On March 23, the academic conference on Origins of Yangtze River Civilization, organized by the National Office for Philosophy and Social Sciences and the Jiangsu Provincial Party Committee's Publicity Department, and hosted by Nanjing University, was held on NJU Xianlin Campus. Hong Dayong, Deputy Minister of the Central Publicity Department, Xu Ying, Member of the Standing Committee of the Jiangsu Provincial Party Committee and Minister of the Publicity Department, and Tan Zheming, President of Nanjing University and Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, attended the opening ceremony and delivered speeches.
Hong Dayong pointed out that since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, President Xi Jinping's series of important speeches and directives on protecting, inheriting, and promoting Yangtze River culture have provided a clear direction and fundamental guidance for the research on origins of Yangtze River Civilization and the development of Yangtze River Culture. Civilization tracing is a pursuit of fundamentals and a protection for the future. He hopes that the experts and scholars will undertake the mission of cultural inheritance and innovation, providing profound cultural resources for the high-quality development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt and contributing more wisdom and strength to the construction of a culturally strong nation.
Xu Ying noted that Jiangsu is an important birthplace and inheritor of Yangtze River Culture, as well as the starting point for the Yangtze River's connection to the world. Jiangsu will firmly shoulder the important responsibility of protecting, promoting, and inheriting Yangtze River Culture, conduct in-depth interdisciplinary and cross-regional research, vigorously strengthen the protection and utilization of cultural relics and heritage, continuously promote the deep integration of culture and tourism, and constantly explore the contemporary value of Yangtze River Culture, allowing Yangtze River Civilization to shine brilliantly in the new era.
Tan Zheming stated that Nanjing University is fully leveraging its strengths in fundamental and interdisciplinary subjects to build a national high-end think tank with the theme of Yangtze River industrial development. NJU will further deepen archaeological excavations, historical data collation, and digital dissemination related to Yangtze River Civilization, making new contributions to the inheritance and promotion of Yangtze River Civilization and strengthening cultural confidence.
The opening ceremony was hosted by Zhao Jinsong, Deputy Minister of the Jiangsu Provincial Publicity Department and Director of the Provincial Government’s Press Office. The keynote speech session was hosted by Chen Yunsong, Deputy Chair of NJU CPC Council. Experts and scholars watched the thematic film "Yangtze River" together. Keynote reports were delivered by experts from NJU and other leading research institutions and universities.
In the thematic discussion session, experts and scholars engaged in in-depth exchanges and discussions on topics such as tracing the source of civilization in the upper, middle, and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, the Yangtze River Civilization from a multidisciplinary and cross-regional perspective, the protection, inheritance, and promotion of Yangtze River Culture, and the construction of the Yangtze River National Cultural Park. The conference also featured a book exhibition and digital exhibition, attracting many experts, scholars, and students to visit and experience.
Since the preparation of the symposium, 300 high-quality papers have been collected, and over a hundred experts and scholars attended in person. This conference has presented the latest thinking and exploration in the academic community on the tracing of Yangtze River civilization, providing a more solid theoretical and knowledge foundation for the protection, inheritance, and promotion of Yangtze River Culture.
