Speech by Xu Shousheng, Governor of Gansu Province

May 24, 2007

Ladies and gentlemen, friends,

Good morning!

Today, I'm very delighted to take this opportunity to make an introduction to the distinctive cultural development of Gansu , a province from the western region of China, and the Public Memorial Ceremony to the Chinese Humanity Ancestor Fuxi in 2007 (the year of Dinghai on Lunar Calendar).

Since the full information of Gansu has already provided to you, more time will be left for questions from friends. Here, I only give you a very brief introduction.

Gansu has a long history and ever-lasting culture. It is one of the birthplaces of the Chinese nation. Since the ancient times, Gansu has been one of the important passes for economic and cultural exchange between China and foreign countries, as well as a piece of hot land where Chinese culture and western culture have been exchanged and blended with each other. The famous 7,000-kilometer long Silk Road is traversing Gansu province about 1,600 kilometers. On the land of Gansu , some cultural brands with Gansu 's characteristics have been formed, such as the Dunhuang Culture, the Silk Road Culture, the Yellow River Culture, the Fuxi Culture, the Colorful Culture of Multi-nationalities and their Folk-customs, as well as Drama Arts. The culture of the Ancient Painted Pottery, the Great Wall and the Grotto Art reflect each other's beauty, which are not only the colorful culture of Gansu but also the precious treasures of Chinese culture and that in the world. Represented by “Flowers Blooming on the Silk Road”, “Dunhuang, My Dreamland” and the “Dance and Music of Dunhuang”, the excellent drama arts and stagecraft show clearly the unique culture of Gansu and the charm of northwestern region. They also display to the world the thousand-year-old civilization heritage of China .

For the purpose of further protecting the historical cultural heritages and scientifically and reasonably utilize the resources of distinctive culture, Gansu Provincial Party Committee and Gansu Provincial People's Government decided to put the development of the distinctive culture in line with the general plan of provincial economic and social development in 2002, and take the development of the socialist advanced culture as an important strategy to stimulate provincial economy and push forward a harmonious and progressive society. Gansu has made an unprecedented progress in its distinctive cultural development. A strategic pattern of the distinctive culture has been basically formed. A batch of key cultural infrastructure construction have been finished, such as the Wensu Pavilion of “The Si Ku Quan Shu” a complete library in the four branches of literature and the new exhibition hall of Gansu Provincial Museum. A group of excellent stagecrafts and dramas have been put on the stage, such as the “Dunhuang My Dreamland” and the “Dunhuang Rhythm”. A number of distinctive cultural brands have been formed, such as the Cultural Week of the Yellow River Charm in Lanzhou, the Fuxi Cultural Tourist Festival in Tianshui, the Cultural Tourist Festival of Kongtong Mountain in Pingliang, the Folk Custom Festival of Embroidery Pouch in Qingyang, the Heaven Horse International Cultural Tourist Festival in Wuwei and the Xiangbala Tourist Festival in Gannan. We have carried out cultural exchanges and cooperation with areas and countries from five continents in the world. 23 kinds of non-material cultural heritage have been listed into the first batch of protection list of non-material cultural heritage publicized by the State Council, and archaeological studies of Dabaozishan historical site in Lixian and Majiayuan waring state tomb in Zhangjiachuan have been selected into the 10 large new archaeological discoveries of China in 2006. The “Reader”, a well-known magazine both at home and abroad, became a famous brand among Chinese magazines. Generally speaking, the locality, diversity and characteristics have formed the backbone system of the construction of Gansu 's distinctive culture. At present, Gansu 's distinctive culture has become the new growth point of economic and social development.

Friends, in the process of pushing forward the development of distinctive culture of Gansu , the yearly Public Memorial Ceremony to the Chinese Humanity Ancestor Fuxi is drawing close. On Jun. 22, 2007, the Summer Solstice, Gansu Provincial People's Government will solemnly hold the Public Memorial Ceremony to the Chinese Humanity Ancestor Fuxi in Tianshui City , the hometown to Chinese humanity ancestors Fuxi and Nuwa. This is a feast for the Chinese from every corner of the world to worship our ancestors, to discuss the nation's development, and to enhance cultural recognition and national cohesion.

The Chinese nation has regarded Fuxi and Nuwa as the ancestors of human being since the ancient times. Same as Adam and Eve, who have created the western civilization, Fuxi and Nuwa have lightened the flame of Chinese civilization. As the original culture of the Chinese nation, Fuxi Culture occupies a very important place in Gansu 's distinctive culture. It is believed that to develop Fuxi Culture and advocate its spirit of creation, dedication and harmony is of great significance for increasing national cohesion, carrying forward national culture, stimulating patriotism, promoting unification of China, and building a harmonious and cultural China.

Tianshui is the hometown to Fuxi and Nuwa and the second largest city in Gansu . It has 8,000-year old civilized history, 3,000-year old recorded history and 2,700-year old history of being a city. Blessed with the profound cultural history, rustic folkway and favorable ecological environment, Tianshui is known as the “southern part of the Yangtze River on the Long plateau”. Hereby, I'd like to sincerely invite you to come to Tianshui, the “hometown of Emperor Fuxi” and to feel the extensive and profound Fuxi Culture and the solemnness and reverence of the ceremony on the occasion of the Public Memorial Ceremony to Fuxi. Meanwhile, I warmly welcome you to visit Gansu , see today's development in Gansu with your own eyes, and make an on-spot investigation of the beautiful, colorful and vigorous Gansu .

Now, I'd like to take your questions.

Thanks!