Protect, Preserve, and Disseminate the Treasures of Chinese Culture Well

Cultural heritage bears witness to Chinese civilization and is a non-renewable precious resource. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, under the leadership and promotion of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, China’s work on the protection and preservation of cultural heritage has achieved historic accomplishments. In May 2025, during an inspection of the Longmen Grottoes in Luoyang, Henan, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized, “We must protect, preserve, and disseminate these treasures of Chinese culture well.” [1]1 The 18th National Congress of the CPC was held in 2012. The Longmen Grottoes are a UNESCO World Heritage site in Henan province, containing thousands of Buddhist statues and carvings. This important statement underscores the significance of protecting and preserving cultural heritage; it is an earnest entrustment to the guardians of civilization and, moreover, a crucial guideline for continuing the historical lineage and writing a contemporary chapter on the new journey.

文化遗产见证中华文明，是不可再生的宝贵财富。党的十八大以来，在以习近平同志为核心的党中央引领推动下，我国文化遗产保护传承工作取得历史性成就。2025年5月，习近平总书记在河南洛阳龙门石窟考察时强调，“要把这些中华文化瑰宝保护好、传承好、传播好”。这一重要论述强调了文化遗产保护传承的重要意义，是对文明守护者的殷切嘱托，更是新征程上赓续历史文脉、谱写当代华章的重要遵循。

I

一

For cultural heritage, protection is paramount. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized, “Uphold a heart that reveres history and loves culture, adhere to the principles of protection first, rational utilization, and minimal intervention, and promote the systematic protection and unified supervision of cultural heritage.” Protecting the treasures of Chinese culture well is the prerequisite for doing a good job of preservation and dissemination; without proper protection, subsequent preservation and dissemination become impossible. To safeguard cultural treasures and promote the systematic protection of cultural heritage, one must harbor a reverent heart, revering the weight of history, the wisdom of ancestors, and the continuity of civilization. Specifically, efforts can be coordinated from aspects such as technological empowerment, talent cultivation, and legal safeguards.

文化遗产，保护为要。习近平总书记强调，“秉持敬畏历史、热爱文化之心，坚持保护第一、合理利用和最小干预原则，推动文化遗产系统性保护和统一监管”。保护好中华文化瑰宝是做好传承与传播工作的前提，没有妥善保护，后续的传承与传播将无从谈起。守护文化瑰宝，推动文化遗产系统性保护，要怀有敬畏之心，敬畏历史的厚重、先民的智慧、文明的绵延。具体而言，可从科技赋能、人才培养、法治保障等方面协同发力。

Empower cultural relic protection with the strength of technology. Cultural relics, having passed through the vicissitudes of time, constantly endure the tests of natural conditions. Modern technology can create favorable conditions for the restoration and research of cultural relics, effectively raising the level of cultural relic protection. For example, the Longmen Grottoes Research Institute has explored digital protection pathways, constructing a comprehensive and systematic “digital archive.” By employing technical means such as laser scanning and high-definition photography to collect cultural relic information, it protects precious historical sites with digital technology. For some repatriated cultural relics, the Longmen Grottoes Research Institute first confirms their original cave and location, then uses digital technology to virtually “re-embed” them. In the virtual space, the statues achieve “the reunion of body and head, the rejoining of parts.” [2]2 “The reunion of body and head, the rejoining of parts” (身首合一、复位合璧) is a four-character idiom-like phrase used here to describe the virtual restoration of fragmented statues. The application of digital empowerment and technological innovation in the field of cultural heritage protection should be strengthened to enhance the scientificity and rationality of protection.

