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From April 24 to 26, 28 influential global digital content creators gathered in Qufu, the birthplace of Confucius located in Jining, Shandong Province, for a three-day cultural immersion event titled “Nishan Sacred Land: A Vision Shared with the World”. The event, designed to showcase China’s profound traditional heritage to an international audience, brought the creators through a curated journey of historical sites and folk cultural experiences unique to the region.

On the second day of the event, the group kicked off their exploration at the Nishan Confucian Temple, the cradle of Confucianism that has stood for centuries on the sacred Nishan Mountain. They walked through the sprawling temple complex, visiting iconic historic landmarks including the grand Dacheng Hall, the main ceremonial hall dedicated to Confucius, and the riverside Guanchuan Pavilion, where Confucius is said to have reflected on the passage of time. Throughout their tour, the influencers soaked in the quiet, contemplative atmosphere of the sacred site, gaining first-hand insight into the depth and nuance of 2,500-year-old Confucian culture that has shaped East Asian civilization for millennia.

In the afternoon, the group traveled to the nearby Nishan Luyuan Village Scenic Area, a popular cultural tourism destination that seamlessly blends traditional rural Chinese heritage with modern leisure infrastructure. Stepping fully into the experience, the creators put on authentic hanfu, the traditional clothing of China’s Han ethnic group, before joining hands-on activities rooted in ancient Chinese culture. Among these activities was traditional archery, one of the Six Arts that formed the core of ancient Chinese scholar education system, allowing the influencers to gain personal experience of traditional cultural practices rather than just observing them from a distance.

As evening drew over the scenic area, the group joined a vibrant festive fish lantern parade, winding through the stone-paved historic alleys of the village. The evening’s highlight came after the parade, when the crowd gathered to watch datiehwa, the centuries-old folk performance art also known as molten iron fireworks. Artisans flung thousand-degree molten iron into the night sky, where it shattered into thousands of sparkling, showering sparks that lit up the dark hillside, drawing gasps of amazement from the international guests.

The event closed with a curated performance of traditional Chinese music and folk dance, wrapping up a three-day experience that gave the global creators a holistic, intimate introduction to both Confucian philosophy and vibrant northern Chinese folk culture. Organizers of the event noted that the gathering aims to build cross-cultural understanding, letting international audiences see and feel authentic Chinese culture through the perspectives of creators they trust.

A landmark piece of early modern scientific craftsmanship is set to hit the auction block next week at Sotheby’s London, offering collectors and cultural institutions a once-in-a-generation chance to own a historically significant 17th-century brass astrolabe with deep royal Indian roots.

Described by auction house specialists as potentially the largest intact astrolabe surviving anywhere in the world, this hand-held astronomical device — often dubbed the “smartphone of the pre-modern era” — has never been displayed publicly before, after spending decades in a private collection.

The astrolabe traces its origins back to early 17th-century Lahore, which was then the preeminent center of astrolabe manufacturing in the Mughal Empire. It was crafted collaboratively by Qa’im Muhammad and Muhammad Muqim, two master artisans from the legendary Lahore School of instrument making, where the closely guarded craft of precision instrument building was passed down through family lines. Only two joint works by the brother artisans are known to exist today; the second, a far smaller example, is held in a museum collection in Iraq.

The massive instrument was commissioned by Aqa Afzal, a Mughal nobleman of Iranian descent who held senior administrative posts under emperors Jahangir and Shah Jahan and oversaw governance of Lahore. Its extraordinary scale and ornate craftsmanship were intentionally designed to reflect the high status of its patron. Weighing 8.2 kilograms, measuring 30 centimeters in diameter, and standing 46 centimeters tall, the astrolabe is nearly four times the size of a typical 17th-century Indian astrolabe.

Beyond its size, the piece carries notable cross-cultural significance. Star markers on the device feature traditional Persian names paired with Sanskrit translations etched in Devanagari script, reflecting the multicultural intellectual landscape of Mughal South Asia. It also bears inscribed coordinates for 94 global cities, 38 individually detailed star pointers connected by intricate floral filigree, five precision-calibrated plates, and degree divisions subdivided to one-third of a degree — a level of technical precision unmatched by many earlier astrolabes from the Middle East, which prioritized function over artistic refinement.

Historically, astrolabes functioned as versatile multi-purpose astronomical tools. First invented in ancient Greece in the 2nd century BCE, the design spread to the Islamic world by the 8th century, before spreading further across South Asia. These layered metallic devices allowed users to map stellar positions, calculate the direction of Mecca, track the movement of celestial bodies, tell time, measure the height of structures or depth of wells, and even calculate calendar dates for astrology. Dr. Federica Gigante, a researcher at the Oxford Centre for History of Science, Medicine and Technology, compares the astrolabe’s versatility to that of a modern smartphone, noting its ability to serve dozens of practical and intellectual functions.

Gigante added that the Lahore astrolabe’s accuracy is extraordinary, capable of delivering precise measurements of celestial body altitudes that rival only the finest surviving historical instruments, including one built for Persian ruler Abbas II.

After its creation, the astrolabe entered the royal collection of Jaipur’s Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II in western India. Following the maharaja’s death, it passed to his wife, Maharani Gayatri Devi — one of the most iconic public figures of 20th-century India — before being transferred to a private collection during her lifetime.

Sotheby’s specialists say the astrolabe’s pristine condition, unbroken royal provenance, and one-of-a-kind scale and craftsmanship are expected to draw intense bidding interest from both global institutional collections and private collectors. The piece is valued at an estimated £1.5 million to £2.5 million, which would shatter the existing auction record for an astrolabe. The current record, set in 2014, was a much smaller Ottoman astrolabe made for Sultan Bayezid II, which sold for just under £1 million.

Leading up to the 29 April auction, the astrolabe will be on public display for the first time in Sotheby’s London galleries from 24 to 29 April, giving visitors a rare chance to view a masterpiece of Mughal scientific art that has been hidden from public view for centuries.

Between April 21 and 22, a cohort of leading sinologists from North America, Europe and Latin America — including Canada, Italy and Mexico — embarked on a immersive cultural journey through Yixing, a scenic county-level city administered by Wuxi in eastern China’s Jiangsu province, to walk in the footsteps of one of China’s most celebrated literary giants, Su Dongpo.

Better known by his courtesy name Su Dongpo, Su Shi (1037–1101) was a towering Song Dynasty poet, calligrapher, and statesman whose works remain a cornerstone of classical Chinese literature centuries after his lifetime. For Su, Yixing held a deeply personal significance: the city has long been hailed as the great writer’s “second hometown,” where he spent extended periods of time, drew profound creative inspiration from its misty mountains and winding waterways, and composed dozens of enduring poems that reflect his love for the region’s natural beauty and tranquil lifestyle.

During their two-day visit, the international scholars engaged in a full schedule of cultural and academic activities: they joined in-depth literary exchanges centered on Su Dongpo’s legacy in Yixing, meandered through the sprawling, emerald Yixing Bamboo Sea that once stirred Su’s poetic imagination, explored the otherworldly geological formations of the famous Shanjuan Cave, and even gathered to recite some of the master’s most beloved classic poems firsthand. The trip offered these global experts on Chinese culture a rare, on-the-ground opportunity to connect with the historical settings that shaped one of China’s most iconic literary figures, deepening their understanding of Su Dongpo’s life, work, and enduring influence on Chinese cultural identity.

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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.