An AI social simulation platform developed by Chinese scientists was unveiled on Friday at a forum, capable of integrating multidimensional data to support social governance through early warning and analysis, particularly in areas such as intelligent transportation, public safety, and school bullying prevention.
The platform, called "Large Social Simulator 1.0," co-developed by scientists from Peking University-Wuhan Institute for Artificial Intelligence, Peking University, Tsinghua University and other universities and research institutes, was released at a forum in Wuhan, Hubei Province on Friday.
It has been used in seven schools in Donghu New Technology Development Zone, Wuhan, including for campus bullying alerts, AI physical assessments, and VR future classrooms, the Global Times learnt.
Pilot projects have also been applied in communities such as Hukou, Huanglongshan, and Xingyuan in Wuhan. These projects utilize VR simulation environments to simulate emergency population evacuation, and also assist in addressing challenges brought by residents throwing objects from heights.
This simulator is capable of simulating vast interactions among intelligent agents within a 3D modeling environment.
It is able to integrate multidimensional data from individuals, groups, and public services to establish a comprehensive data ecosystem.
The system firstly labels multi-layered model behaviors with two functions, which respectively refer to the utility system and value system, and then utilizes technologies called "distributed computing and high-concurrency scheduling" to accurately conduct the simulation, the Global Times learnt.
Zhu Songchun, director of the Beijing Institute for General Artificial Intelligence, another institute that co-developed the simulator, told the Global Times that he believed that in the future, the simulator will have a wide range of applications in managing mega cities and complex social governance, including monitoring the population flow.
President Xi Jinping has urged east China's Fujian Province to play a pioneering role in the country's modernization drive by staying committed to its development goals.
Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks during an inspection tour in the coastal province on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Fujian should continue to make greater progress in accelerating the development of a modern economic system, Xi said.
On Tuesday afternoon, Xi inspected Dongshan County in the city of Zhangzhou, and learned about the sale of dried seafood and the fishing harvest at a local village.
Xi, who visited the village 23 years ago, said he was delighted to see that the village has undergone tremendous changes, adding that China's countryside will surely have a brighter prospect on the new journey in the new era.
He then paid a visit to the Gu Wenchang memorial hall, where he learned about the inspiring deeds of Gu, a former Party chief of Dongshan.
Calling on officials at all levels to learn from Gu, Xi asked them to win public recognition from the people they serve.
At the Guandi cultural industrial park, Xi learned about local efforts in strengthening the protection of cultural heritage and promoting cultural exchanges across the Taiwan Strait.
On Wednesday morning, Xi visited the Xiamen Area of China (Fujian) Pilot Free Trade Zone, urging local authorities to adapt to the evolving situation, steadily promote institutional opening up, and make new achievements in expanding high-level opening up.
China’s Chang’e-6 lunar samples retrieved from the far side of the moon made their global debut at the 75th International Astronautical Congress (IAC) held in Milan, Italy from October 14 to 18. The display of such precious lunar samples not only highlights China's advancements in space technology but also provides new research prospects for global space scientists, China National Space Administration (CNSA) said on Saturday.
Themed “Responsible Space for Sustainability,” this year’s IAC in Italy brought together leaders of space agencies, international organizations, researchers, entrepreneurs and astronauts representing more than 100 countries and regions. The IAC showcased the latest space technologies and achievements, delving into topics such as sustainable exploration of the moon and Mars, space observation of Earth's climate change, the role of private enterprises in space, and the applications of artificial intelligence, the CNSA said in a statement it provided to the Global Times on Saturday.
The significant achievements of China's Chang'e-6 lunar sample return mission became the focal point of the event, according to the CNSA. For the first time, lunar soil samples collected from the far side of the moon were showcased globally.
The unveiling of this precious sample not only highlights China's technological advancements in space but also provides new research prospects for global space scientists, the CNSA noted. Many heads of space agencies and representatives from international organizations visited the lunar samples.
The CNSA also held a press conference for the Chang’e-6 mission on October 15, during which Li Guoping, Chief Engineer of the CNSA, delivered a speech.