以科技的力量赋能文物保护。文物历经岁月流转，时时刻刻承受着自然条件的考验。现代科技能为文物的修复和研究创造有利条件，有力提升文物保护水平。如，龙门石窟研究院探寻数字化保护路径，构建起全面系统的“数字档案”，借助激光扫描、高清摄影等技术手段采集文物信息，以数字技术保护珍贵古迹。对于部分回归文物，龙门石窟研究院先确认其所在洞窟与位置，再通过数字技术进行虚拟“嵌回”，在虚拟空间中，造像实现了“身首合一、复位合璧”。应加强数字赋能、科技创新在文化遗产保护领域的应用，提高保护的科学性、合理性。

Cultivate more and more specialized talents for cultural heritage protection. The work of protecting and restoring cultural relics requires both scientists and craftsmen with unique skills. We should adhere to the parallel approach of “external introduction” and “internal cultivation,” strengthen the construction of teams for cultural heritage protection and preservation, increase efforts in disciplinary construction and talent cultivation for cultural heritage, and improve mechanisms for talent cultivation, utilization, evaluation, and incentives. For instance, relying on platforms such as “Millions of Talents Revitalize Chongqing,” the Dazu District of Chongqing has cross-sectorally introduced talents from fields like geology and materials science, injecting the “hardcore” strength of modern technology into cultural relic protection. Shanxi University, taking the lead and collaborating with multiple universities and grotto research institutes, has established the China Grotto Culture Joint Graduate School to cultivate comprehensive top-notch innovative talents, gradually forming a complete talent cultivation chain and system, and cultivating and supplying more professional talents for cultural relic protection.

培养更多更专业的文化遗产保护人才。文物的保护修复工作既需要科学家，也离不开身怀绝技的匠人。应坚持“外引”与“内育”并举，加强文化遗产保护传承队伍建设，加大文化遗产学科建设与人才培养力度，健全人才培养、使用、评价和激励机制。如，重庆大足区依托“百万英才兴重庆”等平台，跨界引进地质学、材料学等领域人才，为文物保护注入现代科技的“硬核”力量；山西大学牵头并联合多所高校、石窟研究院成立中国石窟文化联合研究生院，培养综合性拔尖创新人才，逐步形成完备的人才培养链条和体系，为文物保护培养和输送更多专业人才。

Build a solid legal barrier for “ensuring the protection of all cultural relics that should be protected.” As the first cultural field law promulgated since the founding of New China, the Cultural Relics Protection Law, since its enactment and implementation in 1982, has undergone two revisions and five amendments, playing a significant role in strengthening cultural relic protection, standardizing cultural relic management, and promoting the rational utilization of cultural relics. Effective March 1, 2025, the newly revised Cultural Relics Protection Law came into effect, focusing on comprehensively strengthening the systematic protection of cultural heritage. The vitality of the law lies in its implementation. We must promote the implementation and enforcement of the Cultural Relics Protection Law, deeply excavate the precious values contained in cultural relics, and enable them to radiate new life and stimulate new creativity in the New Era. In the future, exploration should continue in areas such as the ownership and utilization of digital heritage, the regulation of social capital participation in protection, and the coordinated governance of the surrounding environment of cultural heritage, integrating the principles of preventive protection, emergency protection, and research-based protection into legal practice.

筑牢文物“应保尽保”法治屏障。作为新中国颁布的第一部文化领域法律，文物保护法自1982年颁布实施以来，历经2次修订和5次修正，对加强文物保护、规范文物管理、促进文物合理利用发挥了重要作用。2025年3月1日起，新修订的文物保护法施行，着眼全面加强文化遗产系统性保护。法律的生命力在于实施，要推进文物保护法落实落地，深入挖掘文物蕴藏的宝贵价值，使其在新时代焕发新生命、激发新创造。未来，还应在数字遗产的权属与利用、社会资本参与保护的规范、文化遗产周边环境的协同治理等方面继续探索，将预防性保护、应急性保护和研究性保护的原则融入法治实践。

II

二

If protection is about “preserving the form,” then preservation is about “forging the soul.” Through creative transformation and innovative development, the civilizational genes dormant in cultural treasures are activated, making them compatible with contemporary society and culture.

