In an exclusive interview, we had the pleasure of speaking with Zhang Weiping, a visiting researcher at the Changjiang University Institute of Chu Culture, about the dynamic cultural revival taking place in Jingzhou, Hubei Province.
“More than two thousand years ago, Jingzhou was the heartbeat of the thriving Chu Culture. Today, this historic city is breathing new life into its cultural legacy through focused initiatives,” Zhang explained.
During the recent National Day holiday, the Jingzhou Museum experienced a surge in visitors eager to discover its impressive collection of over 196,000 artifacts representing a rich tapestry of Chu culture. Shu Xiao, a staff member, expressed excitement about the upcoming Chu Culture Museum, stating, “Once completed, we’ll be able to display these exquisite wooden lacquerwares, silk fabrics, and bronze items in a more visually stunning and artistically resonant way, taking visitors on a journey through time.”
Jingzhou serves as a crossroads for various cultural stories, being a key location for Chu culture, the history of the Three Kingdoms, Yangtze River culture, and revolutionary red culture. Throughout its thousand-year evolution, the city has played an instrumental role in preserving and transforming cultural heritage.
In the restoration room of the Jingzhou Cultural Heritage Protection Center, dedicated staff are diligently cleaning and preserving bamboo slips and wooden lacquer artifacts. An official shared, “We have successfully revitalized over 10,000 wooden lacquer pieces and 180,000 bamboo and wooden slips, along with more than 1,100 textile items.”
A representative from the Jingzhou Culture and Tourism Bureau highlighted the city’s commitment to innovating and creatively transforming Chu culture. They are focused on conservation and restoration efforts, which are speeding up the development of a core area dedicated to cultural heritage protection.
At the Xiongjiacun National Archaeological Site Park, cutting-edge light and shadow technology vividly recreates the splendor of the Chu king’s chariot procession, allowing attendees to feel the significance of what was once the “Thousand Chariots State.” Additionally, performances like “Qu Yuan” and “Chuluo” at the Jingzhou Fantawild Oriental Myth showcase the integration of culture and technology, bringing timeless stories to life.
Zhang remarked, “Jingzhou is actively unearthing cultural resources that have been buried in history, hidden in collections, or kept in museums, breathing new life into these artifacts and presenting Jingzhou’s rich heritage to the world.” He believes that by fostering the preservation and transmission of Chu culture, the city is infusing contemporary meaning and expressions into this ancient legacy, establishing a unique cultural identity and spirit for itself.
