultural thoughts, and imagined a better future.

　　A glimpse of history and culture

　　A star in the sky, Changsha City on the ground.

　　Changsha, north of Dongting, Xiping Yuelu, Xiangjiang River water through the city, Orange Island floating in the heart of the blue river, because of the Changsha star in the sky and named "Star City". Changsha has a history of more than 2,500 years of urban construction on the original site, and has undergone changes over the years, baptized by beacon fire, and transformed into a city of history, revolution and modernity.

　　In the early morning, the cool breeze is blowing, and the Hunan Museum is crowded with people. The exhibition hall of Mawangdui Han Tomb in Changsha is the most densely populated place. The narrator's explanations were meticulous and the youth representatives from all over the world listened attentively. The exquisite cultural relics unearthed from the tomb of the prime minister of Changsha in the Western Han Dynasty and the family of three of Hou Licang have traveled through more than 2,200 years, opening a window for young people from other countries to understand the historical civilization of the early Han Dynasty: the silk clothing as thin as the wings of a cicada proves the record of the "silk country" in Western literature, the lacquerware with complex craftsmanship reflects the brilliant achievements of the lacquer industry in the Han Dynasty, and the colorful and fantastic silk paintings of the coffin contain the people's desire for eternal life at that time...... All this was both foreign and familiar to them. South Africa youth representative and rapper Efani said that he liked this "Mawangdui journey" very much, and the Han Dynasty people hoped to live forever in this life, and in the cultural tradition of South Africa, people also have good expectations and imagination for the next life. From this point of view, from ancient times to the present, people at home and abroad, people have a common hope and thinking about life.

　　In the afternoon, the sun was shining, and there were bursts of applause and admiration in the Yuhua Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum. Youth representatives from all over the world sat around the stage, and the intangible cultural heritage repertoire of Sichuan Opera was being staged, and they were pleasantly surprised by the mask change and fire-breathing session, and they walked to the actors to try their · eager to try, and Ahmed, the youth representative from Iraq, Ahmed Fati, · also imitated the face change behind the folding fan raised. In front of the red wall of the traditional Chinese 24 solar terms written by Jiang Yongnu, the youth delegates stopped to admire the long diamond-shaped, beautiful and delicate characters that aroused their curiosity, and when they learned that it originated in Jiangyong County, Yongzhou City, Hunan Province, and is the only text in the world that belongs only to women, they took pictures one after another. India youth representatives, Divia· Mahendra · Lahode, loved the Chinese-style cheongsam displayed in the intangible cultural heritage museum. She said that she liked the color, style and even buttons of this cheongsam very much, and from the design and production of this dress, she saw the inheritance and innovation of traditional Chinese clothing culture.

　　Miao painting, silk strings, folk embroidery, Tujia brocade...... In the long-term practice of production and life, various ethnic groups in Hunan have created colorful art and culture, which have been integrated and evolved over the long years, inherited and developed. Nathaniel · Tek · Huang · Dion, a youth representative from Australia, said that Chinese culture is rich and colorful, broad and profound, and unforgettable.

　　Hope for a better future

　　In Changsha's "Wuyi Square" and the surrounding areas, archaeological excavations have unearthed multi-dynasty cultural accumulation layers, rich cultural relics, unearthed documents and architectural relics prove that it has been a densely populated city center for more than 2,000 years. "Everywhere is prosperous, Changsha is full of thousands of people", this is the scene of the bustling crowd in Changsha in the past, and the bustling scene of Changsha today is better than in the past.

　　The bus drove along the straight and wide road and stopped in front of the Longping Rice Museum, where youth representatives from all over the world walked in. In front of the Han Dynasty granary model pottery warehouse building, carbonized rice, Asian cultivated rice, Xingyao white porcelain amphora and other display cabinets, they carefully studied and had an in-depth understanding of the development history of China's rice culture. Today, more than half of the world's population feeds on rice, and studies show that the great practice of rice cultivation first appeared in China. The cultivation of rice not only nourishes a large number of people, but also plays an important role in the settlement of human beings, the formation and development of cities, and the birth of civilization. In the modern rice cultivation exhibition hall, the South Africa youth representative Envent Shabu ·Brigitte ·Mkundu, said that Academician Yuan Longping's invention is very important to China and the world, and hybrid rice is related to agricultural security and food security, and is of great significance for eliminating poverty and improving farmers' income.

　　The high-speed railway is a symbol of China's rapid economic development, and it is also a means of transportation for young people from all over the world to arrive in Changsha from Beijing. Youth representative from Nigeria, Isah · Abiola (Chinese name Baiyang), is Nigeria's first female city rail driver. Thanks to the high-quality Belt and Road Initiative, the Acre Railway and the Abuja City Railway, which were built by China Civil Engineering Group Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "China Civil Engineering Corporation"), have been opened to traffic. In 2006, when the company recruited in Elorin City, Kwara Prefecture, Baiyang's hometown, she had just graduated from high school and heard that the Chinese company was well paid and had a high reputation, so she went to apply for the job, and then joined the company. In 2013, the Abuja Subway project, which adopted the technical standards of Chinese railways, began to lay tracks. In July 2018, the Abuja Metro was opened, and Poplar was the only woman in the first batch of drivers. As the first light rail in West Africa, the Abuja Metro provides locals with a new way to travel, greatly alleviating traffic congestion in urban areas and significantly reducing traffic accidents, Baiyang said. During the peak period of the construction of the urban railway, nearly 5,000 direct jobs were provided to the local area, and more employment opportunities were provided after the project was put into operation. "It's a tree that strives to go upstream, with straight stems and straight branches." This is the "praise" written by writer Mao Dun for the poplar tree. Bai Yang said that he chose this Chinese name because he wanted to be "clean, tall and grow upward" like Baiyang tree.

　　At the 2024 World Youth Development Forum Cultural Inheritance and Innovation Theme Forum, guests had a dialogue and stirred up ideas. Vani · Aleu · Jasi, President of the All-Africa Federation of Students, said that Chinese culture is extremely resilient, passed down from generation to generation for thousands of years, and has been well protected and inherited, which is the power of civilization and culture. The African Union Youth Envoy Chido · Cleopatra · Mpemba said, "China has always been a model of cultural integrity and innovation. Cultural heritage is the cornerstone of our identity and the values that guide our actions. Africa, like China, is a rich cultural tapestry of stories, wisdom and traditions that have been passed down through generations. These cultural elements are not dead artifacts, but living beings that shape our present and influence our future. ”

　　On the banks of the Xiangjiang River, at the foot of Yuelu Mountain, and at the head of Orange Island, the footprints of young representatives from all over the world have been left behind, and they have visited historic sites and places of interest to feel the cultural heritage and historical pulse of Changsha given by cultural inheritance. In Malanshan Video Cultural and Creative Park, Chaozong Street Historical and Cultural District, and Hunan University, they have brought them a refreshing and unforgettable experience through cultural innovation. Looking back at history, the inheritance and innovation of culture are often accompanied by young people, and also shape their distinctive character of forging ahead. This August, youth representatives from all over the world gathered in Changsha, hoping to promote the common values of mankind with youthful enthusiasm and create a better tomorrow for all mankind.

Source: People's Daily