如果说保护是“存其形”，那么传承便是“铸其魂”，通过创造性转化与创新性发展，激活沉睡在文化瑰宝中的文明基因，使其与当代社会文化相适应。

Promote the integration of digital technology with cultural heritage, making ancient cultural heritage more technological and modern. Digitalization is not only a means of cultural heritage protection but also an important pathway for preservation. Emerging technological means such as the Internet of Things, big data, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence make static cultural heritage “come alive,” allowing people to more conveniently and deeply experience the enduring charm of ancient cultural heritage, making the long history and splendid culture of the Chinese nation perceptible and accessible. Integrating cultural heritage IP into application scenarios such as virtual reality and digital twins enables people to enhance their emotional connection with cultural heritage through immersive and interactive experiences. For example, at the Mogao Caves in Dunhuang, VR equipment makes images painted on the ceilings, such as the flying apsaras, vividly clear and “within reach,” allowing visitors to more genuinely feel the unique charm of Chinese cultural treasures.

推动数字技术与文化遗产融合，让古老的文化遗产更具科技感、现代感。数字化不仅是文化遗产保护手段，更是传承的重要路径。物联网、大数据、云计算、人工智能等新兴技术手段，让静态的文化遗产“动”起来，让人们能够更加便捷地深度体验古老文化遗产的恒久魅力，让中华民族的悠久历史、灿烂文化可感可及；将文化遗产IP融入虚拟现实、数字孪生等技术应用场景，使人们能够在沉浸式、交互式体验中增强与文化遗产的情感连接。例如，在敦煌莫高窟，VR设备使得飞天等绘于窟顶上的形象纤毫毕现、“触手可及”，让游客更加真切地感受中华文化瑰宝的独特魅力。

Strengthen industrial support, injecting market vitality into the protection, preservation, and utilization of cultural heritage. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized, “We must actively promote the protection and utilization of cultural relics and the protection and preservation of cultural heritage, excavate the multiple values of cultural relics and cultural heritage, and disseminate more value symbols and cultural products that carry Chinese culture and the Chinese spirit.” China’s cultural heritage is rich in variety and distinct in characteristics. We should fully excavate, transform, and innovate, creating distinctive “cultural heritage+” brands in an industrialized form. Taking Shanxi as an example, the popularity of the game “Black Myth: Wukong” has brought a massive influx of traffic to Shanxi’s cultural tourism. The application of digital technology not only gives cultural heritage a new life in the virtual world but also provides possibilities for the “integration of digital and real” in the cultural field. The deep integration of the digitalization and industrialization of cultural heritage injects new momentum into the preservation and innovation of cultural heritage, enabling it to radiate new vitality and bloom with new brilliance in the New Era.

强化产业扶持，为文化遗产保护传承利用注入市场活力。习近平总书记强调，“要积极推进文物保护利用和文化遗产保护传承，挖掘文物和文化遗产的多重价值，传播更多承载中华文化、中国精神的价值符号和文化产品”。我国文化遗产种类丰富且特色鲜明，应充分挖掘、改造创新，以产业化形式打造“文化遗产+”特色品牌。以山西为例，游戏《黑神话：悟空》的畅销，给山西文旅带来了巨大流量。数字技术的应用，不仅让文化遗产在虚拟世界中得到新生，更为文化领域的“数实融合”提供了可能。文化遗产数字化与产业化的深度融合，为文化遗产的传承与创新注入全新动力，使其在新时代焕发新活力、绽放新光彩。

III

三

Protecting cultural heritage means preserving the unceasing root of the Chinese national spirit. Disseminating the treasures of Chinese culture well is a necessary link to amplify the achievements of protection and preservation, and it can inject more living water into strengthening cultural confidence and telling China’s story well.

保护文化遗产就是保存中华民族精神生生不息的根脉，把中华文化瑰宝传播好，是将保护与传承成效发扬光大的必要环节，能够为坚定文化自信、讲好中国故事注入更多源头活水。

Under the traditional dissemination model, cultural and museum institutions were the authoritative knowledge output side, and the audience were passive recipients. Today, the new media matrix has completely changed this pattern. For example, some cultural and museum units, through new models such as short videos and live streaming, supplemented by derivative IPs like “Archaeological Notes,” have transformed professional archaeological excavations into “online explorations” participated in by the entire public, evolving dissemination from one-way output into a two-way cultural co-creation. This interaction not only greatly stimulates the public’s enthusiasm for participation but also gives cultural heritage new vitality and vigor in dialogue.

