[Latest News] Prof. Zhang Changping Explains Jingchu Culture to President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Modi

On the afternoon of April 27th, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Modi, who was paying an informal visit to China, visited the Hubei Provincial Museum. Prof. Zhang Changping from the School of History of our university accompanied the two leaders throughout the whole trip in the museum.

The leaders of the two countries enjoyed the time-honored Chinese civilization, especially the Jingchu culture, and exchanged views on strengthening exchanges and understanding between the two ancient civilizations of China and India and promoting harmonious coexistence and dialogue among different civilizations.

Professor Zhang Changping is an expert in archaeology who studied Zengguo and served as the deputy director of the Hubei Provincial Museum. The reporter contacted him immediately after the trip and asked him to share the story with us.

“This is a professor from Wuhan University. He came to explain those cultural relics for us.” At the beginning of the visit, President Xi Jinping introduced Zhang Changping to Prime Minister Modi. In more than 40 minutes of visits, Zhang Changping introduced the cultural relics and achievements of the Neolithic Age from seven or eight thousand years ago to four thousand years ago for the leaders of the two countries. Hubei is the core area of the Yangtze River Valley, and the Yangtze River Valley was the one of the origin places for Chinese civilization. Zhang Changping explained to the leaders of the two countries from this perspective.

Zhang Changping introduced Chinese cultural traditions by explaining cultural relics. When visiting the Chime-bell from the Tomb of Marquis Yi of the Zeng State, Zhang Changping introduced that the chime-bell is a ceremonial instrument for ancient major events, similar to the meeting between leaders today. In the explanation, Zhang Changping also introduced the contents of the cultural exchanges between China and the West, and interacted frequently with the leaders of the two countries.

According to Zhang Changping, the two leaders are very interested in the museum’s cultural relics, Zeng Chu culture, and traditional Chinese culture. President Xi Jinping is very familiar with many artifacts. "In the exchanges with the two leaders, I feel that the cultural relics of tomb of Marquis Yi of the Zeng State are not only cultural relics in Hubei, but also representatives of Zeng Chu culture. They are also closely related to contemporary social life and are an important part of Chinese civilization." Zhang Changping said.