“Last night I just visited Yongqing Fang in Enning Road and Cantonese Opera Art Museum. I was impressed at how they represent traditional culture in new forms to attract more attentions from the public for better inheritance, instead of being exclusive and locked up. This is exactly the meaning of protecting traditional culture,” Shan Jixiang, Dean of the Palace Museum Academy and Former Director of the Palace Museum, mentioned about his visit this time in an interview with GDToday on December 2, during the 2021 Understanding China Conference.

Shan said that as a province of long history, Guangdong boasts cultural heritage with a wide variety. Different kinds of museums have sprouted in Guangdong these years, including historical site museums like Archaeological Site Museum of Nanyue Palace, some neighborhood museums, museums with specific topics, museums of various industries and eco museums.

“I have been to Nanhai Ⅰ Museum in Yangjiang. When the shipwreck Nanhai Ⅰ was lifted out of the sea, it was preserved in what we called "Crystal Palace"--a special glass room that shares similar humidity and ecological environment with its original one. The staff could thus operate sustainable and safe underwater archaeology in the Palace. This Palace is remarkable and quite unique in the world.” Shan commented based on his own experience.

Echoing the topic of this conference, Shan also shed light on how to spread China’s story to the world, “Likewise, when we’re talking about understanding China, we should be aware of how people around the world are receiving information everyday and what forms of spreading are acceptable for them.”

Reporter: Rofel

Poster: Mia

Photo: Jiang Yongsheng

Editor: Keane, Jerry