传统传播模式下，文博机构等是权威的知识输出方，受众是被动接收者。而今，新媒体矩阵彻底改变了这一格局。如，有的文博单位通过短视频、直播等新模式，辅以“考古手记”等衍生IP，将专业的考古发掘变成了全民参与的“在线探秘”，使传播从单向输出演变为一场双向奔赴的文化共创。这种互动不仅极大地激发了公众的参与热情，更让文化遗产在对话中获得了新的生机与活力。

If interaction breaks down dissemination barriers, then carrier innovation greatly enhances dissemination effectiveness. For example, the “Encounter Sanxingdui” VR immersive exhibition uses virtual reality technology to reconstruct the mysterious landscape of the ancient Shu civilization, leading the audience through time and space to personally visit the Sanxingdui site. [3]3 Sanxingdui is a major Bronze Age archaeological site in Sichuan province, known for its unique and mysterious artifacts from the ancient Shu kingdom. This model achieves a transformation of experience from “static viewing” to “dynamic interaction,” breaking the physical limitations of cultural relic exhibitions, stimulating emotional resonance, greatly expanding the radius of influence of cultural heritage, allowing cultural treasures to radiate vibrant vitality, and enriching people’s spiritual world.

如果说互动打破了传播壁垒，那么载体创新则大大提升了传播效能。如“奇遇三星堆”VR沉浸展览，用虚拟现实技术重构了古蜀文明的神秘图景，带领观众穿越时空，亲临三星堆遗址。这种模式实现了从“静态观看”到“动态交互”的体验转变，打破了文物展陈的物理局限，激发情感共鸣，极大拓展了文化遗产的影响力半径，让文化瑰宝焕发勃勃生机，丰富人们的精神世界。

“Without a high degree of cultural confidence, without the flourishing and prosperity of culture, there can be no great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.” [4]4 This is a quotation from Xi Jinping, originally from a speech at the 19th National Congress of the CPC in 2017. In the long river of five thousand years of history, countless precious cultural heritages have been deposited. They carry the cultural genes, value concepts, and spiritual symbols of the Chinese nation. When the Vairocana Buddha of the Longmen Grottoes smiles at the world through VR technology, when Sanxingdui culture becomes a trendy symbol pursued by young people… these not only reflect the enduring charm of cultural treasures but also fully demonstrate the cultural confidence of the Chinese nation. Standing at a new historical juncture, we should strengthen protection with foundational measures, deepen preservation with long-term strategies, and expand dissemination with far-reaching aspirations, allowing the cultural treasures that carry Chinese civilization to radiate brilliant light through the passing of the torch from generation to generation.

“没有高度的文化自信，没有文化的繁荣兴盛，就没有中华民族伟大复兴。”在源远流长的五千年历史长河中，沉淀着无数宝贵的文化遗产，它们承载着中华民族的文化基因、价值观念与精神标识。当龙门石窟的卢舍那大佛通过VR技术向世界微笑，当三星堆文化成为年轻人追捧的潮流符号……其间不仅体现了文化瑰宝的持久魅力，更充分彰显着中华民族的文化自信。站在新的历史方位，我们应以固本之举强化保护，以长远之策深化传承，以致远之志扩大传播，让承载着中华文明的文化瑰宝在薪火相传中绽放璀璨光芒。

(Author: Xu Dongtao, Researcher at the Zhejiang Provincial “Double-Eight Strategy” Innovation and Development Research Institute, Party School of the Zhejiang Provincial Committee of the CPC) [5]5 The “Double-Eight Strategy” (八八战略) is a development strategy for Zhejiang province proposed by Xi Jinping in 2003, focusing on eight strengths and eight measures.

（作者：徐东涛，系中共浙江省委党校浙江省“八八战略”创新发展研究院研究员）

Online Editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心