An Encounter with China: Chinese New Year in Paris: Nanjing Intangible Cultural Heritage Shines

The millennia‑old ancient capital Nanjing presented a "condensed version" of Chinese New Year through folk customs, art dialogues, and other forms. Representatives from permanent delegations of over 100 countries and international friends gathered to celebrate the Spring Festival, building a bridge for mutual learning among civilizations.

In December 2024, the Spring Festival was inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Khaled El-Enany, Director‑General of UNESCO, stated that the Spring Festival has become a globally shared cultural event, and its inscription highlights the global influence of Chinese culture. Yang Xinyu, Ambassador of China's Permanent Delegation to UNESCO, praised Nanjing, calling this "City of Literature" a city that brings the charm and warmth of the Spring Festival to Paris, showcasing the profound heritage and contemporary value of Chinese culture.

Nanjing is home to the Nanjing City Wall, the largest existing ancient city wall in the world, and its Yunjin brocade weaving technique has been inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. At the event, the 2026 Spring Festival Temple Fair, hosted by China's Permanent Delegation to UNESCO, kicked off with great excitement. Inside the headquarters hall, the Nanjing Cultural Symbols Exhibition drew large crowds: Fuma lanterns and Yulong lanterns glittered with brilliance, while Yunjin brocade and velvet flower crafts dazzled with their exquisite artistry. At the interactive area titled "Rubbing to Transmit Cultural Heritage," guests personally took rubbings of inscriptions from Nanjing City Wall bricks.

In Nanjing itself, the Qinhuai Lantern Fair, with a history of over 1,700 years, illuminates the Confucius Temple; around the Ming City Wall, people "climb the city wall to walk off ailments," visit temple fairs, and attend exhibitions, making the stories of the city wall a bond connecting the world.

During the event, Nanjing intangible cultural heritage inheritors, design scholars, and world‑leading designers gathered at the Manufacture Nationale de France for a dialogue titled "Reshaping and Interweaving Heritage." Nanjing upholds the principles of "living heritage and two‑way empowerment," through authentic restoration, international exchanges, and artistic co‑creation, allowing millennia‑old craftsmanship wisdom to serve the present, and enabling the world to appreciate the charm of Chinese New Year and the enduring power of Chinese civilization.


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