Published by ChinaMNC · Wen

Cultural Heritage and Business: What Foreign Founders Can Learn from the 4th Qin Culture Forum in Longnan, Gansu

The 4th Qin Culture Forum in Li County, Longnan, highlighted early Qin culture research and its potential for cultural tourism. For foreign founders, this signals opportunities in cultural sectors and the importance of understanding local heritage when operating in China.

Cultural Heritage Meets Business Opportunity in Longnan

On October 28, the 4th Qin Culture Forum was held in Li County, Longnan, Gansu Province, under the theme “Seeking Roots at Dabaozishan, Exploring the Source of Qin Culture.” The event aimed to further excavate, interpret, and disseminate early Qin cultural resources, deepen Qin culture research, and support the protection, inheritance, and innovative development of Qin culture. For foreign founders, this forum offers a window into how local governments in China integrate cultural heritage with economic development—and what that means for business opportunities in the cultural and tourism sectors.

Forum Overview and Key Participants

The forum was attended by Liu Yongge, Secretary of the Longnan Municipal Party Committee, who delivered a speech. He Xiaozu, Director of the Cultural, Historical, and Learning Committee of the Gansu Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), and Wang Chengyong, Party Secretary and Vice Chairman of the Gansu Provincial Federation of Social Sciences, also attended and spoke. Other attendees included Tang Jinjun, Member of the Standing Committee and Secretary-General of the Municipal Party Committee; Xiang Jun, Party Secretary of Longnan Normal University; and Wang Fan, Member of the Standing Committee and Director of the Publicity Department, who presided over the forum. The main responsible person from Li County presented on Qin cultural resources. Experts and scholars in the field of Qin culture from within and outside the province were invited.

Key Messages from Officials

Liu Yongge welcomed the experts, scholars, and guests on behalf of the Municipal Party Committee and Government and expressed gratitude to friends who support the development of Qin culture in Longnan. He described the forum as a cultural event that traces roots and pays tribute to civilization, as well as an academic feast for exchange and learning. He expressed hope that experts would provide guidance and suggestions for the protection of Longnan's cultural heritage, cultural revitalization, and tourism development. He stated that Longnan will use this forum as a new starting point to continue deeply cultivating the protection, inheritance, and innovative development of Qin culture.

He Xiaozu noted that the forum focused on discussions around early Qin cultural verification, site protection, cultural heritage transmission, and resource activation and utilization. He emphasized the significance of the forum in polishing the Qin culture brand, continuing Chinese cultural heritage, and promoting regional cultural tourism integration. He proposed adhering to truth-seeking and deepening systematic research on Qin culture; prioritizing protection and coordinating site protection with activation and utilization; and using culture to shape tourism and innovation to enrich new formats of cultural tourism integration.

Wang Chengyong remarked that the social science circles of Gansu and Shaanxi provinces and three locations have continuously held Qin culture forums, deepened Qin culture research, produced a number of high-quality academic results, and built a platform for cross-regional cultural cooperation and exchange. He hoped participants would uphold integrity and innovation, deeply explore the contemporary value of Qin culture; adhere to systematic thinking to serve the construction of China's independent knowledge system; persist in collaborative linkage to continuously polish the Qin culture academic brand; and promote academic results to the public.

Academic Reports and Field Visits

During the forum, keynote reports, academic field visits, and artistic performances were organized. Experts and scholars discussed topics such as Qin cultural archaeological excavation, inheritance and protection, and activation and utilization. Keynote reports included:

• Gong Changwei, researcher at the Institute of Ancient History, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, and President of the Chinese Society of Pre-Qin History, presented “The Rise of Qin Culture and Its Historical Significance.”
• Hou Hongwei, researcher at the Gansu Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology and President of the Gansu Qin Culture Research Association, presented “Voices from Xichui: A Brief Account of Gansu Qin Culture Archaeology.”
• Gao Tianyou, Counselor of the Gansu Provincial People's Government and cultural historian, presented “Review and Suggestions on the Research of Qin Duke Tombs at Dabaozishan.”
• Zhao Wenbo, Honorary President of the Gansu Qin Culture Research Association, presented “Gansu's Historical Contribution and Position in Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress of the Chinese Nation.”
• Tian Yanfeng, Professor and Master's Supervisor at the School of Political Science and Law and History, Baoji University of Arts and Sciences, presented “The Ritual Architecture at Sijiaoping in Li County and the Twelve Records of Lüshi Chunqiu—Also on the Development and Changes of Qin Ritual System.”

Participants also conducted field visits to the Dabaozishan site and tombs, the Sijiaoping site, and the Gansu Qin Culture Museum to trace the early history of the Qin people and appreciate the profound cultural heritage of the Qin emperor's ancestral home. A themed artistic performance titled “Qin Rises from Longyuan” was held during the event, allowing guests and experts to experience the historical footsteps of the early Qin people through song and dance.

Implications for Foreign Founders

For foreign founders registering or operating a company in China, this forum highlights several practical points. First, China's cultural and tourism sectors are actively supported by local governments, as seen in Longnan's efforts to develop Qin culture tourism. Foreign founders in cultural tourism, heritage conservation, or related creative industries may find opportunities for collaboration or investment. Second, understanding local cultural heritage can be beneficial for building relationships with local authorities and communities. When operating in China, engaging with local cultural initiatives can enhance a company's social license to operate. Third, the forum demonstrates the importance of academic and expert networks in China; foreign founders can learn from such cross-regional cooperation models when seeking partners or expertise. Finally, the event underscores that cultural protection and development are often intertwined with government priorities, so aligning business activities with these priorities can be advantageous.

This summary is based on information published by the relevant Chinese government website and is general information, not legal or tax advice.

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