He stated that the CNSA consistently adheres to the principles of "equality, mutual benefit, inclusiveness, openness, and win-win cooperation," opening the doors to collaboration and contributing Chinese wisdom and strength to sustainable space exploration and the construction of a shared future for humanity in outer space.
Li Guoping also outlined China's future lunar and deep space exploration plans, urging international collaboration in the development for the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS.)
He announced that the second batch of international applications for Chang'e 5 lunar samples would soon begin and welcomed scientists from around the world to engage in joint scientific research.
Director Guan Feng from the Lunar Exploration and Space Engineering Center introduced the Chang'e-6 mission process and the latest research progress on samples from the far side of the moon, stating that scientific research on the Chang'e-6 lunar samples will be comprehensively launched, aiming for early and rapid results to expand humanity's understanding of the moon.
A wildlife rescue and breeding center in Northwest China's Qinghai Province recently successfully released a Tibetan fox equipped with a satellite tracking collar after it had been rescued, the first of its kind in the world.
The tracking device will provide rich data for offering clues to the behaviors of Tibetan foxes in the wild.
The Tibetan fox, a species native to the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, was reintroduced to the wild on September 26, 2024, in Riyue township, Huangyuan county, Xining city.
Data transmitted from the collar showed that the fox's activity remained normal as of Thursday, leading experts to initially conclude the release had been a success, the Qinghai wildlife rescue and breed center confirmed to the Global Times on Sunday.
The Tibetan fox, called Hu San Tiao, is a juvenile male about one year old. On June 4, 2024, Hu San Tiao was found trapped in a fence at a deer farm in Riyue township.
Initially found weak and suffering from a poor appetite, he had regained a healthy weight, received vaccinations for canine infectious diseases, and undergone deworming treatments at the rescue center before his release in late September.
He was released at a gentle slope at an altitude of 3,300 meters, a typical alpine meadow habitat with abundant plateau pikas, the primary food source for Tibetan foxes in the wild, according to the center.
As of October 10, 14 days after his release, the collar had collected 325 data points and nearly 50 photos.
The Tibetan fox primarily found in China, and in parts of Nepal and India.
In China, it is classified as a second-class protected wild animal.
On Chinese social media, Tibetan foxes have gained fame from their famously vacant and indifferent expressions.
Lai Ching-te continued to propagate the "two-state" rhetoric by claiming that the two sides are "not subordinate" to each other in his speech, fabricating fallacies about "Taiwan independence," advocating separatist views, and inciting hostility and confrontation across the Taiwan Straits, Chen Binhua, a spokesperson for the State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office, said on Thursday, slamming Taiwan regional leader Lai who trumpeted secessionism in his provocative "Double Ten" (October 10) speech on Thursday morning.
This clearly demonstrates that Lai stubbornly adheres to the stance of "Taiwan independence," is filled with confrontational thinking, continuously provokes and stirs up trouble, and deliberately creates tensions across the Taiwan Straits, severely undermining peace and stability, Chen said.
The spokesperson said that after 1949, due to the prolonged civil war in China and external interference, the two sides of the Taiwan Straits have been in a prolonged state of political confrontation. However, Taiwan has always been a part of Chinese territory, Taiwan compatriots have always been members of the Chinese nation, the government of the People's Republic of China has always been the sole legitimate government representing all of China, including Taiwan, he said. China has always been the motherland of all Chinese people, and upholding the one-China principle has always been a common consensus in the international community, Chen noted.
Different systems are not a barrier to unification, nor are they an excuse for division. The current fight against "Taiwan independence" is not a fight over systems, it is a fight between reunification and division, Chen highlighted.
Lai is deliberately scheming to fabricate justifications for splitting the country. Chen said that under the guise of so-called "democracy and freedom," Lai continues to seek "independence" by relying on external forces and military means, attempting to tie Taiwan onto the "Taiwan independence" chariot, he said, adding that "his separatist provocations are the root cause of turmoil and instability in the Taiwan Straits, which will bring disaster to the people of Taiwan".
Nothing Lai has said can change Taiwan's legal status as a part of China or the fact and status quo that both sides of the Taiwan Straits belong to one China, he added.
"We have the confidence and capability to achieve the complete reunification of our motherland. No individual or force can stop the historical trend of national rejuvenation and reunification," Chen said.
