The Great Wall: A Living Thread Through Time
In the spring of 2017, I climbed the Jiankou section of the Great Wall near Beijing with some colleagues. Its a favorite among outdoor enthusiasts a stretch of wild wall so steep in places that you have to scramble with both hands and feet. As someone raised in southern China, this was the first time I truly felt the vitality of the ancient Wall: its gravity, grandeur, and endurance. Ever since, I have found myself telling friends who have never been there, You really have to go see it, and feel it for yourself.
Were it not for the nationwide Love Our China, Repair Our Great Wall campaign of the 1980s, many segments might have crumbled into ruin from lack of protection. During the climb, my colleagues and I kept circling back to one question: How do we restore these wild sections? But more importantly, how do we forge a real connection between the Wall and the people of China especially younger generations? I remember we brainstormed all kinds of ideas: digital brick-donation plaques, celebrity-led teams, family commemorations, corporate sponsorships even the ability to scan QR codes onsite and instantly pull up the donors wishes…
Over the past few years, we have continued exploring how traditional culture can be protected and passed on in the digital age. In July 2016, Tencent partnered with the Palace Museum on a full-scale collaboration, the goal was to turn the 600-year-old Forbidden City into a traditional culture IP that resonates with younger generations. As Director Shan Jixiang once said: If the Palace Museum is a dot, the Great Wall is a line a living line of defense for Chinese tradition. Our work, too, has moved from dots to lines. In September that year, Tencent Charity Foundation and the China Foundation for Cultural Heritage Conservation jointly launched the initiative Protecting the Great Wall: Count Me In.
Today, internet and technology companies like Tencent are in the business of connection: people to people, people to objects, people to services. We are building expansive digital networks that make everyday life and cultural exchange more seamless than ever. The backbone of digital life today is built not only on technology, but even more so on the beliefs that ground our culture. If we want our digital life to flow from true roots, not from nowhere, we have to link the historical with the digital, weaving them into one fabric.
Some might think that the Great Wall is just a military fortification. In truth, its a richly layered connection geographically, historically, and culturally. Geographically, it spans thousands of kilometers, linking eastern coasts to western frontiers. Historically, it stretches over two millennia, bearing witness to and accompanying the course of the Chinese nations historical transitions its trials and triumphs, its rises and falls. Culturally speaking, it forms a bridge between agrarian and nomadic civilizations; a zone where diverse ethnic groups and cultures have continuously collided, interacted, and blended. At the same time, it stood as a guardian of the Silk Road the vital artery of ancient economic and cultural exchange between East and West. One could say that the Great Wall is a tangible vessel and cultural symbol through which national memory travels across time and space an essential hub within the vast network of Chinese historical and cultural heritage.
In August this year, while visiting Jiayuguan, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that the Great Wall is an important symbol of the Chinese nation and a vital emblem of the Chinese national spirit. He stressed the need to place great importance on preserving and passing on historical and cultural heritage, and to safeguard the enduring roots of the Chinese spirit.
The Protecting the Great Wall: Count Me In initiative has served as a concrete step in this endeavor, enabling Tencent to join hands with all sectors of society in exploring new approaches. The restoration of the Jiankou section from Eagle Flies Facing Down to Beijing Knot undertaken by Tencent, has now been successfully completed, and work is underway at the Xifengkou section. Beyond safeguarding the Walls physical form, we are also using digital technology and online platforms to revitalize its cultural spirit. We believe that the younger generation is the backbone of cultural preservation and transmission. Only when these digital natives take an active role in protecting and carrying forward traditional culture can we truly forge a strong link between our past and our future.
We encourage young people to tell the story of the Great Wall in ways they love through animation, music, film, games, and other creative formats on Tencents platforms bringing to life its geography, history, architecture, culture, art, and ecology with imagination and flair. Thats how we have seen the rise of cartoon characters like the Great Wall Soldiers, Great Wall mini-games on WeChat, and documentaries on restoration efforts. An Infographic Journey of the Great Wall, both informative and entertaining, is one such creative achievement. A year-long labor of love, it was warmly received upon release, and we hope this new edition will reach even more readers.
And we are not stopping here. Because Tech for Good also means using technology to better protect and pass on traditional culture so that heritage and innovation can soar together.
Ma Huateng
December 2019
新书资讯
