分类： other

Against a backdrop of rising geopolitical friction between the world’s two largest economies, cultural and museum institutions on both sides are quietly working to sustain open lines of communication, building tangible connections that deepen mutual understanding between the Chinese and American people.

The grassroots push for cross-border cultural exchange traces its origins to a deeply personal journey for Tina He, founder of the H Foundation for the Arts. As a university student, He traveled back to her ancestral hometown of Fuzhou, where a walk through the historic Three Lanes and Seven Alleys district — widely celebrated as an open-air museum of Ming and Qing dynasty architecture — left an indelible mark on her. Wandering the preserved lanes, she encountered the enduring legacies of Lin Zexu, Yan Fu, and Bing Xin, three iconic figures whose work and lives fundamentally shaped the course of modern China. That experience planted the seed for a career dedicated to sharing Chinese cultural heritage with global audiences.

In 2016, that vision became a formal institution when He established the Cultural Foundations of Zhendai He, named in honor of her great-grandfather, a prominent 20th-century Chinese poet and classical scholar. Speaking at the foundation’s 10th anniversary forum earlier this year, He emphasized that the organization’s mission extends far beyond simply establishing an administrative body. “It is not merely about creating an institution, but rather about undertaking a legacy of continuity, carrying these cultural values forward into a new era,” she explained.

Over the past decade, the foundation has pursued a two-way exchange model that benefits creative communities on both sides of the Pacific. It has supported emerging and established Chinese artists in securing exhibition opportunities at major American cultural institutions, including the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, bringing contemporary Chinese creative practice to mainstream US audiences. At the same time, it facilitates residencies and exhibitions that introduce contemporary American artists to cultural hubs in China, most notably Jingdezhen in Jiangxi province, the centuries-old historic center of Chinese porcelain production, where visiting creators can engage with local artisans and audiences.

“By building this kind of bridge, we promote cultural exchange between China and the United States,” He noted.

The critical role of museums and cultural institutions as neutral, accessible spaces for cross-cultural dialogue took center stage at a recent forum hosted by the foundation, which brought together leading scholars, museum administrators, and cultural leaders to explore how public and private cultural organizations can strengthen people-to-people ties between the two nations.

Daryle Williams, dean of the College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences at the University of California, Riverside, noted that American public cultural and academic institutions are constantly evolving to reflect the changing makeup of the communities they serve. “We really want to look at how the Chinese American history is,” Williams said. “Now we’re considering Asian American, Pacific Islander experiences as an integral part of our community that’s evolved over time.”

Leading curators from top American museums echoed the forum’s core theme, emphasizing that museums serve as global stewards of humanity’s shared cultural legacy, making them uniquely positioned to foster cross-cultural understanding.

Jason Sun, curator of Chinese art at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art — the most visited art museum in the world — pointed out that Chinese art has occupied a central place in the Met’s narrative of global civilization for decades. Through landmark, carefully curated exhibitions, the Met has introduced millions of American audiences to defining chapters of Chinese history and artistic development. Sun explained that these exhibitions do more than showcase the depth and richness of Chinese civilization; they also illuminate the centuries-long history of exchange and interaction between East and West, demonstrating that all civilizations have grown and evolved through mutual learning. “Through museums, one can understand a country’s culture and history, and thereby understand the country itself,” Sun said.

Similar perspectives were shared by Claire Lyons, curator of antiquities at the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles. Lyons noted that the Getty has maintained long-standing collaborative partnerships with Chinese cultural institutions, and her team sees enormous untapped potential for even deeper cooperative work in the coming years. The Getty’s China-focused programming has explored topics ranging from Qing Dynasty porcelain trade and export, highlighting hundreds of years of maritime and commercial exchange between China and global markets, to landmark exhibitions showcasing the ancient artistic heritage of the Mogao Caves in Gansu province. These projects do more than allow visitors to appreciate the artistic beauty of Chinese cultural treasures; they also draw attention to the painstaking work of cultural heritage preservation that sustains these sites for future generations.

For Emily Zhang, program director of the H Foundation for the Arts, the work of building these cultural connections has grown even more important in an era defined by rapid technological change. As artificial intelligence and digital tools reshape nearly every aspect of daily life, Zhang argued that human connection and cross-cultural understanding have only grown in urgency, rather than becoming less important. “In a world where technology becomes more powerful, what matters more and more is our community,” she said. “It’s not just about what we can do, but how we understand each other and how we stay connected. That is exactly what arts and culture can do.”

Every April 23, readers around the globe mark World Book Day — a celebration that carries unique, layered meaning in China, where the practice of reading has long transcended a simple pastime to become a foundational part of cultural heritage.

For countless generations of Chinese people, reading is not merely a leisure activity or a task tied to academic or professional advancement. Instead, it is a tradition rooted in the ancient wisdom of Chinese philosophers and embedded in the nation’s long-held noble ideals, woven tightly into the fabric of ordinary daily life across every region of the country. From hand-copied scrolls passed down through imperial dynasties to modern printed paperbacks and digital reading platforms accessible to millions today, this enduring tradition has nurtured generation after generation, shaping worldviews, fostering critical thinking, and strengthening cultural bonds between communities.