China's Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges will reportedly conduct a series of tests on their platforms on Monday to ensure a smoother trading experience, as the combined turnover of the two bourses surged to 2.6 trillion yuan on the trading day before the seven-day National Day holidays, driven by various stimulus policies.
In order to ensure smooth transactions after the National Day holidays, the Shenzhen Stock Exchange will conduct system connectivity tests on Monday, when related securities firms can test their technological systems for trading after the holidays, according to a notice on the bourse's website.
Meanwhile, the Shanghai Stock Exchange will conduct a similar test on Monday, the CCTV news reported.
Following transaction delays during trading on September 27, the Shanghai Stock Exchange conducted a test on September 29 to ensure the platform's stability during peak order submission periods.
China's recent favorable policies including a cut in reserve requirement ratio and interest rates to support economic recovery have significantly boosted investor expectations. The recent stock rally has also increased the demands on trading systems.
On the last trading day before the week-long National Day holidays, the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index surged 8.06 percent to close at 3,336.50 points, while the Shenzhen Component Index jumped 10.67 percent to close at 10,529.76 points.
The Chinese stock markets are closed from October 1 to Monday.
Hong Kong's stock market continued to rise, with the Hang Seng Index increasing by 10.2 percent between September 30 and Friday.
Since the beginning of the fourth quarter, the overall market atmosphere has remarkably improved, Hong Kong's Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po wrote in his blog on the official website of Hong Kong government on Sunday. The Hang Seng Index has risen to about two-and-a-half-year high, surging a total of 5,600 points over the past 15 trading days, or around 33 percent.
From the beginning of September to Friday, the daily turnover in the Hong Kong stock market reached about HK$192 billion ($24.72 billion), double the level recorded in August, according to official data, he wrote.
Due to a recent surge in securities account openings driven by market trends, the China Securities Depository and Clearing Corporation (CSDC) opened its account platform and identity verification system on Sunday, a day earlier than scheduled, to manage the high volume of account reviews, according to media reports.
"Given the strong stock market performance in Hong Kong, the upward momentum may continue and A-share will likely open higher on the first trading day after the National Day holidays," Yang Delong, chief economist at Shenzhen-based First Seafront Fund, said to the Global Times.
Recently, the country's central bank, top securities regulator and financial regulator have announced a raft of monetary stimulus, property market support and capital market strengthening measures to foster the country's high-quality economic development. "The strength and timing of this round of policy rollouts exceed the expectations of both domestic and global investors," Yang said.
Wang Zonghao, head of China equity strategy research at UBS, said in a note sent to the media that he believes the short-term momentum of A-shares will likely continue until mid-October. "Historically speaking, Chinese stocks tend to perform better in October, showing a 1.5 percentage point increase compared to the monthly average," he said.
UBS announced an upward revision of the year-end target price for the MSCI China Index to $70, reflecting improvements in policy coordination, US rate cuts, and progress in corporate governance reforms.
A wave of capital that previously left Chinese equities for stocks in Japan and Southeast Asia is poised to reverse as investors rush to catch the rally, Bloomberg reported, citing market watchers.
China's largest and most advanced coal-to-liquid (CTL) project, using domestically developed second-generation technology, broke ground on Tuesday in Hami, Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, according to CHN Energy Investment Group (CHN Energy).
The total investment in the project is approximately 170 billion yuan ($23.29 billion). Once operational, the project will produce 4 million tons of CTL products annually, including 3.2 million tons from direct liquefaction and 800,000 tons from indirect liquefaction.
The project combines coal mining, coal-to-oil conversion, coal chemicals, renewable energy, and new materials production. It features the world's first second-generation CTL technology and is the first coal-to-oil project in Xinjiang.
The group likened the project to a large oilfield sitting atop a sea of coal. The first phase is expected to be completed by the end of 2027, creating 5,500 direct jobs, nearly 30,000 indirect jobs, and generating an annual industrial output of 31.4 billion yuan, greatly enhancing local industrial growth, said Zhou Xin, site manager at CHN Energy's Xinjiang Hami branch, the CCTV reported.
