CHENGDU, China, March 10 (Xinhua) -- A delegation of the Nepali Congress party recently visited the Sanxingdui Museum in southwest China's Sichuan Province, where its members were deeply impressed by the innovative use of advanced technologies for preservation and presentation.
In the interactive experience hall of the Sanxingdui Museum, the delegation members found themselves immersed in the ancient world of the Shu Kingdom.
Donning traditional attire, elaborate hairstyles and ceremonial crowns from the Sanxingdui civilization, they briefly stepped into the spiritual realm of the ancient people.
What fascinated the delegation even more, however, was the museum's extensive use of advanced technologies in the excavation, restoration and preservation of cultural relics. They marveled at how cutting-edge techniques, such as AI and 3D scanning, have helped "breathe life back" into long-lost civilizations, allowing ancient artifacts to tell their stories once again.
Many remarked that such technological integration has played a crucial role in the effective preservation and transmission of China's cultural heritage.
The Sanxingdui Ruins, believed to be the remnants of the ancient Shu Kingdom, offer a window into a mysterious civilization that thrived around 3,000 years ago.
For the Nepali delegation, witnessing how technology is safeguarding and revitalizing such cultural legacies left a profound and lasting impression.
Sujata Koirala, leader of the delegation and former deputy prime minister and foreign minister of Nepal, told Xinhua that she was impressed by the AI technology used in restoring cultural relics. "I believe that cultural heritage restoration empowered by new technologies will promote the high-quality development of cultural heritage protection," she said.
"This museum displays old masks and different instruments, and how the people lived thousands of years ago. It is quite an experience for me and my delegation. This museum reflects the culture, tradition, civilization and history of the Chinese people. I'm very impressed," she added.
This year marks the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Nepal, and the delegation of the Nepali Congress party visited China at the invitation of the International Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee.
China and Nepal share a deep-rooted friendship and have maintained close exchanges over the years, said a department official, noting the visit would further enhance communication, foster people-to-people connections and strengthen friendly cooperation between the two countries.
Beyond the Sanxingdui Museum, the delegation also visited Mount Emei, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where they gained more firsthand insight into China's deep commitment to preserving cultural relics and heritage.
For Mahendra Nakarmi, chairman of the Nepal Jay Harati Maa Cinema, the mission to preserve cultural heritage is highly relatable. Growing up as the son of a blacksmith, Nakarmi inherited not just memories of his father's craft but also the tangible remnants of his trade.
"When my father passed away, he left behind various tools," Nakarmi recalled. "Even as none of my siblings inherited the trade, we preserved these tools as a family legacy. Similarly, a country must protect its cultural relics, as they are the inheritance of civilization."
Kesab Joshi, director of Arunima College in Nepal, said "Mount Emei in China reminds me of Lumbini in Nepal, also a world heritage site."
"Many people come to Mount Emei to pray for peace and prosperity, just as visitors to Lumbini do," Joshi added. "This shows that people everywhere have similar aspirations and that we have much more in common than differences."
Koirala said the visit had given her a deeper appreciation for China's coordinated development of material and spiritual civilization.
Yet preserving cultural heritage is no small feat. Nakarmi, who has dedicated much of his career to documenting Nepal's local culture through film, deeply understands the challenges.
"First, the government must promote this," he explained. "Then the people must be committed, and policies must be put to work." ■
