On September 20, the International Faculty Center (IFC) of Peking University invited approximately 20 international faculty members to visit the Headquarters of the China National Archives of Publications and Culture (CNAPC). Together with international faculty members from Tsinghua University and Beijing Foreign Studies University, PKUs were from the Department of History, Department of Chinese Language and Literature, Kavli Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, and School of Foreign Languages. The visit also marked the co-hosting of the 7th Cultural Exchange Day with CNAPC, a unique opportunity for international visitors to immerse themselves in Chinese culture.
China has always emphasized the preservation and inheritance of publication resources. From the Zhou Dynasty Room and the Han Dynasty Tianlu Attic, to the Tang Institute for the Advancement of Literature and the Song Institution of Literature, and later those of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, these collections demonstrate a commitment to cultivate the inheritance of Chinese culture throughout its 5,000-year history. Serving as the national archive and the most authentic collection of Chinese culture, CNAPC also functions as a museum, library, and exhibition center since its opening to the public in July 2022. Precious exhibits including ancient books, calligraphy, paintings, copies of stone inscriptions, bronze ware, ration tickets, and currency are displayed to showcase the profound and continuous Chinese culture to both domestic and international visitors.
In the craftsmanship section, visitors learned about the evolution of Chinese publication and communication technologies, ranging from ancient woodblock printing to modern newspaper publishing represented by the Economic Daily, a milestone in China’s newspaper printing and typesetting development.
In the historical classics sector, rare exhibits such as Matteo Ricci’s Historical Map of the World, the Song Dynasty copy of Xilousutie, Kang Youwei’s Proposal on the Imperial Civil Examination, translations into foreign languages of The Analects and its annotations, and copies of the Yongle Encyclopedia sparked great interest among the foreign experts. Facing a wide array of displays, the visitors listened attentively to the docents' introductions, pausing at certain exhibits for discussion and questions, and reflecting on the excellence of Chinese achievements in literature, philosophy, arts, geography, and other fields.
During the interactive session, the foreign experts participated in traditional cultural activities such as Chinese calligraphy, restoration of historical classics, and woodblock printing. For many, it was their first time experiencing these activities, which deepened their understanding of the unique charm and cultural depth of traditional Chinese craftsmanship.
Professor Daniel Leese from the Department of History, praised the visit, saying, “The large-scale and systematic exhibits made the tour a vivid lesson in Chinese history and culture.” Nina Stroganova from the Department of Chinese Language and Literature, commented, “The visit provided a more direct understanding of the beauty and long history of Chinese culture.” Ayesha Tariq Sipra from the School of Mechanics and Engineering Science, noted, “The visit was both academically enriching and enjoyable, broadening our familiarity with Chinese culture in all aspects.”
The visit to CNAPC not only built a cultural bridge between China and the world, enabling international faculty members to appreciate the excellence of traditional Chinese culture, but also facilitated interaction and communication among experts from different universities.
