On August 10, 2023, the launch ceremony for the Grand Canal (Beijing Section) Cultural Mapping Crowdsourcing Initiative was successfully held online. The event was jointly organized by the UNESCO Category II Centre for World Heritage Research and Training for the Asia-Pacific Region (Beijing) (WHITRAP-Beijing), the Public Archaeology and Art Center of Peking University, and Beijing Weiming Cultural Heritage Technology Co., Ltd. Attendees included Zhang Jianwei, Executive Deputy Director of WHITRAP-Beijing; Dr. Li Guanghan, Assistant Director; Wang Siyu, Director of the Public Archaeology and Art Center of Peking University; Zhang Jianshuo, Liu Lüxiao, and Shi Xiaohan from Beijing Weiming Cultural Heritage Technology Co., Ltd. The ceremony was hosted by Park Lina, Program Officer at WHITRAP-Beijing.
In order to deepen public understanding and awareness of the history and culture of the Grand Canal (Beijing Section) and the cultural resources along its route, continue the historical and cultural legacy of the Grand Canal, and further lay the foundation for the living conservation and utilization of the canal, WHITRAP-Beijing, the Public Archaeology and Art Center of Peking University, and Beijing Weiming Cultural Heritage Technology Co., Ltd. jointly launched the Grand Canal (Beijing Section) Cultural Mapping Crowdsourcing Initiative. The project received more than one hundred valid applications. Ultimately, 65 research team volunteers, 12 liaison and events team volunteers, 19 publicity team volunteers, 5 artistic presentation team volunteers, 3 IT team volunteers, and 11 instructors were selected, totaling 115 participants.
Photo | Group photo from the opening ceremony
Speeches from Organizers
Dr. Li Guanghan, Assistant Director of WHITRAP-Beijing, first delivered a welcoming speech. She expressed sincere gratitude to the instructors and volunteers for their enthusiastic participation and stated her belief that, with everyone’s passionate support and wholehearted involvement, the initiative would certainly produce fruitful results.
Photo | Li Guanghan delivering remarks
Zhang Jianshuo, Director of the Planning and Consulting Department at Beijing Weiming Cultural Heritage Technology Co., Ltd., introduced the original intention and background of the initiative. As an extension of public participation activities for Grand Canal heritage monitoring, the Cultural Mapping Crowdsourcing Initiative aims to systematically document cultural heritage related to the Grand Canal throughout Beijing. The project plans to present its findings through a visualized cultural map, creating a platform for promoting Grand Canal culture.
Photo | Zhang Jianshuo delivering remarks
Zhang Jianwei, Executive Deputy Director of WHITRAP-Beijing, pointed out that the Grand Canal is not only an important cultural heritage site, but also an important cultural symbol and cultural space. This initiative hopes to use the Grand Canal as a connecting thread to link related value carriers and spiritual meanings, helping participants anchor their diverse interests while also contributing to the interpretation of Grand Canal heritage.
Photo | Zhang Jianwei delivering remarks
Wang Siyu, Director of the Public Archaeology and Art Center of Peking University, introduced the project schedule. Following the launch ceremony, research team volunteers, under the guidance of instructors, would conduct one month of themed field investigations. Information gathered during the research would be presented in the form of reports and short videos. After expert review, volunteers from the publicity, artistic presentation, and IT teams would further refine and summarize the materials, which would ultimately be released publicly in the form of documentaries, cultural maps, and databases.
Photo | Wang Siyu delivering remarks
Remarks from Instructors
The initiative established five working groups: research, liaison and events, publicity, artistic presentation, and IT, each guided by professional instructors. Gao Xiaolong, researcher at the Capital Museum, renowned curator, and cultural scholar; An Xiaoyu, Deputy Director of the Tongzhou District Cultural Heritage Management Office; Duan Niudou, lecturer at the School of Humanities of the Central Academy of Fine Arts; Liu Mingqian, instructor in the “Cultural Heritage Development” international cooperative education program at Beijing Language and Culture University; Liu Yuyang from the Exhibition Department of the National Museum of China; Wang Xiaoxi, Assistant Research Fellow at the School of Archaeology and Museology of Peking University; and Xi Yaqing from the Cultural Heritage Tourism Division of the China Cultural Relics Exchange Center served as instructors for the research team. Renowned film director Ju Anqi and Tencent News producer Liang Bojian served as instructors for the publicity team. Wei Fang, Associate Professor at the School of Landscape Architecture of Beijing Forestry University, and senior cultural and creative product designer Hu Jieqiong served as instructors for the artistic presentation team.
The instructors each gave brief remarks in turn, emphasizing the significance of the initiative and expressing expectations for its final outcomes. While introducing the focus and scope of work for their respective groups, the instructors also expressed hopes for collaboration among the different teams. They hoped to step outside the study together with volunteers to experience heritage firsthand and contribute to the conservation, promotion, and interpretation of Grand Canal heritage.
Photo | Wang Xiaoxi speaking
Photo | Hu Jieqiong speaking
Remarks from Volunteer Representatives
Volunteer representatives from the various working groups also spoke from the perspective of their own academic and professional backgrounds, expressing strong interest in Grand Canal heritage and its related history and culture. They briefly explained their reasons and motivations for participating in the crowdsourcing initiative. They hoped that interaction among participants from different disciplinary backgrounds would spark new ideas and also looked forward to contributing to the protection of canal heritage and the transmission of canal culture.
Photo | Volunteer representatives speaking
From public participation in Grand Canal heritage monitoring to the Grand Canal Cultural Mapping Crowdsourcing Initiative, Grand Canal-related activities initiated by WHITRAP-Beijing have attracted the attention and participation of large numbers of volunteers from diverse backgrounds. From the freezing winter to the scorching summer, volunteers tirelessly traveled along the canal banks, contributing to the protection of the Grand Canal as a World Heritage site. We sincerely thank all volunteers for their enthusiastic participation and selfless dedication. Through everyone’s persistent efforts, the ancient canal will surely be revitalized with new vitality.
Edited by: Li Chaoying, Park Lina
Reviewed by: Li Guanghan, Wang Siyu
Final Review by: Shen Ruiwen, Zhang Jianwei
