Summer vacation sparks passion for ancient civilizations at museums

A visitor mocks the gesture of a standing bronze figure while posing for photos during an exhibition named "Unveiling Sanxingdui and Jinsha of Ancient Shu Civilization" at the Grand Canal Museum of Beijing, in Beijing, capital of China, June 27, 2024. (Xinhua/Chen Zhonghao)

BEIJING, July 21 (Xinhua) -- For Li Jin, a 9-year-old primary school student from Beijing, the allure of an exhibition, featuring millennium-old bronze statues and golden masks from the ancient Sanxingdui Ruins, far surpasses that of the Transformers at the Universal Beijing Resort.

Li became fascinated by the history and culture of Sanxingdui three years ago after reading about it in a library book. Upon learning about the exhibition in Beijing, he promptly included it in his summer vacation plans.

Despite the scorching summer heat and enduring lengthy queues, hundreds of thousands of people, including Li and his grandmother, have flocked to the exhibition titled "Unveiling Sanxingdui and Jinsha of Ancient Shu Civilization," held at a museum in eastern Beijing, just a 15-minute drive away from the theme park.

The exhibition showcases a total of 265 pieces or sets of artifacts, including a remarkable golden mask adorned with turquoise eyes that gaze from the darkness, a bronze sculpture of a kneeling figure with intricate detailing, and several newly unearthed archaeological findings being exhibited for the first time.

Li visited the museum for two consecutive days and planned to return again. "It was truly amazing and awe-inspiring. I couldn't get enough of it on my first visit," he said.

Soon after its launch weeks ago, the daily visitors to this exhibition reached as high as 16,000 on weekdays, and during peak days on weekends, the number soared to an astonishing 33,000.

Tang Fei, head of the Sichuan Provincial Cultural Relics and Archaeology Research Institute, said that the cultural relics on display reflect the wisdom and ingenuity of the ancient Shu people, showcasing the magnificence of Chinese civilization spanning 5,000 years.

Beijing's cultural exhibition on Sanxingdui highlights this year's museum fever in China during the summer vacation period. Driven by an enthusiasm for museums, the appreciation of history and ancient civilizations has become both a fashion trend and an influential phenomenon.

An exhibition focusing on ancient Egyptian civilization, which opened to the public in Shanghai on Friday, has exceeded expectations in terms of popularity. A staggering 200,000 early-bird tickets have been completely sold out, leaving little availability for summer vacation reservations.

Similarly, visitors to the Palace Museum in Beijing must secure tickets several days in advance, and the Mogao Grottoes, located in northwest China's Dunhuang, announced as early as Thursday that they were fully booked until Sunday.

Cultural and historical museums, along with cities boasting a rich heritage, have become "must-visit" locations for many tourists, said Dai Bin, president of the China Tourism Academy.

As of July 3, the volume of museum reservations nationwide this summer has witnessed a remarkable year-on-year surge of over 90 percent, according to data from the online travel service provider Ctrip.

The tourism website Mafengwo said that 44.3 percent of museum visitors in the recent week were families with children, followed by college students, who made up 20.6 percent.

China has endeavored to explore the value of cultural relics and showcase the long-standing history of civilizations by improving its museum system.

To better cater to a surging demand, an array of museums in Beijing, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Jiangsu and Hunan have announced that they will extend their opening hours.

In addition, special nighttime events have been launched in cities like Shanghai and Changzhou, providing youngsters with unique tour experiences.

"Night tours in museums not only enrich nightlife but also enable children to immerse themselves in a sea of cultural relics and acquire knowledge," said Liu Guoqing, a Changzhou resident who brought his child to a nighttime event at a local museum.

According to official statistics, China now boasts over 6,800 registered museums nationwide, and last year, museums in China collectively received a record high of 1.29 billion visits and hosted over 40,000 exhibitions.

The enthusiasm for museums has not only become a cultural phenomenon but has also reignited young people's appreciation for ancient civilizations.

In recent years, archaeology, once viewed as an unconventional choice for high-achieving students, is gaining increasing popularity among incoming college freshmen.

Shen Ruiwen, head of the School of Archaeology and Museology of Peking University, said that the school admits approximately 40 to 50 undergraduate students each year, many of whom have achieved high scores in the college entrance examination.

"Children nowadays have more opportunities to visit museums from an early age, increasing their knowledge about archaeology," Shen said, adding that economic growth has created new opportunities for families to support their children's aspirations and encourage them to pursue careers they are genuinely passionate about.

"There are many theories and hypotheses about Sanxingdui. I'd like to delve deeper into this culture and perhaps I will develop my own theory in the future," said Li, the primary school student.