"The project taps into Hami's coal and renewable energy resources to build a national coal-to-oil and gas strategic base, boosting efficient coal use and strengthening Xinjiang region's role in China's energy security," Lin Boqiang, director of the China Center for Energy Economics Research at Xiamen University, told the Global Times on Wednesday.
It represents a significant milestone in advancing China's energy transition and strategic security, according to the group.
CTL usually operates via two main methods: direct and indirect. In 2008, the world's first million-ton direct CTL plant was launched in Ordos, North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, making China the sole holder of the advanced technology. The second-generation technology, which was developed through process improvements, will be used in the new 4-million-ton-per-year CTL project.
Given China's limited oil and gas reserves and abundant coal reserve, if carbon emissions can be managed, such as through enhanced carbon capture technology, the coal liquefaction project holds great potential and is a promising initiative for the future, Lin said.
On September 29, China held a high-profile ceremony to bestow its highest state honors in celebration of the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. Among these honorees, who stand as shining symbols of national and contemporary spirit, were Wang Yongzhi, a visionary rocket expert and pioneer of China's manned space program, who posthumously received the prestigious Medal of the Republic, and Xu Zhenchao, a technician awarded the national honorary title of "People's Craftsman."
"A great era calls for heroes and fosters heroes. A galaxy of heroes emerging generation after generation will ensure the lasting success of the Party and the people's cause," Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, addressed at the presentation ceremony of the national medals and honorary titles at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
From bustling container terminals to state-of-the-art satellite launch sites, various sectors have cultivated exceptional talent, driving Chinese modernization forward.
As China makes remarkable strides in technological development, a question arises: who is answering the call for a stronger technological nation, and why?
The stories of Wang and Xu may provide some insights. One is a visionary scientist in the high-tech sector, gazing toward the stars, while the other is a dedicated front-line worker, grounded in the realities of hands-on labor. As the country prioritizes technological innovation and talent cultivation, they inspire the younger generation to embrace their responsibilities in this transformative era and pursue the dream of establishing the nation as a world leader in science and technology.
Reaching for the star During the National Day holidays, some 400 kilometers above the Earth, the crew of Shenzhou-18 at the Tiangong space station are engaging in groundbreaking experimental projects.From their vantage point among the stars, they sent heartfelt birthday wishes to their motherland.
In Fuzhou, East China's Fujian Province, the 86-year-old Huang Chunping, former chief commander of China's manned space program rocket system, expressed his excitement with the Global Times about hearing the accolades emanating from the Great Hall of the People and inspiring news from China's space station.
Chinese scientists, backed by national support, who dare to explore and break through technological bottlenecks, deserve the honor, Huang said firmly and proudly.
Wang's recognition prompted Huang to reflect on his 60 years of devotion in China's space sector. "Every advancement in cutting-edge technology is deeply valued by our country and the people," Wang noted.
Having collaborated closely on missile development and the Chinese manned space program, Huang regards Wang as his most respected mentor, who embodied a forward-thinking vision, clear thinking, and unwavering loyalty to his motherland.
He shared with the Global Times that one of Wang's mottoes is "the needs of the nation are our ideals."
Inspired by a sense of duty, Wang pursued the study of aircraft, missiles, and rockets to contribute to his country's progress. In 1992, he became the chief designer of China's manned space program, facing the challenge of catching up to 40 years of foreign advancements in manned spaceflight. Over the next 11 years, Wang and his team overcame numerous technical hurdles. The successful Shenzhou-5 mission in October 2003 marked China's first entry into space.
"While some Western researchers often work under contract, Chinese scientists view their efforts as a 'national mission.' We firmly believe that our country needs us," Wang said.
In Wang's home, several stacks of old notebooks filled his bookshelf. These notebooks, filled with densely written records about space exploration, are a collection that spans more than six decades of his work.
From these yellowed pages emerged China's proud achievements, such as the Dongfeng (DF) missile series, the Long March rocket series, and China's manned space missions, all of which have garnered increasing global attention.
Huang attributed these technological advancements to a "mutual commitment" between policymakers and scientists. In China, major advancements in national defense and space exploration are prioritized as key projects by the Party and the central government, fostering concentrated efforts for breakthroughs. This commitment empowers Chinese scientists to take bold decisions when faced with significant challenges.
