The year 2022 has been fruitful for China's cultural development. What have we witnessed in 2022? CGTN selects five significant cultural news to show the stunning culture-related findings and achievements of the year. 

Official mascots of the 2022 Winter Olympics and 2022 Winter Paralympics  

As the mascots of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and 2022 Winter Paralympics, Bing Dwen Dwen and Shuey Rhon Rhon were loved by a large number of people from all over the world for their adorable, charming images. 

The panda and the red lantern, as the representative objects featuring strong Chinese characteristics, appeared in all corners of the competition during the games, bringing joy to the audiences and glory to the athletes. Bing Dwen Dwen and Shuey Rhon Rhon are a wonderful fusion of Chinese culture and the Olympics. 

Hong Kong Palace Museum opening 

Hong Kong Palace Museum, a gift marking the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland and a milestone cross-boundary cultural collaboration and the must-see tourist attraction, officially opened to the public on June 22. 

The Museum presents over 900 priceless treasures from the Palace Museum, the largest loan the Palace Museum has ever given outside the Chinese mainland since 1925. Among the items on loan, 166 are classified as national treasures, many of which are shown in Hong Kong for the first time. 

Five major archaeological discoveries dating back thousands of years

The study of Chinese civilization and early states, particularly the Xia and Shang culture, is very important in Chinese archaeology. There are several gaps in the historical study of Xia and Shang dynasties, and the lack of written records makes it even more essential to validate it as a legitimate history through archaeological findings. 

The significant progresses in the archaeological researches of the sites of Houchengzui, Bicun, and Erlitou, as well as the Shang Dynasty tombs and the Yin Xu (Yin Ruins) are of great value in filling in the gaps in the study of the Xia and Shang dynasties and proving that Chinese civilization dates back more than 5,000 years.

Read more:

CMG: Top 10 archaeological news stories from China in 2022

150-year-old shipwreck

Buried underwater for around 150 years, one of the largest and best-preserved wooden shipwrecks in China – the Yangtze River Estuary No. 2 was lifted on November 20. More than 700 pieces of cultural relics, including nearly 600 pieces of pottery and porcelain, were discovered in the ship. The archaeological finding of the Yangtze River Estuary No. 2 is a milestone in China's underwater archaeological history, and the important evidence of the Maritime Silk Road.

Chinese tea-making joins UNESCO list

China's traditional tea-making techniques and associated social practices have been included on the UNESCO Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2022.

To date, China has 43 items on the UNESCO intangible cultural heritage list, leading the world in number. 

(Graphics designer: Li Jingjie)