Expats explore roots of Chinese civilization in Hangzhou

As the third Liangzhu Forum commenced in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang province, on Oct 18, a group of international culture enthusiasts and Gen Z content creators gathered to explore the roots of Chinese civilization in the city.

They embarked on a journey into China's ancient heart — the Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the cradle of 5,000-year Chinese civilization, on Oct 17.

Hoping to catch a glimpse of the charm of this ancient civilization, the participants explored the Liangzhu archaeological site, visiting landmarks such as Mojiaoshan Palace and Fanshan Cemetery, and took part in pottery shaping and jade polishing workshops that brought ancient craftsmanship to life.

The following day, the group attended the opening ceremony of the third Liangzhu Forum, and toured the Liangzhu Museum and the hall of A Comprehensive Collection of Ancient Chinese Paintings, where they traced the evolution of Chinese aesthetics and creativity through the ages.

"It's amazing to see how advanced this ancient civilization was," said Wafaa Khalid from Egypt, who found parallels between Liangzhu and Egypt's own heritage.

Varvara Savilova from Russia said: "Touching the clay myself felt like time travel, and you can sense that it took a lot of time, skill and effort of the people who lived here 5,000 years ago."

For Sofiya Don from Russia, the experience brought history to life: "It's really surprising to me how they made such fine art without modern tools, just pure imagination and craftsmanship."

Held in parallel with the Liangzhu Forum, which gathers global scholars and policymakers to discuss the shared future of civilizations, the event transformed Liangzhu from an archaeological site into a living stage of cultural dialogue, where the past and present meet, and where the ancient still speaks to the modern world.