[Explanation] On March 12, the Sichuan-Chongqing Salt Industry Heritage Application Expert Consultation Meeting hosted by the Sichuan Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau and the Chongqing Municipal Cultural Relics Bureau was held in Suining City, Sichuan Province.
Before the meeting, the heads, experts and scholars of the relevant departments of Sichuan and Chongqing went to Zigong and Suining's ancient salt fields, sun brine sites and other sites to investigate the protection and utilization of Sichuan and Chongqing salt industry heritage.
It was introduced at the meeting that Sichuan-Chongqing salt industry heritage resources are rich and have important historical value, scientific value and artistic value. It is of great significance to reflect the development of science and technology in ancient economy, society and enrich the types of world cultural heritage. It is necessary and feasible to apply for world cultural heritage.
[Explanation] The application for world heritage is a long-term and arduous systematic project. Experts and scholars discussed how to include the Sichuan-Chongqing salt industry heritage in the "China World Cultural Heritage Preparatory List".
[Concurrent] Li Shuicheng, Chair Professor of Sichuan University, Foreign Academician of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Now the country's strategy is to mature one and declare one.
But judging from the current situation, we are still taking the first step. We will first enter this "(preparation) list".
There is still a lot of basic work to be done. Taking (Suining) Daying as an example, some related auxiliary facilities have been established, but we still need to strengthen the salt wells that are truly a heritage area, as well as some related research.
Given the current situation, there may still be a lot of archaeological excavations and some basic work to be done.
[Explanation] The total reserves of salt and brine resources in Sichuan are rich. The ancestors created the method of drilling wells to extract brine very early, especially the small deep well technology began to appear in the Song Dynasty. Complete excavation technology system.
Chen Xiandan, president of the Sichuan Provincial Heritage Protection Association, believes that this technical system will be an important basis for the application of salt industry heritage.
[Concurrent] Chen Xiandan, President of the Sichuan Provincial Heritage Protection Association
The salt industry (heritage) should be said to be an industrial heritage.
The purpose of our World Heritage application this time, on the one hand (is) to fill up our industrial heritage in China, we are a blank, zero.
And our current legacy is not only used in the past, but also used in the present.
For example, in the Zigong Salt Field, there is still an important Dongyuan Well (ancient salt field).
Well, Dongyuan Well also preserves a complete chain, from the original manpower to modern electricity, from its tradition to its continuity, it is a complete chain.
So our industrial heritage has roots, it has the past, the present, and it should have the future.
[Explanation] Du Xiaofan, director of the National Land and Cultural Resources Research Center of Fudan University, believes that in addition to the technical level, the relationship between the salt industry and human beings is developing, forming a rich regional cultural space including systems, circulation areas, and folk culture. It can be integrated to apply for cultural landscape world heritage.
[Concurrent] Du Xiaofan, director of the Land and Cultural Resources Research Center of Fudan University
Most of the salt industry heritage sites are no longer producing, but in China we can see that in Sichuan and Chongqing, especially in (Suining) Daying or Zigong (ancient salt field), it has continued to this day.
If we combine the salt industry heritage in the Sichuan-Chongqing area, through its natural endowment, with our human transformation, then through the transformation and formation of these cultural phenomena in the society, we can look at this heritage If so, I think it is more meaningful to tell our Chinese story well and let the international community better understand our Chinese culture.
It will be more meaningful than applying for a world heritage purely on the technical level, I think.
Chen Xuanbin reports from Suining, Sichuan
Responsible editor: [Luo Pan]