From September 19th to 21st, 2024, the Beijing Cultural Forum was held in Beijing. At the opening ceremony this morning, the highly anticipated "Top Ten Events in the National Cultural Center Construction in 2023" was officialy released.
1.The Capital's Cultural Sector Thoroughly Embraces Xi Jinping Thought on Culture
In October 2023, the National Conference on Public Communication and Cultural Work officially put forward Xi Jinping Thought on Culture, quickly generating a strong response within the capital's cultural sector. Vibrant and featured media coverage was produced, a number of outstanding art works were created, and a wide range of cultural events were organized, sparking a movement to study, promote, and implement the Thought. All types of media outlets have mobilized their best resources and best people to ensure the effective promotion helping embed Xi Jinping Thought on Culture deeply into public consciousness. Under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture, new progress has been made in developing Beijing as the national cultural center. A series of new policies and initiatives were introduced, demonstrating the capital's responsibility and role as the national capital to embrace Xi Jinping Thought on Culture.
2. Seven lost stone columns returned to the Old Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan)
Though storms may rage and rains may pour, they can never thwart the journey back home.In October 2023, after wandering overseas for more than 160 years, seven white marble columns from the Xiyang Lou(European-style mansion) in Yuanmingyuan travelled across the oceans and finally returned home. In the meantime, five of the 12 bronze zodiac animal heads in Yuanmingyuan reunited at a special exhibition, marking a new chapter of the ancient palace.These national treasures bear witness to the historical vicissitudes of Yuanmingyuan and embody the aspiration of the Chinese people at home, and abroad for the prosperity of our nation and culture.
3.Three cultural facilities of Beijing Municipal Administrative Center (BMC) opened to the public
A new cultural landscape has taken shape along the millennium-old canal. In December 2023, the Beijing Performing Arts Centre, the Beijing Library, and the Grand Canal Museum of Beijing officially opened to the public, adding new cultural landmarks to Beijing. The Grand Canal, as an embodiment of both traditional and modern culture reflects the vitality of the BMC as a "City of the Future", known as the Cultural Granary, the Forest Reading Hall, and the Boat of the Grand Canal, respectively these three cultural structures will further satisfy the diverse cultural needs of citizens in Beijing, becoming another well-recognized cultural brand of this ancient capital city.
4. A variety of book fairs such as "The Temple of Earth and Me" have been staged in the "city of readers"
Reading is always beneficial, and the fragrance of books enriches the capital. In 2023, after a decade-long hiatus, the "Me and the Temple of Earth" Beijing Book Market resumed and introduced the "Old Books, New Knowledge" activity for the first time. The 29th Beijing International Book Fair and the 21st Beijing International Book Festival, along with the 13th Book Fragrant China · Beijing Reading Season, and a series of offline book markets and exhibitions were successively launched, igniting a nationwide reading craze, enriching the literary atmosphere of Beijing, and showcasing the cultural strength of the capital.
5.The National Archaeological Museum officially opens to the public
Tracing the origins of civilization, displaying the grandeur of a great nation. In September 2023, China's first national-level archaeological museum presenting the most complete sequence of the origins of Chinese civilization, the Chinese Archaeological Museum, opened its doors to the public. The museum showcases the most prominent aspects of the formation and development of Chinese civilization, with the most concentrated and typical exhibits from the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties, fully demonstrating the diverse and integrated development process of Chinese civilization, becoming a "historical and cultural salon" on Beijing's central axis and an important window displaying Chinese civilization.
6.A great start has been made in building Beijing into a capital of performing arts
The never-ending variety of performances in Beijing offer the best theatrical experiences. In January 2023, the Report on the Work of the People's Government of Beijing Municipality proposed for the first time the goal of making Beijing a capital of performing arts.Nearly 50,000 commercial performances were staged throughout the year, attracting over 11.38 million audience and generating box office revenue of over 2.3 billion yuan, marking historical highs. The charm of classic performances remains undiminished, new works receive rave reviews and more and more shows are being introduced from overseas.It has become a fashion trend in Beijing to go to concerts, attend music festivals, and explore new spaces for performing arts. The year 2023 witnessed unprecedented vigor in the performing arts sector with booming cultural and tourism consumption. We secured fruitful results in this initial year of building Beijing into a capital of performing arts.
7.Quality audiovisual programs have been rolled out in Beijing
A number of premium audiovisual works have been produced, benefiting countless citizens in Beijing. In 2023, Beijing witnessed the creation of a stream of high-quality programs. A total of 412 works were released throughout the year. The TV drama "Welcome to Milele", the Documentary "A Hundred Years Along the Way", the web drama "Ripe Town", the online variety show "Here Comes the Beijing Central Axis" and many other excellent Beijing-produced audiovisual works were broadcast on TV and released on online streaming platforms China-Beijing TV Drama Festival, China Documentary Festival, the First China (Beijing)Animation Festival, Beijing-Internet-Audiovisual Arts Conference and many other events were successfully held, empowering China's film and television industries with the innovation of Beijing-produced works.
8."Beijing's Colorful Culture and Blossoming Youth" action plan was implemented
In 2023, Beijing implemented the"Beijing's Colorful Culture and Blossoming Youth" action plan, with the aim of promoting the mutual reinforcement between talent training in universities and the endeavor of developing Beijing as the national cultural center. Over 1,000 events of various types were held throughout the year, reaching over 200,000 students from 16 universities with 400 million online views. Renowned theorists and culture luminaries visited universities and classic literary and art works were presented to students. University students took the stage to share revolutionary stories, conduct research on cultural relics, participate in volunteer activities, and provide suggestions for cultural parks. This has created a new pattern of talent development with cultural resources.
9.The new Beijing Workers Stadium has been unveiled
A bowl-shaped grandstand awaits old friends with the sculpture greeting visitors at the entrance. As one of the ten great buildings commemorating the 10th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, the Beijing Workers Stadium once staged the exciting song "The Spirit of Asia" and helped to preserve the capital city's memories. After more than two years of reconstruction and renovation, the new Beijing Workers Stadium made its debut in April 2023. It is now a national pacesetter and Beijing's first soccer-specific stadium that meets international standards, adding another landmark to the capital city as an intelligent complex for business, tourism, culture and sports. From a reputable venue for soccer to a vibrant center of urban vitality, the new Beijing Workers Stadium has upgraded its infrastructure, while maintaining its original charm and character.
10.Badaling Great Wall opened at night for the first time during the Chinese New Year
The illuminated Great Wall resembles a golden dragon winding through the mountains, adding to the festive atmosphere of the Chinese New Year in 2023. In 2023, the Badaling Great Wall opened at night for the first time during the Chinese New Year. The sculpture of the ancient practice of tea-horse trade, the cultural wall inscribed with the phrase "He who has not climbed the Great Wall is not a true hero", the "Happiness Tree" and other attractions offered a brand-new night tour experience for Chinese and foreign tourists. From "lightening up the Great Wall", "showcasing its beauty", to "promoting the culture" night tours at the Badaling Great Wall effectively boosted the vitality of the city's night-time economy and promoted high quality development of the Great Wall Cultural Belt, featuring the combination of cultural heritage preservation, traditional culture inheritance, and tourism development.
Translator: FENG Haoxuan
Reviewer: BAI Jing
