Responding to the Central Committee of CPC’s call of promoting the development and enrichment of socialist culture, and improving China’s soft power, CIE volunteer group of underwater cultural relics went to Puling District of Chongqing Municipality for a 10-day investigation. To familiarize the students with the status quo of underwater cultural relics protection is an innovative way to further their understanding of profound history and extensive culture of our nation. 

Though challenged by the extreme heat of Chongqing, one of three furnaces in China, and the poor transportation of this mountain city, the volunteers resolutely continued their investigation in underwater cultural relic protection in Puling and drafted out the proposal. Ten-day survey, diaries of over 30 thousand words, essays of over 16 thousand words and memos of over 3thousands words were the best manifestation of their efforts in this activity. In this social practice, the young students harvested the status quo of underwater cultural relic protection and the significance of historic preservation. Antiques are the most significant symbol of cultural inheritance. Its intangibleness and irreplaceable role in cultural education requires us to put more emphasis in its preservation.

CIE Volunteers with Local People


At the Meeting with Local Museum Staff


Visiting Baiheliang Underwater Cultural Relic Museum
                                                 (Photos by: Long Qinglin; Translated by: Yan Xianhui)