On the afternoon of January 9, the launch of the new book "Yangtze River Illustrated Chronicle" and the publishing symposium of "National Cultural Park Illustrated Chronicles Series" was held in Beijing, marking the completion of the series. Attendees included Shao Hong, Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), Liu Qibao and Liu Xincheng, both Vice Chairmen of the 13th CPPCC and Directors of the Editorial Committee of "Yangtze River Illustrated Chronicle", and Hu Jiyuan, Deputy Director of the Cultural, Historical, and Learning Committee of the CPPCC and Deputy Director of the Editorial Committee of "Yangtze River Illustrated Chronicle." The meeting was chaired by Nie Chenxi, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPPCC and Deputy Director of the Cultural, Historical, and Learning Committee.
During this year's National People's Congress and CPPCC sessions, General Secretary Xi Jinping delivered an important speech while meeting with members of the China Democratic League, the China Association for Promoting Democracy, and the education sector, emphasizing the need to deeply understand the demands of Chinese modernization for education, technology, and talent. He highlighted the importance of education in supporting technology and talent, aiming to foster a vibrant environment where talent emerges, everyone can fully utilize their abilities, and skills are effectively applied. His speech provides direction and fundamental guidance for accelerating the construction of a strong nation in education, technology, and talent.
Tan Tieniu, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPPCC, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Chair of Nanjing University CPC Council, as well as Deputy Director of the Editorial Committee of "Yangtze River Illustrated Chronicle", stated that NJU has always been committed to inheriting and innovating excellent traditional Chinese culture. The university's Cultural and Natural Heritage Institute played a key role in the compilation of "Yangtze River Illustrated Chronicle", an important practice in serving the national cultural strategy. In recent years, NJU has deeply studied and implemented Xi Jinping thought on culture and the spirit of his important letter to young scholars returning from overseas studies. The university insists on the "two combinations" approach, actively exploring the creative transformation and innovative development of excellent traditional Chinese culture, striving to set an example in strengthening cultural confidence and telling China's story well. First, by deeply rooting in Chinese culture and leading cultural inheritance and innovation with the Party's innovative theory; second, by focusing on digital empowerment and using interdisciplinary research to support cultural heritage protection; and third, by practicing global civilization initiatives to promote exchanges and mutual learning through open cooperation.
Tan Tieniu put forward four expectations for further enhancing the inheritance and innovation of excellent traditional Chinese culture, especially in cultural heritage protection: first, to adhere to academic leadership and leverage interdisciplinary advantages; second, to promote the integration of technology and culture and strengthen digital empowerment; third, to innovate communication methods and enhance communication effectiveness; and fourth, to consolidate collaborative efforts and form long-term mechanisms. He emphasized that in the future, NJU will continue to leverage its strengths in humanities and social sciences to contribute to building up China's cultural strength.
Zhang Chaoyang, Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of Phoenix Publishing & Media Group, stated that the "National Cultural Park Illustrated Chronicles Series", featuring five cultural icons of the Chinese nation, showcases China's long history and splendid civilization, as well as the new journey of Chinese modernization and national rejuvenation. The group has always prioritized the publication of the illustrated chronicles series, dedicating the entire group's efforts to compiling, editing, printing, and promoting the works. Moving forward, they will use the publication of "Yangtze River Illustrated Chronicle" and the entire series as a new starting point to further expand its reach and bring it closer to readers, maximizing its cultural value and social benefits.
He Yun'ao, Member of the 13th CPPCC and Director of NJU's Cultural and Natural Heritage Institute, served as the executive editor of "Yangtze River Illustrated Chronicle". He stated that the book underwent three years of refinement and over 30 revisions, gathering collective wisdom and drawing on diverse strengths to present the profound essence of Yangtze River culture with a rigorous academic attitude and vivid presentation.
The "National Cultural Park Illustrated Chronicles Series" is edited by the Cultural, Historical, and Learning Committee of the CPPCC and compiled by the China Academy of Cultural Heritage, the Yellow River Institute of Hydraulic Research, and NJU's Cultural and Natural Heritage Institute. The series comprises five volumes: "Grand Canal Illustrated Chronicle" "Great Wall Illustrated Chronicle" "Long March Illustrated Chronicle" "Yellow River Illustrated Chronicle" and "Yangtze River Illustrated Chronicle", completed over five years. The series was selected for the National Social Science Fund's special commissioned projects, the Publicity Department's key themed publications, and the "14th Five-Year Plan" national key publication projects. "Grand Canal Illustrated Chronicle" was also selected as a "China Good Book" in 2022.
The meeting noted that the planning and compilation of the "National Cultural Park Illustrated Chronicles Series" is an important initiative by the Cultural, Historical, and Learning Committee of the CPPCC to implement General Secretary Xi Jinping's important discussions on strengthening cultural relic protection and promoting the construction of national cultural parks. The series aims to explore, organize, and showcase the unique creations, value concepts, and distinctive features of important Chinese cultural icons such as the Grand Canal, Great Wall, Long March, Yellow River, and Yangtze River, allowing more readers to understand national cultural parks and appreciate the profound, brilliant, and unparalleled Chinese civilization, continuously enhancing the spiritual strength for realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
Over the past five years, the series has embodied the compilers' contemporary reflections on Chinese civilization and their relentless pursuit of high-quality works. From a publishing perspective, the series is ingeniously crafted. Its greatest feature is the presentation in the form of "illustrated chronicles", with text as the thread and illustrations as the beads, weaving stories through images and reflecting lines through pictures, achieving a harmonious blend of text and images. It aims to narrate history vividly and closely engage readers. From an academic perspective, the series is a high-quality work that withstands scrutiny, with each volume reflecting the dedication of authoritative experts in related fields nationwide, featuring rigorous research and lively expression, combining depth and warmth. From a social perspective, the series holds significance for mass communication, guiding readers, especially the younger generation, to deeply understand the stories of national cultural parks, appreciate the profoundness of Chinese civilization, and enhance national pride and cultural confidence. From a contemporary perspective, the series focuses on the present and looks to the future, continuously utilizing the series to strengthen promotion, research, and interpretation, injecting stronger momentum into the construction of national cultural parks.
"Yangtze River Illustrated Chronicle" is jointly published by Jiangsu People's Publishing House and Jiangsu Phoenix Fine Arts Publishing House, both under Phoenix Publishing & Media Group. The book comprises 10 chapters, 180,000 words, and over 300 images, gathering treasures from hundreds of museums and weaving together captivating stories of water conservancy, fertile lands, craftsmanship, and cultural prosperity. It encompasses both the grandeur of natural ecology and the brilliance of human wisdom. By perusing the book, readers can immerse themselves in the profound and enduring, yet innocent and romantic, nature of the Yangtze River, gaining an understanding of the enduring vitality of Chinese civilization. As the latest masterpiece in the "National Cultural Park Illustrated Chronicles Series," "Yangtze River Illustrated Chronicle," along with the four previously published volumes, forms a five-volume cultural classic. This series uses brush and ink as bridges and historical facts as foundations, vividly interpreting the grace of the Grand Canal, the majesty of the Great Wall, the spirit of the Long March, the soul of the Yellow River, and the charm of the Yangtze River, collectively gathering the majestic power of Chinese civilization and continuing to write the brilliant chapter of Chinese culture in the new era.
At the end of the symposium, the attending leaders and experts took the stage together to launch "Yangtze River Illustrated Chronicle", witnessing the successful conclusion of the "National Cultural Park Illustrated Chronicles Series".