Despite limitations in launch capabilities and engineering experience, China remained committed to its ambitions. Wang Yanan, chief editor ofAerospace Knowledgemagazine, remarked that this perseverance reflects both wise strategic decisions and the resilience of the Chinese people, coupled with a deep respect for technological progress.
Down to the earth As the sun rises above the horizon, casting a golden hue over the bustling Qingdao Porti n East China's Shandong Province, the air buzzed with the sounds of towering cranes and the ambitions of port workers. During the National Day holidays, over 4,000 technicians worked to optimize operations, enhancing the berthing and loading efficiency for nearly 100 large cargo vessels from around the globe. With a sense of joy in refreshing operational efficiency, port workers at the fifth largest port in the world shared their commitment with Global Times reporters during this traditionally busy holiday season.
For their idol, Xu, no matter how many world records he breaks or accolades he receives, his proudest identity remains that of "a qualified dockworker.
Recalling his first day of working in Qingdao Port in 1974, Xu still could remember clearly his original aspiration: "Work hard and be a good worker."
Now, 50 years later, as he received recognition from the Chinese top leader, with heartfelt sincerity, Xu assured the president that he would always stay true to the mission and continue nurturing a new generation of innovative technicians.
Xu was honored with a title that marks a historic milestone: he is the first technician in China to receive the national honor of "People's Craftsman."
"This recognition underscores the value of the technical workers in our country, and I am proud to be part of the workforce," Xu told the Global Times.
Xu's journey from an ordinary dockworker with a middle school education to a leader in the modern industrial workforce highlights the essence of a "knowledge and innovation-driven" nation in pursuit of advancements in science and technology.
In 1984, at the age of 34, Xu became one of the first container crane operators at Qingdao Port, a crucial role that directly impacted shipping costs. During the 1980s and 1990s, Qingdao Port grappled with low operational efficiency, drawing criticism from foreign customers who complained that prolonged stay times were driving up their costs.
Xu recalled that in the past, when imported equipment broke down, everyone had been accustomed to waiting for highly-paid foreign experts to come and fix it. During repairing, these experts would lock the doors to prevent port workers from learning their technologies. When some Chinese workers argued, these foreign specialists would assert, "Even if we were willing to teach, Chinese workers wouldn't be able to understand."
Determined to reverse this constrained predicament, Xu committed himself to studying the structure and principles of crane operation, and practicing his operational skills to boost work efficiency.
On April 27, 2003, his team set a world record by unloading 339 containers per hour, a feat dubbed "Zhenchao Efficiency." Since then, they have broken the container unloading world record nine more times.
In 2011, the "Xu Zhenchao Skills Master Studio" was established in the port. Under his leadership, in recent years, the team has filed 108 national patents and completed 998 technological innovation projects. They notably converted container tire cranes from oil to electric power, addressing a significant industry gap, and achieved zero emissions at the port, setting a global benchmark.
At 74, Xu is still committed to cultivating young talents in the process of intelligent construction of the traditional container terminal at Qingdao Port.
Xu always eagerly anticipates the annual skills competition, viewing it as a vital platform for identifying talent and motivating workers to enhance their skills. He takes pride in the improved educational backgrounds of recent participants, many of whom have surpassed the records of their predecessors.
"They are as determined to excel as I was in my time," he noted." In this new era of rapid technological advancement, the opportunities available to tech talent to showcase their skills are expanding significantly."
By 2023, eight of the world's 10 busiest ports were in China, underscoring the nation's commitment to excellence in logistics and technology.
A broader and brighter journey Profiling distinguished Chinese scientists and technologists like Xu, Huang, and Wang reveals a common thread: their destinies are intertwined with that of their nation, marked by a relentless pursuit of self-reliance and resilience.
At the founding of the People's Republic of China, the nation had fewer than 50,000 scientific and technological personnel, with only about 600 focused on research. Today, China boasts the largest number of full-time research and development (R&D) personnel globally, along with the most comprehensive academic system and talent pool.