As the nation marks this year’s World Book Day, the occasion invites readers of all ages and backgrounds to pause and reflect on their own personal journeys with literature. Whether the memory is a childhood picture book read by a grandparent by lamplight, a worn classic novel carried through years of schooling, or a quiet 10 minutes of reading snatched from a busy workday on a commuter train, these small, intimate moments with stories connect individual experiences to thousands of years of Chinese literary and cultural tradition. In those quiet moments when the page opens, nothing matters except the story itself — a universal experience that continues to bind readers across China together today.

This year’s World Book Day observance also aligns with broader national cultural efforts centered on storytelling and cultural identity, framed as a key priority for public cultural engagement in recent special coverage from Chinese media outlets.

For many international learners of Chinese, the path to understanding the heart of Chinese culture rarely follows a straight line. For JongMay Urbonya, an American serving as an ambassador for the HSK Chinese Proficiency Test, that deep connection to China was unlocked through the concise, emotion-drenched lines of classical Chinese poetry. In a recent feature shared by China Daily, Urbonya opened up about her enduring love for this ancient literary art form, explaining how even the shortest poetic verses carry layers of profound feeling and timeless allure that resonate across cultural divides. A particular favorite of Urbonya’s is Li Qingzhao, the iconic Song Dynasty poet celebrated for her subtle, intimate explorations of love, loss, and everyday life. Urbonya notes that the delicate, deeply human emotions woven into Li’s works remain just as moving today as they were nearly a thousand years ago, holding power to touch readers regardless of their nationality or cultural background. For Urbonya, classical Chinese poetry is far more than just an academic subject or a language learning tool. It acts as a bridge that transcends the boundaries of time, cultural tradition, and national borders, offering her a uniquely intimate window into the values, perspectives, and soul of China. What began as a study of language has grown into a deeply personal connection to the country and its centuries-old cultural heritage, showing how art and literature can build unexpected bonds between people across the globe.

China has officially launched its annual national reading week, kicking off the 2026 initiative during the fifth National Conference on Reading held Monday in Nanchang, the capital city of East China’s Jiangxi province.

Li Shulei, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and head of the CPC Central Committee’s Publicity Department, was in attendance at the opening event and delivered a keynote address to assembled participants.

Event attendees united in a call for amplified action to popularize reading among all segments of the Chinese public and cultivate a pervasive, society-wide culture of regular reading. Stressing that reading forms the most foundational pillar of cultural advancement, participants emphasized that nationwide reading programs must be fully leveraged to support China’s broader national strategy to build itself into a leading global culture power.

In addition to promoting public engagement with reading, attendees called for strengthened investment, development and regulatory oversight of public reading infrastructure, including libraries, community reading spaces and other public resources that make accessible reading materials available to all citizens.

Running this week from Monday through Sunday, the 2026 National Reading Week will feature a diverse lineup of community and national events designed to reignite public passion for reading, spanning book fairs, author talks, reading clubs and youth engagement programs that reach across urban and rural communities to encourage people of all ages to pick up books and build regular reading habits.

On April 18, the skies above Weifang, the coastal city in East China’s Shandong province, filled with a dazzling array of colorful, innovative kites from every corner of the globe, marking the official opening of the 43rd Weifang International Kite Festival and 2026 Weifang Kite Carnival. Hosted at the city’s iconic World Kite Park, this year’s gathering drew nearly 260 dedicated kite teams hailing from 57 distinct countries and regions, turning the local event into a true global celebration of craft, connection, and shared passion.

Long recognized internationally as the “World Capital of Kites”, Weifang carries a kite-making legacy that stretches back more than two millennia. Generations of local artisans have honed and refined this traditional craft over centuries, passing down techniques that have elevated Weifang kites to a globally celebrated art form. What began as a centuries-old cultural practice has grown into a thriving modern economic driver for the region: the city’s entire kite industry now posts more than 2 billion yuan, equivalent to roughly $29.24 million, in annual sales, with Weifang-made kites exported to more than 50 markets across the world.

Beyond economic impact, the annual International Kite Festival has emerged as a powerful bridge connecting disparate cultures. Kite enthusiasts, master craftspeople, and hobbyists from around the world travel to Weifang each year to showcase their unique designs, exchange traditional techniques, and build cross-cultural connections that transcend geographic and political divides. For participants and attendees alike, the event highlights how a shared love of a simple, timeless pastime can bring global communities closer together, cementing Weifang’s reputation as a welcoming hub for international cultural exchange.

On the occasion of International Chinese Language Day 2026, industry experts and educational leaders gathered in Tianjin for a celebratory event, where they highlighted the growing global footprint of Chinese language education and its transformative role in fostering cross-cultural connection and opening new professional opportunities for international learners.

