On July 24, 2023, the 2023 Joint Workshop on Cultural Heritage Conservation – Peking University Summer Course officially opened at Diaoyu City in Hechuan District, Chongqing. The workshop was jointly organized by the UNESCO World Heritage Institute of Training and Research for the Asia and Pacific Region (Beijing) (WHITRAP-Beijing), the School of Archaeology and Museology at Peking University, and the Peking University Center for Public Archaeology and Art. The workshop also received strong support from the Chongqing Cultural Relics and Archaeological Sites Protection Association and the Diaoyu City Scenic Area Affairs Center of Hechuan District, Chongqing.
Poster for the 2023 Joint Workshop on Cultural Heritage Conservation
The opening ceremony was held at 9:00 a.m. at the Diaoyu City Scenic Area in Hechuan District, Chongqing. Attendees included Yuan Xiaoqin, Deputy District Mayor of Hechuan District; Yuan Dongshan, Deputy Director of the Chongqing Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology and President of the Chongqing Cultural Relics and Archaeological Sites Protection Association; Yang Jianchun, Director of the Diaoyu City Scenic Area Affairs Center; Fu Zhaonan, Director of the Diaoyu City World Heritage Application Affairs Center; and Hu Limin, curator at the Chongqing Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology.
Group photo at the opening ceremony
Li Guanghan hosting the ceremony
The ceremony was hosted by Dr. Li Guanghan, Assistant Director of WHITRAP-Beijing.
Zhang Jianwei, Vice Dean of the School of Archaeology and Museology at Peking University and Executive Deputy Director of WHITRAP-Beijing, first welcomed all participants and thanked the Chongqing Cultural Relics and Archaeological Sites Protection Association and the Diaoyu City Scenic Area Affairs Center for their strong support. He explained that the Joint Workshop on Cultural Heritage Conservation is a flagship project of WHITRAP-Beijing. This year marked the sixth edition, with 28 teachers and students from 17 universities worldwide participating offline. Zhang introduced the workshop’s background, goals, participant structure, teaching model, and the achievements and influence of previous workshops. He expressed hope that this workshop would contribute to the protection and development of the Diaoyu City site.
Zhang Jianwei speaking
Yang Jianchun, Director of the Diaoyu City Scenic Area Affairs Center, expressed support and expectations for the workshop, hoping participants could provide valuable suggestions for clarifying Diaoyu City’s historical context and advancing its World Heritage application. Fu Zhaonan, Director of the Diaoyu City World Heritage Application Affairs Center, introduced the progress of site protection and the World Heritage nomination work, and looked forward to discussing feasible strategies for site conservation, presentation, and research together with the teachers and students.
Yang Jianchun speaking
Fu Zhaonan speaking
Yuan Dongshan, Deputy Director of the Chongqing Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology and President of the Chongqing Cultural Relics and Archaeological Sites Protection Association, spoke from the perspective of current research on Diaoyu City and mountain fortresses. He encouraged participants to think from both the overall spatial structure and integrated historical materials, hoping the workshop’s findings would become an important foundation for future work and allow Diaoyu City to contribute knowledge to Chinese and global cultural heritage research.
Yuan Dongshan speaking
Yuan Xiaoqin, Deputy District Mayor of Hechuan District, first thanked the teachers and students for coming and strongly affirmed the significance and value of the workshop for local development. He noted that Hechuan District, located at the confluence of three rivers in northwestern Chongqing, has convenient transportation and dense cultural and educational resources. It is both an industrial hub and a populous district in Chongqing, as well as a key area in the Chengdu-Chongqing Twin City Economic Circle. As one of the district’s important cultural and tourism resources, Diaoyu City still faces many challenges in its World Heritage application. Yuan believed that the workshop would create new opportunities for refining the site’s heritage value and improving conservation and presentation efforts. He concluded by wishing the workshop great success.
Yuan Xiaoqin speaking
After the opening ceremony, Yuan Dongshan led workshop participants to conduct a field investigation at the Diaoyutai site. Students visited the Imperial Palace, the Military Office, and the Jiukouguo site, gaining a direct understanding of the sophistication of the mountain fortress structure and the completeness of its supporting facilities. Yuan Dongshan noted that archaeology at Diaoyu City is still in its early stages, and that only by approaching it from a comprehensive spatial perspective can existing sites be accurately understood.
Yuan Dongshan leading the field investigation
The workshop was divided into four groups: the Archaeology Group, the Spatial Foundation Group, the Community Group, and the Tourism Management Group. After the first phase of online courses, teaching assistants assigned literature review tasks. Following a week of preparation, students presented their group findings on the afternoon of July 24.
Sun Yangyang, representing the Spatial Foundation Group, introduced the geographical background of the Diaoyu City site from three aspects: the Southern Song Sichuan-Chongqing defense system, spatial foundation analysis of Diaoyu City, and intended directions for spatial research. Ran Longhao and Yuan Qi Dake, representing the Archaeology Group and Community Group respectively, summarized archaeological work and community studies from perspectives including historical background, archaeological overview, heritage value, and exhibition planning. Zhou Zijie, representing the Tourism Management Group, reported on development policies, comparative value, conservation and presentation, and visitor needs from both supply and demand perspectives.
Presentations by Sun Yangyang, Ran Longhao, Yuan Qi Dake, and Zhou Zijie
After the presentations, the teachers highly praised the students’ literature review成果. Wu Honglin reminded students to focus on the practicality of proposals and consider feasible methods for heritage revitalization, conveying key information in ways aligned with local norms and visitor expectations. Sun Jing highlighted key issues such as conflicts between nomadic and agricultural civilizations, folklore and intangible landscapes, and the dialogue between history and modernity. She encouraged students to understand the research scope holistically and design practical, implementable plans. Wang Siyu inspired students to think about perspectives on heritage value and pay attention to the tension between insider and outsider viewpoints. Hu Limin discussed differences between archaeological work and World Heritage application work based on personal experience, reminding students to verify the authenticity of early literature sources. Li Guanghan affirmed each group’s grasp of key issues while noting that value analysis should pay attention to authentic on-site experiences rather than rigidly matching existing standards. Zhang Jianwei hoped students would maintain clear research questions throughout the investigation process and thoughtfully discover and perceive information using their existing knowledge.
Teacher commentary
The workshop would continue with a 10-day field investigation at the Diaoyu City site. Further updates would be released through the official WeChat account.
Written by: Li Chaoying
Edited by: Li Chaoying, Piao Lina
Reviewed by: Li Guanghan, Wang Siyu
Final Review: Shen Ruiwen, Zhang Jianwei
