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The UNESCO World Heritage Site Yungang Grottoes in Shanxi province is one of most oustanding representatives of Chinese grotto temples. [Photo by Wang Kaihao/China Daily] |
The National Cultural Heritage Administration and Ministry of Culture and Tourism jointly released an announcement on Wednesday demanding administrations of all ancient grotto temple sites across the country to set caps of daily visits by the end of this year to ensure safety of the cultural heritages and tourists.
Grotto temples, which were carved on mountains or rocks for religious purposes, were introduced into China through India and Central Asia in the third century, and became a pillar in Chinese Buddhist art throughout ancient Chinese history.
Mogao Caves in Dunhuang, Gansu province, Longmen Grottoes in Luoyang, Henan province, Yungang Grottoes in Datong, Shanxi province, and a series of Buddhist grottoes along the ancient Silk Road, have been inscribed on the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites.
The new announcement points out that the booming number of tourists during peak seasons and holidays has made some of the grotto sites become "overwhelmed".
Over 265,000 people poured into Longmen Grottoes during the eight-day National Day holiday in October, even a 2.3 percent increase compared with last year in spite of the influence of COVID-19.
As the announcement requires, all administrations of the country's grotto temples have to map their own capping plans based on closer supervision and balanced distribution of visits in different hours. It also calls for the administrations of grotto sites to avoid "excessive entertainment and business development" surrounding the cultural heritage.
Caps of daily visits have been set in some Chinese grottoes.
For example, Mogao Caves adopted the policy in 2014. All visitors to the site have to be organized in guided tours, and up to 18,000 people are allowed in the site, and 12,000 of them can only visit four designated caves with spacious room.
In Yungang, 7,500 visitors are allowed in every morning and afternoon, respectively. And there's a daily cap for Kizil Grottoes in Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, the earliest surviving grotto temple.
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The 15th Chinese Film Festival in Bangkok and the 2020 China-Thailand Film Exchange Week opens at the China Cultural Center in Bangkok on Oct 25, 2020. [Photo provided to Chinaculture.org] |
On Oct 25, the opening ceremony of the 15th Chinese Film Festival in Bangkok and the 2020 China-Thailand Film Exchange Week was held at the China Cultural Center in Bangkok. The event was hosted by the China Cultural Center in Bangkok and received strong support from the Chinese Embassy in Thailand and the Thai Ministry of Culture.
The COVID-19 pandemic doesn't impede the enthusiasm for cultural exchange between China and Thailand. This film festival uses live broadcast to present the opening ceremony and host the "China-Thailand Film Exchange and Cooperation Online Seminar". During the film festival, audiences can use the online platform of the China Cultural Center in Bangkok to watch films online, which greatly increases the global reach of the festival.
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Gu Hongxing, director of the China Cultural Center in Bangkok and China Tourism Office in Bangkok, speaks at the opening ceremony. [Photo provided to Chinaculture.org] |
Gu Hongxing, director of Bangkok's China Cultural Center and China Tourism Office, said film can not only introduce one's national culture, but also reflect unique social landscapes. Film has become an important part of cultural exchange between countries and enhance mutual understanding among people around the world.
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Yang Xin, Chargé d'affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Thailand, speaks at the opening ceremony. [Photo provided to Chinaculture.org] |
Yang Xin, Chargé d'affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Thailand, said since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Thailand 45 years ago, the mutual trust between the two countries has continued to deepen, economic and trade cooperation has expanded, cultural exchanges have become closer, and all-around cooperation has achieved fruitful results. Both China and Thailand have a vast film market. As a traditional project of cultural exchanges between China and Thailand, the Bangkok Chinese Film Festival has laid a solid foundation for film cooperation between the two countries for 15 years and will add new drive to the promotion of cultural exchanges and cooperation between China and Thailand.
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Itthiphol Kunplome, Thailand's minister of culture, speaks at the opening ceremony. [Photo provided to Chinaculture.org] |
Thailand's Minister of Culture Itthiphol Kunplome said in his speech the governments and people of Thailand and China have been in constant exchange. Cooperation in various fields has developed steadily, and the film festival is another important event to further promote cultural exchanges between the two countries. The people of the two countries can promote their understanding of the cultures of both sides through films, and promote friendly relations and cooperation in other perspectives.
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