From July 4th to 5th, the "Zhixing" Chinese Cultural Heritage Practice GroupfromSchool of International Educationembarked on a summersocial practice trip to Wuling Ancient Town in Fengquan District, Xinxiang City. With the theme of "Promoting the Inheritance of Chinese Culture actively andTelling the Stories of the Central Plains with Youthful Voices",the group aimed to guide young students to deeply understand and consciously inherit theexcellenttraditional culture, narrate the stories of the Central Plainsandspreadthe voice of Chinaby means ofvisits, research interviews, volunteer services, and thematic discussions.
At the Luwang Mausoleum, a key national cultural relic protection unit,theteam members followed the tour guide to visit the Sacred Way, the Luwang Prince Mausoleum, the Five-Vessel Altar, the Minglou, the Secondary Concubine's Tomband the Peony Garden,appreciating the profound historical changes of the Central Plains. Despite the ravages of war and weather, the magnificent green and white stone buildings and intricately carved Sacred Way stone carvings presentedto later generations the exquisite craftsmanship and wisdom of the ancients. Wandering amongthe relics guarded by towering ancient trees, the team members not only gained insights into the rich historical information and humanistic connotations of Chinese burial culture but also had a more intuitive understanding of the history and cultural evolution of Xinxiang City,which isknown as the "Gateway to Ten Provinces in the South and Guardian of theCapital in the North."
At the Central Plains Stone Carving Art Museum in Xinxiang, the team followed the axis of the Horse Tethering Stone Exhibition, carefully appreciating the collection of stone carvings, pottery, household artifacts, folk inscriptions and other exhibitions. These ancient stone carving components,ceramics, sculptures, paintings, poetry and colorsshowedthe production, life and customs of the Central Plains over thousands of years. Through this journey, the team members not only profoundly felt therichnessof history and the splendor of culture but also realized the importance of preserving and inheriting traditional culture. In the context of the new era, these stone artifacts glow with new brilliance, becoming bridges connecting the past and the futureandinjecting new vitality into cultural innovation and social progress. The team will continue its efforts to raise awareness of the value of these cultural treasures and jointlyprotectand inherit the glory of Chinese civilization.
During the traditional architectural culture practice session, the team discovered that in the traditional dwellings of the Central Plains, Wuling Village has replicated the well-preserved Shanxi Merchants' Mansionsand theYuGarden, a Jiangnan gardenrecorded in the history of Chinese gardens, giving visitors the sensation of traveling thousands of miles in a single day. From the land of Sanjin to the pastoral scenery of Muye, from the Taihang Mountains to the water towns of Jiangnan, the team members carefully observed the structures, materials and decorations of traditional buildings from different regions, learning about their unique architectural styles and techniques. Additionally, through interactions with local residents, they gained a deeper understanding of the historical backgrounds, cultural connotations and current conservation status of traditional architecture, experiencing the charm of vernacular architectural heritage and the wisdom of ancient builders. In the future, theteamwill continue to focus on the conservation and development of traditional architecture, actively participating in related social practices and research to contribute to the inheritance and development of traditional architecture.
At the Zhongyuan Integrity Museum, the first public welfare museum in China themed on integrity culture, the team members visited six exhibition halls in sequenceandviewed over 300 artifacts such as stone tools, silk tapestries, bills and coins. They alsolearned about the integrity stories ofsomefamous figures and the honest business practices of century-old brands and participated in VR interactions, immersing themselves in the value and difficulty of adhering to integrity.Through the visit, all the group membersgained a profound understanding of the rich heritage of Chinese nation's integrity culture, the development of integrity thoughtand the significant measures and achievements of the Party and the state in promoting the construction of an integrity society, further solidifying their belief in practicing theCoreValuesof Chinese Socialism.
At the Party History MuseumofWuling Village, the team members learned about the development process of the Wuling Village Party organization,someimportant events and achievements in various historical periods, and witnessed the happylife under the leadership of the Communist Partyin implementing the rural revitalization strategy,whicharousedtheir patriotism and love for the Party. At the Wuling Time Bank, they learned about the innovative and practical public service model of "storing time for future use," "exchanging time for time, love for love," and "all for one, one for all," experiencing the sense of gaining, happiness and security brought by the combination of modern volunteer service systems and traditional culture of kindness and good neighborhood.
This social practice activity not only promotedstudents’in-depthunderstanding and respect for theexcellenttraditional Chinese culturessuch asvirtues, architecture, stone carving and kindnessto neighborhood, but also strengthened their cultural confidence and national pride in loving their hometownculture and telling Chinesestories well. It also inspired young students to return home for employmentandactively integrate into the development of local cultural undertakingsand industries,so as tocontribute their youthfulstrengthto makethe Central Plains even more splendid. (Writtenby Fan Lin; Reviewed by Dong Yuelei)
