Young voices share ancient treasures with the world

Participants from various countries share their perspectives on effectively presenting Chinese culture to global audiences at the Roundtable Discussion during the first International Communication Conference on Hongshan Culture and Vision China event in Chaoyang, Liaoning province, on Saturday. [Photo by WANG JING/CHINA DAILY]

During the Roundtable Discussion at the first International Communication Conference on Hongshan Culture and Vision China event, young participants from various countries — all either content creators or active social media users — shared their perspectives on effectively presenting Chinese culture to global audiences.

This followed their immersive tour of historical and cultural sites throughout Liaoning province's Chaoyang city, including the Niuheliang National Archaeological Site Park, which reveals the mysteries of Hongshan culture dating back more than 5,000 years.

"I was really impressed by how much effort is being put into preserving all these cultural heritages from many years ago. I think visitors will not only find the city interesting but also enjoy themselves, especially the way they use technology to make the experience way more immersive," said Venezuelan online influencer Rafael Saavedra.

Rita Gao, Chinese Canadian and undergraduate student in sociology at Beijing Foreign Studies University, noted that when people discuss Chinese culture, they typically envision iconic landmarks like the Great Wall or the Summer Palace, or focus on dynastic history, while lesser-known aspects such as Hongshan culture remain overlooked.

"It breaks that boundary of what we expect Chinese culture and history to be," she said.

French photographer Jeremy Walter Grinan, a 15-year resident of South China's Hainan province, found the Hongshan culture expedition captivating.

He argued that delving deep into ancient history could shift the focus from specific cultures like Chinese, Greek or Egyptian to a broader perspective of shared human history. At such distant time periods, people find it easier to relate because the narrative transcends modern cultural divisions — it becomes less about national comparisons and more about our common origins as humankind.

Kazakh student Ansar Kubenbayev from the University of International Business and Economics concurred: "When you look at some ancient history or cultural aspects, you can find some similarities between your culture and the ancient culture of every country. And it breaks the cultural walls between countries, making it a friendlier approach."

Saavedra expressed his passion for producing content about various aspects of China, including its culture, history, food, travel and technology.

He emphasized using visuals like artifacts, images, and short videos to make the content more engaging.

The more casual and relatable the approach was, he noted, the more audiences would enjoy it.

Saavedra noted that with the implementation of the visa-free transit policy coupled with more flight connections to China, an increasing number of international travelers are showing interest in visiting the country.

He encouraged Chinese content creators to actively utilize tools like AI-generated subtitles to break down language barriers and broaden their global audience reach.

To enhance audience engagement with Hongshan culture content across diverse backgrounds, photographer Grinan proposed an approach centered on comparative storytelling.

He advocated for content that compares ancient lifestyles with modern ones, which could be created to show ancient people's often underestimated talent. "It could be an interesting approach to keep people entertained while discussing it."

Gao asserted that in today's digital era, anyone can be a content creator. She emphasized that giving Hongshan culture a distinctive voice hinges on two crucial elements: creativity and relatability.

"A creative mindset, using short videos, music or art, can inject a lot of energy into a presentation," she said.

Illustrating the concept of relatability, Gao cited her observation of passing the head sculpture of a woman with a pierced ear at the Hongshan cultural site.

"It's very fascinating that even 5,000 years ago, the concept of beauty or aesthetics existed. Whether that's an assumption or not, I think the mere fact of having pierced ears back then — a practice that persists today — really says a lot about Hongshan culture and how history still lives on," she said.

"I think many women can relate to this universal concept. That's the fundamental idea of relatability."