"Citong Heritage: Contemporary Dialogue on World Heritage Context" Series Held at Yang-En University

      On the afternoon of March 26, the 6th session of the Citong Heritage: Contemporary Dialogue on World Heritage Context series was held at the Multi-Functional Lecture Hall in the First Teaching Zone of the university. Experts, scholars, managers of cultural preservation institutions and cultural communication volunteers gathered to discuss cutting-edge paths for the holistic protection of cultural heritage under the theme Mountains Embrace Folk Charm, Landscapes Continue Cultural Context: Holistic Protection Practice of Xiangong Mountain from the Perspective of Minnan Cultural Ecology. Wu Haoling, Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Yang-En University, Dong Xiaqi, Trustee, and Cheng Ruping, Deputy Secretary of the University Party Committee, attended the event.

      In the guest dialogue session, Du Zhucheng, General Manager of Fujian Quanzhou Xiangong Mountain Scenic Area Co., Ltd. and volunteer for Minnan cultural communication, and Chen Shaoyou (Xiao Feng), Dean of Quanzhou Haoran Academy and Visiting Researcher of Pingtan Research Institute of Xiamen University, served as guest speakers. Liu Pingyi, Deputy Secretary-General of Quanzhou Cultural Heritage Protection and Promotion Association, presided over the session. Focusing on Xiangong Mountain, a provincial-level cultural relic protection unit, they deeply discussed the cultural landscape protection paradigm that deeply integrates intangible cultural heritage with physical space. They exchanged in-depth views on how to scientifically protect physical carriers such as historical buildings and cliff stone carvings, as well as systematically record, interpret and transform intangible elements such as legends, rituals and festivals, exploring a Xiangong Mountain Model for the holistic protection of regional cultural heritage.

        In the interactive Q&A session, students of our university actively raised questions about the protection and activation utilization of Xiangong Mountain cultural landscape, and had in-depth dialogues with guests on the balance between folk beliefs and cultural tourism integration, how young people can participate in cultural heritage inheritance, and the application of digital technology in cliff stone carving protection. The two guests answered each question one by one based on their academic research and frontline management practice, and the on-site exchange was enthusiastic.

      It is learned that this session was hosted by Quanzhou Cultural Heritage Protection and Promotion Association and Yang-En University, co-organized by Fujian Quanzhou Peak Sports Goods Co., Ltd., Sibentang Craft Firm and West Coast Culture Platform, and undertaken by Fujian Quanzhou Xiangong Mountain Scenic Area Co., Ltd. and the School of Humanities, Yang-En University. Through in-depth dialogues between experts, scholars and frontline managers, the event aimed to build social consensus and promote the protection and inheritance of Quanzhou's millennium cultural context.(Text and photos by Ke Xiaojun)