On the occasion of the in-depth study and implementation of Xi Jinping's cultural thought and the spirit of the National Conference on Propaganda, Ideology and Culture, how to deeply promote the creative transformation and innovative development of the excellent traditional Chinese culture, how to promote Shandong to take the lead in the development of cultural heritage? Recently, Shandong Provincial Party Committee Standing Committee, Minister of Propaganda Bai Yugang accepted an exclusive interview with our reporter.

"Over the past ten years, Shandong Province has always borne in mind the General Secretary's entrustment, adhere to the 'walk in the front, open up new horizons', deep plowing the fertile soil of humanities and culture, always adhere to the righteousness and innovation, comprehensively promote the development of cultural inheritance and there has been a significant improvement in the creativity, publicity and guidance, and dissemination of culture. " Bai Yugang said that Shandong Province strives to promote the creative transformation and innovative development of Chinese outstanding traditional culture, so that it glows in Shandong in the new era.

Bai Yugang is very familiar with Shandong’s cultural resources: with the geographic advantage of the Yellow River Basin, Shandong's cultural origins early, is one of the most important birthplace of the Chinese nation's ancient civilization; Confucius, as the founder of Confucianism and an important representative of Eastern civilization, who profoundly influenced the development of human civilization, was also born in Shandong; Shandong culture is a blend of Qi, Lu, Ju and other regional cultures, breeding Confucianism, Taoism, Mohism, Legalism, Military, Agriculture and many other cultural Schools, there has always been a saying  "hundred Schools of thought half born in Shandong".

Bai Yugang said, combined with the actual situation in Shandong, we adhere to the principle of flexibility, innovative inheritance mode, rich presentation carriers, so that the excellent traditional culture has become an important source of prosperity of cultural undertakings and cultural industries, as well as the high-quality development of economic and society, so as to continue to enhance the masses of cultural access to a sense of happiness. He said: "to focus on promoting the integration of high-quality development of culture and tourism, integration of the province's cultural and tourism resources, the construction of four cultural experience corridors along the Yellow River, the Grand Canal, the Great Wall of Qi,  the Yellow Bohai Sea and the cultural experience line of the Jiaoji Railway, the first batch of the launch of the 130 key villages and 200 key projects, to connect these together to build a new pattern of integrated development of culture and tourism led by the National Cultural Park, penetrated by cultural transportation lines, demonstrated by cultural experience corridors, supported by cultural districts, and supported by the 'Two Creations' of culture in the whole region."

Bai Yugang said, Shandong focus on creating rural cultural revitalization model, promote all kinds of cultural resources can benefit the masses at the grass-roots level, to build "thousands of villages model, ten thousand villages demonstration, all villages participation" rural cultural revitalization pattern. Rural cultural revitalization must highlight the main body of farmers and multi-party participation. Under the theme of "rural revitalization model - every village has a good show", Shandong carries out "two festivals, four bazaars, four competitions," a series of activities, showing the beauty of the countryside. "We also actively play the advantages of intangible cultural heritage province, innovation and implementation of 'Shandong hand-made' project, high standards to create a 50,000 square meters of provincial exhibition and experience center, built more than 29 municipal exhibition and experience centers, exhibition and marketing area of 905, nominated 100 'Shandong handmade' outstanding enterprises, all kinds of handmade enterprises and business households developed to more than 1.2 million, the annual output value reached more than 160 billion yuan, effectively contributing to the revitalization of the countryside, and also help farmers to increase their income." Bai Yugang said.

In Bai Yugang’s perspective, they should take the construction of virtue Shandong in the new era as the goal, and promote the integration of excellent traditional culture into the daily life and in the ordinary.

"We should insist on integrating the excellent traditional Chinese culture and socialist core values with each other, and put the requirements of 'understanding great virtue, abiding by public morality and being strict on private morality' into practice, so that they can become the people's behavioral habits and norms." Based on this, Bai Yugang said, Shandong need to promote civilization cultivation, civilization practice and civilization creation, deepen the civilization action in the countryside, innovation and exploration of civilization practice mode of work, to create the public cultural services complex that people love to go; the whole region need to promote the creation of spiritual civilization, the development and implementation of the "city for the people," the list of practical things; improve the advanced typical selection system, adhere to the use of advanced models as a leader, at present, Shandong has emerged 7 "National Model of the Times," 9 "National Most Beautiful Struggle," and 12 National Moral Model, who play a very good role as a demonstration. 

"We need to adhere to the cultural lineage as a basis, deeply excavate the contemporary value of traditional culture, consciously inherit the genes of Chinese nation, pass on the roots of Chinese culture, and build a firm cultural foundation in guarding the imprint of civilization." In this regard, Bai Yugang said, Shandong in-depth implementation of the "Shandong Literature" project, the development of measures to promote the work of the new era of ancient books, the first publication and distribution of 1816 volumes of Chinese Confucian classics collection of writings, Confucian canon, launched the compilation of more than 6,000 kinds of large-scale literature, 1.3 billion words Shandong Literature Library, the "global Chinese books collection project" reproduced more than 1,600 kinds of return of the rare Chinese books, and set up a new era of "cultural Mount Tai". At the same time, in-depth promotion of cultural relics protection and utilization, issued the Yellow River, the Grand Canal protection plan, the Great Wall of Qi Protection Regulations, the innovative implementation of the "red, yellow and green" section of the protection and management; to strengthen the "Chinese Civilization Exploration Project", "Archaeological China" Shandong research, selected "China's top ten new archaeological discoveries" 22 projects, Mount Ba site, Jixia Palace site and other archaeological excavations have made significant discoveries, "Haidai archaeology" brand continues to develop; strengthen the construction of museum system, Confucius Museum, Dawenkou Ruins Park, etc. was established and opened, the province's various types of museums amounted to 721, the total number of the museums, second and third levels of six indicators both ranked first in the country.

"We should tell the story of Chinese civilization with all our heart, and take the initiative to plan and promote Chinese culture to go out at the level of the overall situation." In this regard, Bai Yugang told reporters that Shandong adheres to the whole area of media and network linkage, disseminating more cultural products carrying Chinese culture and the spirit of China, and displaying the charm of Chinese culture in an all-round way. First, focusing on building a high-end platform for exchanges and mutual understanding, Shandong has held nine consecutive Nishan World Civilization Forums, organized and carried out a series of cultural demonstrations and experiences, such as the Shandong Tour of Ambassadors in China and International Youth Cultural Exchanges. Secondly, it has strengthened the construction of a strong province in international communication, carried out in-depth foreign propaganda of "five friends", including international friend cities, friend schools, friend enterprises, friend media and friendly people, and established communication positions such as "Chinese Culture Corner - Nishan Bookstore". It has also deepened the construction of programs such as "Audiovisual Shandong", "Cultural Shandong" and "Reading Shandong". Shandong is increasingly becoming an important window for the world to understand Chinese civilization and an important carrier for global civilization dialogue.

Facing to the future, how to highlight the function of Shandong in establishing Chinese nation’s modern civilization? "Standing on the starting point of the new era, we will continue to deeply study Xi Jinping cultural thought, bravely take the new cultural mission in the new era, strengthen the cultural lineage combing and cultural relics protection and utilization, refine Shandong's most representative cultural mark of Chinese civilization, launch more landmark achievements of the 'Two Creation', and strive to promote the construction of a strong cultural province, and constantly show a new image and new role in the development of cultural heritage.