{
    "success": true,
    "data": {
        "id": 1802140,
        "msgid": "why-china-leaves-over-a-thousand-ancient-song-dynasty-artefacts-scattered-in-villagers-fields-1781402110",
        "date": "2026-06-14 07:29:00",
        "title": "Why China Leaves Over a Thousand Ancient Song Dynasty Artefacts Scattered in Villagers' Fields",
        "author": "Erdy Nasrul",
        "source": "REPUBLIKA",
        "tags": "",
        "topic": "Anthropology",
        "summary": "China is adopting an unconventional heritage conservation strategy by preserving over a thousand Northern Song Dynasty stone statues in their original open-field setting in Henan Province. Authorities argue that keeping the artefacts integrated with the surrounding agricultural landscape prevents the heat and air circulation damage that glass enclosures might cause. This approach is part of a broader national effort to connect historical relics with contemporary community life, alongside a massive survey that has identified over 130,000 new heritage sites.",
        "content": "<p>China continues to strengthen its cultural heritage preservation\nefforts by promoting an approach that connects historical relics with\ncontemporary community life. One example can be seen in Baling Village,\nGongyi City, Henan Province, where more than a thousand stone statues\nfrom the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1126) remain standing amidst\nstretches of wheat fields still actively cultivated by villagers. The\nvillage, whose name means \u2018Eight Mausoleums\u2019, is the site of the\nNorthern Song Dynasty imperial tomb complex. A total of 1,027 stone\nrelics survive in the area, which is often dubbed an \u2018open-air museum of\nancient statues\u2019. Unlike many historical artefacts stored in museums,\nthe stone statues in Baling remain in their original locations and blend\nwith the local community\u2019s farming activities. The scene presents a\nunique fusion of centuries-old cultural heritage and modern rural life.\nZhu Xingli, Head of the Gongyi Cultural Relics Administration, explained\nthat maintaining relics in open spaces is part of a conservation\nstrategy that considers their original environmental conditions.\nAccording to him, enclosing them with glass could potentially disrupt\nair circulation and trap heat, which might accelerate the artefacts\u2019\ndeterioration. \u2018It is important to preserve the relationship between\ncultural relics and the landscape that has surrounded them for\ncenturies,\u2019 Zhu said. This approach is part of China\u2019s cultural heritage\npreservation strategy, which is no longer confined to museums. The\nChinese government seeks to safeguard historical value while ensuring\ncultural heritage remains relevant in contemporary society. The effort\nis reinforced through a national cultural heritage survey launched in\n2023. The programme, scheduled for completion by June 2026, not only\nreviews approximately 767,000 previously recorded sites but has also\nsuccessfully identified more than 130,000 additional heritage locations.\nBeyond open sites like Baling, China also continues to develop its\nmuseum network. Official data shows the country now has more than 7,000\nregistered museums, which organised around 45,000 exhibitions throughout\n2025 and attracted approximately 1.56 billion visits. Saturday\n(14\/6\/2026) was observed as China\u2019s Cultural and Natural Heritage Day.\nTo commemorate it, authorities and cultural institutions across various\nregions organised more than 7,000 online and offline activities.<\/p>",
        "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/why-china-leaves-over-a-thousand-ancient-song-dynasty-artefacts-scattered-in-villagers-fields-1781402110",
        "image": ""
    },
    "sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
    "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}