In the exhibition, the selection of exhibits is based on the principle of “seeing the big from the small”, and a number of exquisite ceramics unearthed from archaeological excavations and cellars with important research value are gathered. For example, pottery from the late Neolithic Age unearthed from Caowanshan site in Wenzhou, pottery from the 4th year of the Eastern Han Dynasty in Xingping unearthed from Litang in Ouhai, porcelain samples such as lotus leaf bowl with the inscription “Luo Qiguan as a bowl” unearthed from Tantou kiln site in Yongjia, and Gao Zubei, powder glaze porcelain from Longquan kiln in Yuan Dynasty unearthed from Dongtou cellar, etc. The clear celadon of Ou Kiln and Longquan Kiln is as bright as the clear sky and blue sea.
China Russia Friendship Enters a New Stage
“The ‘Head of State Diplomacy’ and the ‘Leader Image’ are the highlights of Sino Russian exchanges. The personal charm, control and determination of the two leaders in political affairs are the driving forces for the high-level development of Sino Russian relations.” Xu Hua, deputy director and researcher of the Russian History and Culture Research Office of the Russian Institute of Eastern Europe and Central Asia of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said, “China regards Russia as the most important and important strategic cooperative partner in building a community with a shared future for mankind. The high-level operation of China Russia relations in political, economic, cultural and other fields is an important manifestation of China’s development of global partnership and promotion of coordination and cooperation among major countries.”
China and Russia have gone through an extraordinary journey together, and bilateral relations have reached the highest level in history. A survey conducted by the “China Russia Headlines” client in 2018 shows that the Chinese and Russian people have a high overall evaluation of each other’s culture. At the same time, China’s overall national image continues to improve in Russia. According to the data of well-known Russian polling institutions, the proportion of Russian people who hold positive comments on China is rising, and they have been in the forefront in recent years. They regard China as a “close friend”, a “strategic partner” and an “economic partner”.
China Russia cultural tourism cooperation is developing rapidly
“Both China and Russia have a long history and splendid culture. People to people and cultural exchanges play an irreplaceable role in enhancing the friendship between the two peoples.”
As early as 1992, China and Russia signed an intergovernmental cultural cooperation agreement in Beijing. Since then, they have signed a number of intergovernmental cultural cooperation implementation plans and annual implementation plans between ministries of culture. The construction of cooperation mechanisms has been steadily advancing and the scope of cooperation has been expanding. In 2000, in order to promote the comprehensive development of the China Russia strategic partnership of coordination, the governments of the two countries coordinated and standardized the cooperation in the fields of education, culture, health and sports, and institutionalized it. Under the framework of the regular meeting mechanism between the Chinese and Russian Prime Ministers, the China Russia Education, Culture, Health and Sports Cooperation Committee was established, making it a pioneer of the current eight high-level cultural exchange mechanisms in China. In July 2017, the Committee was renamed the Sino Russian People to People and Cultural Cooperation Committee, which consists of eight sub committees, namely, education, culture, health, sports, tourism, media, film and youth, as well as archival cooperation working groups. Since the establishment of the China Russia People to People and Cultural Cooperation Committee, through mutual hosting of “National Year”, “Language Year”, “Tourism Year”, “Youth Year”, “Media Year”, etc., China Russia People to People Cooperation Committee has closely and practically cooperated, enhanced people’s friendship, promoted exchanges and mutual learning, and served the overall situation of bilateral relations. Since its establishment, the Cultural Sub Committee and the Tourism Sub Committee have held more than ten meetings, providing high-level design and policy guidance for cultural and tourism exchanges and cooperation.
With the promotion of the China Russia high-level human language exchange mechanism, exchanges and cooperation in the field of cultural tourism between the two countries have become increasingly frequent.
In recent years, cultural and artistic groups of China and Russia have been exchanging visits, and high-quality performances have been continuously launched. The brand effect of activities such as “Happy Spring Festival”, “Chinese Culture Festival”, and “Sino Russian Culture Collection” has become increasingly prominent. Academic exchanges such as China Russia Cultural and Stage Art Dialogue, and China Russia Cultural Forum have aroused wide repercussions. Exchanges and cooperation in the field of cultural heritage and cultural trade, which are carried out with the “Wanli Tea Ceremony” as the link, have been constantly promoted. In 2012 and 2013, China and Russia will mutually host the Year of Tourism. “With the promotion of the two heads of state, China Russia tourism exchanges and cooperation have entered a new channel of rapid development. The past few years have been the most active period of tourism exchanges between the two countries and the period of greatest achievements.” said Dai Bin, president of the China Tourism Research Institute.
Dai Bin said that in recent years, more and more Chinese people, especially the younger generation, have shown great interest in Russia’s natural scenery, history and culture, choosing to travel to Moscow, St. Petersburg and other cities, as well as the Far East and the Great Caucasus. In the hearts of Russian people, in addition to the Great Wall and other places of interest, resort cities represented by Sanya have also become the first choice for them to travel to China.
Since the “the Belt and Road” initiative was put forward, especially after China and Russia reached a strategic consensus on the docking of the “the Belt and Road” construction and the Eurasian Economic Union in 2015, the two countries have made remarkable achievements in jointly building the “the Belt and Road”. From 2016 to 2018, Russia ranked first in the “national cooperation degree” of cooperation between China and countries along the “the Belt and Road” released by the China National Information Center for three consecutive years, and the exchanges and cooperation between the two countries in the “people to people” field, especially in the field of cultural tourism, ushered in a high moment. Relevant Russian institutions have joined the Silk Road International Museum Alliance, the Silk Road International Theater Alliance, the Silk Road International Art Museum Alliance, the “Ten Thousand Li Tea Path” International Tourism Alliance, etc. Relevant Russian works have participated in the Silk Road International Art Festival, the Silk Road (Dunhuang) International Cultural Expo, etc., and Russian art boutiques have appeared in the “Sharing by All Parties – Silk Road National Museum Cultural Relics Exhibition”, etc, With the theme of the “the Belt and Road”, cultural and tourism exchanges and cooperation between China and Russia have been deepening and becoming more practical.
People to people and cultural exchanges lead multilateral cooperation
While bilateral people to people and cultural exchanges continue to expand and deepen, China and Russia have also jointly and deeply participated in multilateral cultural affairs and led the construction of multilateral mechanisms. With the SCO Culture Ministers’ Meeting, BRICS Culture Ministers’ Meeting, G20 Tourism Ministers’ Meeting, APEC Tourism Ministers’ Meeting, and China Russia Mongolia Tourism Ministers’ Meeting as platforms, the two countries have continued to practice their adherence to multilateralism in the field of cultural tourism and set an example for building a new type of international relations.
“The achievements of people to people and cultural exchanges are often invisible and long-term, and their effects need to go through a complex social process. In the exploration of building a community of shared future between China and Russia, ‘cultural integration and people to people’ is the cornerstone of the effective docking of the development strategies of the two countries. Standing at a new historical starting point, China Russia people to people cooperation will have more points of convergence and broader prospects.” Xu Hua said. (Song Jiaxuan)