Jiangxi deputy: Preserving historic figures' residences helps reinforce a city's identity

Wang Anwei, a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), has emphasized the importance of preserving the residences of renowned artists and historic figures. 

"They tell a city's past, serving as a window into a city's local culture and history. By preserving these residences, we are reinforcing a city's cultural identity and creating a sense of shared history and belonging," Wang, a professor of ceramic arts and history at Jingdezhen University, told Beijing Review in an interview on March 2, ahead of the opening of the NPC annual full session. 

Jingdezhen, a city in Jiangxi Province that has been famous for its porcelain making for over 1,000 years, has been a cultural symbol of China. "It is one of the origins of the ancient Silk Road, through which silk, tea and porcelain were traded from China all the way to the west," Wang said. 

"It is historically a city without walls, open to all exotic cultures and arts. In the early Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368), cobalt from ancient Persia traveled along the Silk Road to Jingdezhen and became widely used as a pigment by the local craftsmen. This gave rise to blue and white porcelain, a product that smoothly blends different cultures and showcases the charm of Chinese ingenuity," he said. 

Wang, who was born in 1964 and grew up in a family of porcelain painting experts, has raised concerns about the protection of cultural heritage and the passing-on of traditional craftsmanship, based on his observation and experience as a teacher. 

"Jingdezhen has not been doing as well as Shaoxing, in neighboring Zhejiang Province. In Shaoxing, you can see the residences of Wang Xizhi, one of the greatest calligraphers in Chinese history, Lu You, a Chinese historian and poet, and Lu Xun, a leading figure of modern Chinese literature. But in Jingdezhen, there are signs that these kinds of figures are fading into oblivion," he said, adding that related departments should not wait until it's too late to preserve these treasures. 

"We need standards by which to identify residences that need preservation, and for how the management and maintenance of them should be carried out. As a newly elected deputy, this will be my top priority over the next five years," Wang added. 

The First Session of the 14th NPC, the highest state organ of power, is taking place in Beijing on March 5-13. The duties of NPC deputies, who serve five-year terms, include regularly carrying out field research to gain understanding of economic and social development as well as public opinion. Based on this insight, they formulate suggestions, which they then submit to the NPC. Government agencies are obligated to consider these suggestions and provide feedback. As legislators, deputies can also propose motions on making, amending and interpreting laws.