“The Proclamation of Protection and Development of Cultural Heritages in Nanjing” signed between the circle of cultural relics and museums and cultural folks
Cultural heritages are the most valuable and greatest material and spiritual wealth left behind by human society. This wealth is of permanent value from historical, artistic or scientific points of view. Not only can we see and touch cultural heritages, but also they can make us feel awe toward history, culture and late sages, grasp the track of social development, as well as continuously ponder over, inherit and extend the progress of civilization.
As tangible or intangible carriers, cultural heritages have been utilized by human beings as valuable resources in the past countless years. As a result of this utilization and the polishing of physical days, cultural heritages have become particularly fragile and rare. Therefore, they particularly need to be protected more effectively. As a matter of fact, protecting cultural heritages is the loftiest respect shown by us to the hard-work and wisdom of late sages and human beings. However, in contemporary times, the ignorance and artificial destruction of cultural relics are extremely shocking! Therefore, it is very exigent to awaken and promote people’s awareness of protection, as well as effectively protect cultural relics with a scientific and precise attitude and approach.
As a city blessed with countless outstanding people and picturesque sceneries, Nanjing has a large number of eminent cultural heritages distributed everywhere. As the first emperor of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang left behind an immortal Ming Tomb for himself, his dynasty and all Chinese people, thus having originated a brand-new pattern and system of architecture for the tombs of Chinese monarchs. With a history of more than 600 years, the stone elephants in front of the Ming Tomb still stand there today. We cannot help feeling awe toward their grandness and magnificence. In addition, Nanjing has many other cultural heritages that can match the Ming Tomb. As dazzling as Nanjing brocade, as elegant and sonorous as the music of Chinese zither, Buddhist, tangible and intangible heritages left behind by the Six Dynasties, the Southern Tang Dynasty, the Ming Dynasty and the Republic of China have their respective elegant and praiseworthy demeanor. It is these “dazzling stars” that have set up the urban features and humanistic soul of Nanjing. Therefore, the world has endowed Nanjing with a label that it deserves: “A city famous for its history and culture”.
Today, the fourth Cultural Festival of the Ming Tomb of Nanjing has been inaugurated. Located in Nanjing as a city famous for its history and culture, and in the Ming Tomb as a world cultural heritage, we not only feel proud and honored, but also feel that our responsibility is heavy and our mission is glorious, as the institution in charge of protecting and managing tangible and intangible cultural heritages in Nanjing. We have carried out an extensive dialogue and an in-depth discussion about such themes as the scientific protection and sustainable utilization of cultural heritages in Nanjing. On the basis of previous concerted efforts and sincere cooperation, we have reached a consensus, as well as co-signed a proclamation on this special day that we will co-promote the protection and management of cultural heritages, so that these valuable heritages can be utilized scientifically and developed sustainably.
Ⅰ. To protect tangible and intangible heritages, we not only need to have a high sense of responsibility and mission, but also carry forward the national spirit and the scientific attitude of persistence. We should try to establish and perfect the mechanism of protection management by innovating our ideas, seeking for truth and remaining pragmatic. In addition, by making full use of modern science and technology, we should actively explore a brand-new system of security marked by the combination of protection and reconstruction.
Ⅱ. To protect tangible and intangible heritages, we should respect the history, attach importance to inheritance, ponder over the local characteristics of natural geography of Nanjing at the same time, and reinforce the evolution of historical civilization, so that our descendants can understand, know, love and remember Nanjing, thus respectively extending, enhancing and multiplying the culture, environment and ecology of Nanjing, as well as sustainably developing the culture and economy of Nanjing and even the entire society .
Ⅲ. To protect tangible and intangible heritages, we should dedicate ourselves to setting up a bridge of “Utilizing ancient heritages today”, as well as promoting the synthetic amalgamation of historical and contemporary civilization. We should try to exert the advantages of Nanjing in resources and features, integrate the culture of the Six Dynasties, the culture of the Ming Dynasty, the culture of the Republic of China, intangible handicrafts and folk customs and habits into various excellent tourist products of cultural heritages, display the characteristic brands of Nanjing as an ancient capital of six dynasties, a philanthropic capital, a riverside capital and a humanistic green capital, as well as reasonably develop the tourist industry supported by cultural heritages.
Ⅳ. Nanjing enjoys a long history and a profound reserve of culture. We are obliged to continuously excavate those cultural heritages having not yet been discovered by people, as well as verify and arrange those immortal masterpieces whose value is yet to be unfolded completely. In addition, in a spirit of “Keeping pace with the times” and with the attitude of “Seeking for truth and remaining pragmatic”, we should carry on great pioneering and unfinished undertakings of our predecessors, and turn passive protection into active one, turn stereotyped protection into innovative one, and turn merely-formal protection into effective one.
Ⅴ. We should gain an adequate understanding of the importance and exigency of protecting tangible and intangible heritages, as well as publicize and disseminate advanced concepts of heritage protection to the maximum by all possible and appropriate means, so as to practically reinforce the awareness and self-conscious awareness of all citizens as masters (especially youngsters) in protecting heritages, promote the emergence and inheritance of a larger number of excellent cultural heritages, as well as co-build a desirable homestead for human beings.
The joint signature of the proclamation:
The Ming Tomb Museum
Nanjing Museum
The Museum of Nanjing
The Museum of the History of the City Wall of the Ming Dynasty
The Museum of the Relics of Modern Chinese History
The Museum of the History of Taiping Heavenly Kingdom
Inheritors of the technology of sutra printing of Nanjing
Inheritors of the weaving handcraft of wooden loom Zhuang Hua of Nanjing Brocade
Inheritors of the workmanship of gold and silver mounting
Inheritors of the technology of paper cutting of Nanjing
Inheritors of the art and technology of Guqin Zither
Inheritors of Qinhuai Lantern Festival
Inheritors of Baiju (a local play of Nanjing)
