From April 24 to 27, Gao Yu, Secretary of the Party Group and Chairman of the Counsellors’ Office of the State Council (COSC), led researchers at China Central Institute for Culture and History (CCICH) to carry out a special investigation on the theme of “Protection of Cultural Ruins and Relics in the Hexi Corridor” in Lanzhou, Wuwei, and Zhangye of Gansu Province, centering on implementing the decisions and guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress on developing advanced socialist culture, promoting revolutionary culture, carrying forward fine traditional Chinese culture, putting more efforts into the protection of cultural artifacts and heritage, and better protecting and preserving historical and cultural heritage.

The investigation team successively visited local museums, archaeological excavations, major historical sites, and important cave groups to understand the history and culture of Hexi Corridor, and investigated the formation of local cultural artifacts and heritage and their current protection. During the investigation, the team made a special trip to Linze County, Zhangye City to pay tribute to the former site of the West Army Headquarters of the Chinese Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army for commemorating the revolutionary martyrs and carrying forward the revolutionary spirit.

During the investigation, Gao emphasized that research of traditional culture and protection of cultural artifacts and heritage should be put under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and should closely follow the goals and tasks specified at the 20th CPC National Congress, adhering to creative transformation and innovative development. Revolutionary culture is an important part of the precious cultural wealth of the Chinese nation. We should learn from the heroism and spirit of revolutionary martyrs, who remained fearless in the face of hardships and difficulties and who fought bloody battles, in dedicating themselves bravely to the Party and the people, inherit the red gene, continue the red bloodline, and gather strength for forging ahead. Gao pointed out that the researchers, who were knowledgeable and well-educated, should steer their academic research and artistic creation to stimulating the cultural innovative and creative vitality of the entire nation, enhancing the mental power of striving for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and advocating culture and learning from history, thus contributing to building cultural confidence and strength and securing new successes in developing socialist culture.

According to the researchers, Hexi Corridor holds a very important position in the history of the formation and development of the Chinese nation, and it has played an important role for promoting the integrated development of various ethnic groups and the exchange of Chinese and foreign civilizations. The large number of cultural artifacts unearthed and preserved here are precious treasures of the Chinese nation, and they are of great significance in building cultural confidence and strength and refining the defining symbols of the Chinese culture. During the investigation, it was found that major history-themed paintings of the researchers were on display in some museums, which not only encouraged but also motivated them to devote themselves to the protection and inheritance of historical and cultural heritage. They followed each other to express their willingness to continue contributing to the cultural development and protection of cultural artifacts and heritage in the region of Hexi Corridor.

Nima Zeren, Su Shishu, and Fan Di’an, researchers of CCICH, Wang Huacun, Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and President of the Research Institute of Culture and History of Gansu Provincial People’s Government, relevant officials of Wuwei Municipal People’s Government and Zhangye Municipal People’s Government, as well as relevant officials at the General Office and the Culture and History Department of the COSC, participated in the investigation.