In evolving world, China must tell its stories well

Qu Yingpu, publisher and editor-in-chief of China Daily. FENG YONGBIN/CHINA DAILY

The five prominent characteristics of the Chinese civilization have enriched the building of a modern civilization for the Chinese nation, according to Qu Yingpu, publisher and editor-in-chief of China Daily.

Speaking at a Vision China event in Jinzhou, Northeast China's Liaoning province on Sunday, Qu said the growing situation the world faces involves an evolution of changes with a magnitude unseen in a century, so it's important to enhance international communication.

"We need to tell China's stories well, such as the story of the modern civilization of the Chinese nation, and showcase the glorious chapter of China's modernization through vivid practice and diversified cultural heritage on this land, including Liaoning," said Qu.

He cited the example of Liaoning and analyzed how its past reflects the five prominent features of the Chinese civilization: consistency, originality, uniformity, inclusiveness, and peacefulness.

Liaoning boasts many sites of Hongshan culture, a key Neolithic culture that covered parts of today's Liaoning and Hebei provinces, as well as the Inner Mongolia autonomous region.

In the early 1980s, archaeologists discovered the Niuheliang Site dating back 5,000 to 5,500 years in Chaoyang, Liaoning, marking a milestone in the study of Hongshan culture.

"Hongshan culture, hailed as 'one of the most important tap roots in the total root system of Chinese culture', is one of the cradles of Chinese civilization," said Qu. "With various archaeological discoveries of Hongshan culture such as dragon-shaped jade artifacts and the head sculpture of a goddess, as well as related sites, the verifiable history of Chinese civilization can be traced back much earlier than previously believed."

Moreover, Yiwulyu Mountain in Jinzhou is where a lot of historical stories spanning more than four millennia were written, from the time of the early legendary ruler Shun to the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties.

As a result, in Liaoning, people can see the dawn of China's 5,000-plus years of civilization and trace its continuous development to this day, reflecting the consistency of the Chinese civilization, he said.

Since Hongshan culture is renowned for its exquisite jade artifacts, they embody the wisdom and creativity of our ancestors, as a reflection of the originality of the Chinese civilization, Qu said.

The industrial progress of modern Liaoning also demonstrates this feature, as the province became the "first industrial base of New China" with symbolic innovative achievements, according to Qu.

Liaoning is home to many "firsts" in New China, including being the place where the first high-powered internal combustion locomotive and first fighter jet were built, and where the first synthetic petroleum in China was made. The first domestic aircraft carrier and first underwater glider also came from the province.

"Liaoning, the fast-changing traditional industrial area, is vigorously developing new quality productive forces and promoting overall revitalization with comprehensive innovation," said Qu.

The inclusive nature of Chinese civilization is evident in Liaoning's diverse population, which includes all 56 ethnic groups in China. The province has fostered interaction and integration among these groups, with ethnic minorities accounting for over 15 percent of the total population, he said.

He also mentioned the similarities in Liaoning's and southern China's cultural elements, and that the Liaoning people's fight against imperialist aggression in the 20th century was vivid testimony to the uniformity and peacefulness of the Chinese civilization.

"We have drawn strength and confidence from cultural inheritance and development. We are striding forward toward promoting cultural prosperity, building up China's cultural strength, and constructing a modern civilization for the Chinese nation," said Qu.

These days, Liaoning is accelerating the construction of a new northeastern land and sea channel to Mongolia and Russia, and integrating itself deeply into the grand picture of the high-quality joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative.

"China is offering the international community a constant stream of new opportunities in the new era with its higher level of opening-up and high-quality development," said Qu.