China has also made major headway in establishing a system of national laboratories and achieved fruitful results in developing core technologies in key fields. Substantial progress was made in the R&D of high-end equipment, such as aircraft engines, gas turbines, and 4th-generation nuclear power units. A stream of innovations emerged in frontier areas such as artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum technology. These achievements have further enhanced the country's capacity for innovation-driven development.
In July, China announced plans to deepen reforms in its scientific and technological system during the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party. The strategy emphasizes education, talent, and innovation as essential for modernization, aiming to enhance resource mobilization for technological breakthroughs and integrate reforms across education, science, and human resources.
In Xu's studio, a down-to-earth yet inspiring message he penned captures the sentiments of countless Chinese workers: "Nation-building requires talent from all walks of life; it depends not only on scientists, but also on skilled workers. As a worker, you must master your craft, for you too can contribute to the nation."
From a young age, Xu has dreamed of becoming a scientist, drawn to astronomy and physics. Yet he and his colleagues have found profound fulfillment in their current roles, rivaling that of scientists.
"Workers are the builders of our nation, transforming scientists' grand visions into tangible realities. Whether scientists or workers, we are all making every effort to contribute to the country's goal of becoming a world leader in science and technology," Xu said.
In one of the northern exhibition halls of the National Museum of China, a sculpture of a gargoyle, which was originally designed as a foremost part of the rainwater drainage system of Paris' famed Notre Dame cathedral, sits silently among orderly arranged devices, ready to accompany visitors on a journey between the past and the present, the virtual and the real.
With Notre Dame cathedral about to complete its restoration and reopen to the public in December after a massive fire, an immersive augmented reality (AR) exhibition depicting the cathedral's history of construction, destruction and reconstruction will kick off at the National Museum of China on Thursday.
The exhibition, jointly held by the museum and the Public Establishment in Charge of the Conservation and Restoration of Notre Dame de Paris and sponsored by the L'oreal Group, is also part of celebrations of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of China-France diplomatic ties and the China-France Year of Culture and Tourism.
Although this is a touring exhibition, the unique part of the stop at the National Museum of China is four original sculptures embellishing the cathedral and reflecting the mid-19th century taste for symbols and a fantasy Middle Ages, including a gargoyle, a chimera and a plant-covered human figure. The Chinese curatorial team of the National Museum put forward the idea of adding real cultural relics to the AR exhibition to enhance immersion and successfully reached an agreement with the French side.
"We would like to relate the history of the Notre Dame de Paris, a shared cultural legacy of the whole world with a novel digital method that has been approved and appreciated by younger generations," Zhu Xiaoyun, director of the Department of International Cooperation of the National Museum of China and the Chinese curator of the exhibition, told the Global Times on Wednesday.
Zhu noted that the exhibition, a result of China-France cultural cooperation, interprets the meaning of exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations very well.
"Mutual learning refers to learning from each other's advantages. What the exhibition showcases regarding how a cultural legacy with a history of more than 800 years has been revived from fatal destruction provide us new insight into the museum's duty to conserve immovable cultural legacies," Zhu noted.
Stepping into the exhibition hall, visitors can use a provided tablet computer to travel across the ocean and through time to see the world of Notre Dame. There are over 20 cylinder-shaped tables set in the hall with a QR code pasted on each one. When scanning these codes with a tablet, a portion of a painting depicting the cathedral at different eras unfolds so that visitors can see the many details of its history, such as how its Gothic ceiling was built.
Building a private conversation with the cathedral throughout the exhibition, visitors can explore the secrets of its Gothic architecture, including its religious background and historical changes, in the virtual world by clicking the buttons on the screen. According to the curator, the information about the cathedral is so vast that it would take at least four hours to finish scrolling through the entire content on the tablet.
Four original fragments of the building are arranged among these devices, allowing visitors to shuttle between the virtual and real worlds and get closer to the essence of French culture.
"This was just a digital exhibition at the beginning in which we used new technology to introduce something that the public doesn't know very well. Now we also have real artifacts. This is important because we are using all these elements to recreate reality and to provide more information," Gergely László, director of operations and quality of French tech company Histovery and also the French curator of the exhibition, told the Global Times on Wednesday.
Zhu said that cultural institutions in China and France have jointly launched a series of events to celebrate 2024's special anniversary and promote people-to-people exchanges. This year, the cultural symbol that is Notre Dame will be a messenger for this celebration.
