Cultural Heritage Protection: A Pivotal Medium for Sino-European Civilization Dialogue
Prof. Yao Yuan, School of International Studies, Nanjing University
Cultural heritage stands as a vital testament to the evolution of human civilization and acts as a pivotal medium for dialogue among various cultures. It has significantly fostered cultural exchanges between China and Europe, exhibiting distinct characteristics through different phases.
The First Period (1949-1978): In the initial phase, China, as an apprentice in cultural heritage preservation, earnestly absorbed European expertise in establishing its modern conservation framework. Influenced by Soviet and Eastern European models, China's first comprehensive cultural relics survey in 1956 led to the designation of the first batch of protected units. In 1961, China's "Interim Regulations on the Protection and Management of Cultural Relics" reflected both domestic insights and legislative influences from Soviet Union, East Europe and West Europe. Sino-European exchanges flourished through collaborative exhibitions, epitomized by Premier Zhou Enlai's 1971 initiative to exhibit Chinese relics in France and the UK, enhancing European appreciation for Chinese civilization and earning the moniker "cultural relic diplomacy."
The Second Period (1978-2012): As an active participant in international cultural heritage preservation, China engaged in extensive cooperation with Europe. The profound impact of European conservation legislation is evident in China's 1982 "Cultural Relics Protection Law," which integrated international practices, notably from Italy. Post-WWII European approaches to heritage conservation inspired China's adoption of the "Historical and Cultural Cities" system in 1981 and its ratification of the UNESCO Convention in 1985. Beijing, Xi’an and Nanjing were thus designated as Historical and Cultural Cities. Emulating European practices, particularly France's "Heritage Day," China inaugurated its first Cultural Heritage Day in 2005. China and Italy exemplified bilateral cooperation with ongoing partnerships in urban heritage restoration and the establishment of the China-Italy Cultural Heritage Protection Center in Beijing since 1988.
The Third Period (2012 to Present): China has emerged as a provider of international public goods in cultural heritage, intensifying multifaceted Sino-European collaboration. Bilateral initiatives include the "Twin Walls Cooperation" between Hadrian's Wall and the Great Wall of China in 2017, and a 2018 agreement with France that spans endangered heritage conservation, underwater archaeology, exhibitions, and world heritage management. In 2019, China and Italy fostered friendly relations between world heritage sites, such as the protective partnership between West Lake in Hangzhou and Verona's ancient city. China also advances global cultural preservation and development through bilateral and multilateral engagements with Europe and international organizations such as the UNESCO. For instance, in 2018, governments of China and France pledged to collaborate on third-country heritage conservation, and in 2019, China and Italy signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to jointly combat international cultural relic crimes, which focuses on combating theft, illegal trafficking, and smuggling of cultural artifacts
Published on July 4, 2024