During the event, international participants got a hands-on chance to experience China’s centuries-old intangible cultural heritage, turning the celebration into an immersive cultural exchange rather than just a ceremonial gathering. As more people around the world choose to study Chinese, the language has evolved far beyond a communication tool to become a foundational link connecting young people across China and the rest of the world, experts noted.

Zhong Yinghua, president of the International Society for Chinese Language Teaching, emphasized that Chinese language proficiency acts as a critical key to unlocking access to an authentic, multidimensional portrait of modern China and the long-held philosophical wisdom of Eastern culture. ‘Too often, global audiences only see fragmented, one-sided narratives about China,’ Zhong explained. ‘Learning the language gives learners direct access to primary sources, local conversations and cultural contexts that allow them to build their own understanding of the country.’

He also highlighted the outsized impact of the well-known ‘Chinese Bridge’ competition series, a global program for Chinese language learners. Far more than a simple academic contest, Zhong noted, the initiative serves as a dynamic people-to-people exchange platform that places international students in immersive, real-world social environments across China. Through these on-the-ground experiences, participants gain nuanced, first-hand insight into contemporary Chinese society and culture that cannot be gained from textbooks alone.

Beyond cultural exchange, education leaders also pointed to the tangible professional benefits that Chinese language proficiency brings to international learners. As China continues to deepen economic and people-to-people ties with countries across the globe, demand for Chinese-speaking professionals has risen sharply across industries ranging from international trade and diplomacy to tourism and global education. For many young international students, adding Chinese to their skill set directly expands their career options and makes them more competitive in a globalized job market.

The Tianjin event, which brought together educators, students and cultural leaders from multiple countries, underscores the growing recognition of Chinese language education as a cornerstone of global cultural dialogue. As participation continues to grow year over year, the language is increasingly serving its role as a bridge of understanding between China and the world.

Since 1994, all intellectual property rights to the content hosted on this digital platform have been held exclusively by China Daily Information Co (CDIC). This broad copyright protection extends to every form of content published on the site, including but not limited to written articles, photographic imagery, and multimedia resources. No portion of CDIC’s content may be reproduced, republished, or utilized in any format without the explicit advance written consent of the organization.

To deliver the optimal browsing experience for visitors, the platform recommends using a display resolution of 1024*768 or higher. Additional administrative documentation for the platform includes an online multimedia publishing license numbered 0108263 and an official registration number 130349.

The platform also hosts a range of navigation links for visitor convenience, including an informational page about China Daily, resources for brands interested in purchasing advertising space, contact details for the organization, open vacancy listings for general employment, and dedicated sections for expat job opportunities. Visitors are also invited to follow China Daily’s official accounts across multiple social and digital channels to stay updated on the latest content.

China’s northern province of Shanxi has introduced a revised set of regulatory frameworks to strengthen protections and promote sustainable development of its rich intangible cultural heritage (ICH), authorities announced Wednesday at a press conference held in the provincial capital Taiyuan.

Comprising 36 articles, the updated policy enshrines a core guiding principle: “protection first, priority on rescue, rational utilization, and continuous inheritance and development.” The new rules mandate that all county-level and higher regional governments establish dedicated cross-departmental coordination mechanisms, reinforcing systemic support for the conservation of the province’s centuries-old cultural assets.

Shanxi first pioneered ICH protection legislation in China back in 2012, emerging as one of the first provincial-level administrations to roll out specialized local regulations for the sector. However, Wang Biao, deputy director of the education, science, culture, and health working committee of the Standing Committee of the Shanxi Provincial People’s Congress, noted that shifting economic and social landscapes have rendered the original regulatory framework outdated, unable to address the evolving demands of modern ICH preservation work. The 2026 revisions, he explained, codify the practical experience and progress accumulated across the province over the past 14 years, positioning Shanxi to develop into a vibrant, nationally recognized cultural tourism destination.

Sun Jiangang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Shanxi Provincial People’s Congress, added that the revised rules place targeted focus on protecting ICH projects that encapsulate Shanxi’s unique cultural identity, including regional operas, traditional folk songs and dances, and local culinary traditions that have been passed down through generations.

Zhang Zhiren, Party group member and deputy director of Shanxi’s Department of Culture and Tourism, outlined the sector-specific plans tied to the new regulations. Moving forward, the province will continue scaling up promotion of two flagship cultural tourism initiatives: the “Travel with Intangible Cultural Heritage” brand and the “Shanxi Intangible Cultural Heritage Good Products” program, which brings traditional handicrafts to wider domestic and global markets.

The revised regulations were formally approved during the 27th meeting of the Standing Committee of the 14th Shanxi Provincial People’s Congress, and are scheduled to take legal effect starting June 1, 2026. Currently, Shanxi is home to 182 national-level representative ICH projects and 198 national-level recognized inheritors — both figures rank third among all provincial-level administrative regions in China, underscoring the province’s status as a major cradle of Chinese traditional culture.