Ming Dynasty Culture Forum 2025 Opens, Exploring New Paths for the Inheritance and Innovation of Ming Culture
BEIJING, June 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- To further explore and carry forward the essence of Ming Dynasty culture, the "Impressions of the Ming Dynasty: A Chapter of World Heritage" -- Ming Dynasty Culture Forum 2025 -- officially opened on June 14 at the Global Ming Culture Exchange Center.
A Media Snippet accompanying this announcement is available in this link.
The forum consists of an opening ceremony, four sub-forums, and a cultural relics exhibition. The five Ming imperial tombs are collaborating for the first time in a groundbreaking initiative. With a focus on empowering cultural heritage through technology, the forum aims to deeply explore the cultural connotations of the Ming Dynasty, systematically review its civilizational achievements, and comprehensively explore new approaches for the protection, inheritance, and innovative development of cultural heritage in contemporary times. The forum aims to contribute significantly to the development of Beijing as a national cultural center and to promote cultural exchange and mutual learning both within China and globally.
Distinguished Guests Share Insights at the Opening Ceremony: Jointly Shaping a Blueprint for Inheritance and Innovation
Gao Shouxian, President of the Chinese Society on Ming Dynasty Culture, delivered a keynote speech titled "Ming Culture in the Context of Civilizational Exchange and Mutual Learning." He offered an in-depth exploration of the Ming Dynasty's remarkable achievements in intercultural communication and their relevance to today's world. Shan Jixiang, Chair of the Academic Committee of the Palace Museum, gave a speech titled "Bringing Ming Cultural Heritage to Life." Drawing on innovative examples such as the VR Experience Pavilion at Dingling Mausoleum in Changping, he vividly illustrated effective methods for revitalizing historical relics through digital technology and creative design. Mao Peiqi, professor at Renmin University of China and chief advisor to the Chinese Society on Ming Dynasty Culture, presented a speech titled "The Ming Dynasty's Outstanding Contributions to the Development of the Chinese National Community," elaborating on the dynasty's achievements in institutional design, civilizational exchange, and the philosophy of harmony and coexistence. Traditional Chinese medicine master Wang Qi delivered a speech titled "Inheritance and Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine through the Lens of the Compendium of Materia Medica," offering a profound analysis of the prosperity of Ming-era medical science and its enduring legacy.
A key supporting event of the forum -- the "Impressions of the Ming Dynasty: A Chapter of World Heritage" themed exhibition of Ming-era cultural relics -- was held concurrently at the Global Ming Culture Exchange Center, showcasing over one hundred precious artifacts from the Ming Dynasty.
Four Editions of the Forum Yield Fruitful Results as Influence Steadily Grows
Since 2022, Changping District has hosted the Ming Dynasty Culture Forum for four consecutive years. Each edition has illuminated the path for the preservation and development of Ming culture, with growing public attention and increasingly tangible outcomes.
Over the past four years, cultural heritage protection in Changping has taken on a new dimension. The Master Plan for the Protection of the Ming Tombs was officially approved by the National Cultural Heritage Administration. Major initiatives have been implemented, such as the reopening of the main spirit path and the preservation and presentation of boundary walls of the Zhaoyu (burial precincts). An Archaeological Work Plan for the Ming Tombs has been developed, and efforts are underway to establish a municipal-level model zone for cultural relic protection and utilization. By grasping the opportunity of land reallocation, Changping has reshaped the spatial layout of the Ming Tombs heritage site.
In the realm of academic research, a series of new achievements has emerged. A think tank of 120 scholars has been assembled to provide long-term consultation on the protection and utilization of the Ming Tombs and the study of Ming culture. Several major publications have followed, including the Compilation of Achievements from the 2022 Ming Culture Forum; the Proceedings of the 2023 International Symposium on Ming Culture; China Heritage: The Essence of the Ming; and the Proceedings of the 2024 International Symposium on Ming Culture. Collaborative research frameworks have also been established with Peking University, Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Beijing Union University, and the Chinese Academy of Cultural Heritage. These partnerships offer strong academic support for the living transmission of Ming culture and the protection of cultural heritage.
In terms of cultural tourism integration, a comprehensive plan for opening the entire Ming Tombs area to the public has been formulated, with full access to the principal mausoleums scheduled by 2030. An 83-square-kilometer cultural tourism zone will be developed around the heritage site. The district continues to deepen its "Ming Culture+" integration model, encouraging the clustering of cultural and tourism resources and advancing the development of a Ming culture museum-tourism complex.
In addition, Changping District has actively promoted the profound cultural significance of the Ming Dynasty through a variety of engaging exhibitions. Since 2022, a total of 11 themed exhibitions on Ming Dynasty artifacts have been held in major cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Nanjing, Hangzhou, and Chengdu, with participation in 13 exhibition events overall. These initiatives have significantly enhanced the visibility and influence of Ming culture nationwide. Among these efforts, the immersive VR experience exhibition "Re-encountering Wanli" has become a model example for the digital revitalization and adaptive reuse of cultural heritage.
With the Ming Tombs and Juyongguan Great Wall -- both UNESCO World Heritage Sites -- located within its jurisdiction, Changping District has vividly demonstrated how cultural heritage can be both preserved and reimagined through the successful implementation of the Ming Dynasty Culture Forum. This practice serves as a compelling example of how heritage protection and innovative cultural development can go hand in hand.
Building on the success of the Ming Dynasty Culture Forum 2025, Changping District will continue to deepen research, interpretation, and revitalization of Ming culture. Efforts will be made to promote the living transmission of intangible cultural heritage in everyday cultural life, accelerate the implementation of key projects integrating culture, museums, and tourism, and further explore the District's unique Ming cultural resources. Changping aspires to become a global center of excellence for research and exchange on Ming culture, making a strong contribution to Beijing's development as a national cultural center, and to the continuation of China's cultural legacy.
Source: The Organizing Committee of the Ming Dynasty Culture Forum 2025
Contact person: Ms. Zhu, Tel: 86-10-63074558
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