The exhibition will travel to Hong Kong after the Beijing leg.
From exquisite craftsmanship to traditional medicine, and from solemn rituals to vibrant folk art, intangible cultural heritages weave a rich tapestry of Chinese identity, decorating the various facets of contemporary Chinese people's lives.
In this series, the Global Times culture desk will walk readers through China's most renowned traditions. For centuries, the essential elements of Chinese intangible cultural heritage have been passed down from master to apprentice, from generation to generation. Today, the ancestral wisdom is being reinvigorated by a new generation of inheritors with creativity. On the surface of a brown-black ebony fan, numerous patterns of golden osmanthus flowers and an ancient pagoda were intricately carved, showcasing the fan's unique Chinese aesthetics.
This fan is a "national gift" presented by the fan-making brand Wangxingji at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou. At a national banquet prior to the event, a demonstration of the making of Wangxingji's fans was held in front of numerous international guests and foreign heads of state, who expressed great appreciation for the art. Produced through 86 handcrafting processes, the "black paper fan" is also the most iconic product of Wangxingji, an Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) brand that has showcased China's fan-making artistry since the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).
Unlike many other fan products, the water-resistant black fans decorated with Chinese poetry inscriptions represent the wisdom of Chinese craftsmanship and literati spirits while exhibiting a demure aesthetic taste. Traditional Wangxingji black fans are an optimal way for the public to engage with the 150-year-old local history and appreciate the continuous integration of modern elements in its designs.
Benchmark for ancient fansFans made of materials such as sandalwood and silk are part of Wangxingji's diverse products. Nowadays, the company has created 19 different kinds of fans and more than 10,000 types of decorative fan patterns. "Every single one of our products is still handmade," revealed the company's director Sun Yaqing, adding that their "handcrafted tradition in the mechanized age" is what has made their ICH legacy most valuable.
Sun is not only the brand's leader, but also the ICH inheritor of a fan-making technique called "la hua." It refers to using thin steel wires to carve intricate patterns on fans. Wangxingji's fan-making techniques are a time-honored tradition dating back to 1875, when the brand was first established in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang Province.
Around that time, Wang Xingzhai, the founder of the brand, created a "color painted black fan" with his wife. The piece was unique and set a clear benchmark for ancient Chinese fan-making industry.
"The whole black fan was evenly covered with a sort of glittery paint made from gold. The paint's nuanced color differences were the result of the gold's different degrees of purity. The fan's skeleton was decorated with colorful snail shells too," Wang Siyi, the deputy manager of the cultural and creative department of Wangxingji, told the Global Times.
In ancient time, artifacts such as Wangxingji's finely made fans were often given by the Chinese royals as gift to overseas guests. Liu Jiao, an insider of the Chinese arts and crafts history, told the Global Times that although it is small, a Chinese fan can "embody the country's aesthetic spirit and cultural narratives."
Wangxingji's fans often showcase visual imagery inspired by traditional Taoist philosophy. One striking example is a black fan featuring the literary classic "Four Books and Five Classics." This fan boasts an astonishing aesthetic, featuring the text inscribed in 120,000 Chinese characters, each measuring just one millimeter. "Nowadays, fans are not only a useful everyday tool. They are cultural objects that display one's aesthetic and invite people overseas to notice the depth and diversity of Chinese folk culture," Sun told the Global Times. Keeping up with times
The success of Wangxingji on the global stage has not slowed down its momentum. It has always been Sun's motto that "If the fan does not connect with people, then it is not an ICH legacy." This philosophy drives her to explore innovative ways to keep the Wangxingji fan relevant and "in-trend."
In 2010, Wangxingji established a cultural and creative park that includes facilities like a museum, workshops and also a section dedicated to cross-field cultural products. A notable example of their innovation came during the 19th Asian Games Hangzhou, during which Wangxingji launched a fan collection by collaborating with the event organizers.
Wang Suxian, the manager of the cultural and creative department of Wangxingji, told the Global Times that such presentations are aimed to attract young consumers. In order to promote the brand, the Wangxingji team has also tried to expand its scope of creative design sharing both online and in people daily lives.
