To mark China’s 20th annual Cultural and Natural Heritage Day, reporters visited three of Hangzhou’s UNESCO World Cultural Heritage sites—West Lake, the Grand Canal (Hangzhou section), and the Liangzhu Ancient City Ruins—to explore how the city is innovating in the protection, inheritance, and revitalization of its cultural heritage.

“The shimmering lake delights on sunny days; the misty mountains enchant in the rain.” Su Shi’s poetic depiction of West Lake continues to resonate today, as this centuries-old cultural landscape enters a new era through digital innovation. With a legacy spanning over two thousand years, West Lake now exemplifies the seamless integration of heritage and modern technology.

West Lake at dusk, bathed in evening light

According to Chen Yunfei, Director of the West Lake World Heritage Monitoring and Management Center, West Lake has become a model for smart heritage tourism by leveraging technologies such as the Internet of Things and artificial intelligence. Key scenic spots like Mid-Lake Pavilion (湖心亭) and Prince Bay (太子湾) are equipped with 24-hour automated monitoring systems that safeguard water quality year-round, maintaining an average water transparency of over 80 centimeters. The “underwater forest” remains clearly visible beneath the surface.

“We’ve capitalized on Hangzhou’s leadership in the digital economy to build an integrated and intelligent public data platform,” Chen explained. “Our five core hubs—including IoT Sensing, Intelligent Computing, and Spatial-Temporal Information Centers—support over 20 practical applications, from cultural heritage preservation to ecological monitoring and emergency management. These experiences have positioned the ‘West Lake Model’ as a benchmark for scenic area digitization nationwide.”

As the evening breeze brushes across the lake, carrying with it the coolness of the water and the scent of surrounding greenery, visitors feel their minds ease and spirits lift. Indeed, many say that the magic of West Lake lies in its ability to soothe life’s daily stresses.

Reporters then turned to the Grand Canal in Hangzhou—the longest and most ambitious ancient waterway in the world, which still plays an important role today.

Fang Youqiang, Director of the Integrated Protection Center for the Hangzhou Section of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, shared: “The Grand Canal connects China’s north and south, links inland rivers to the sea, and has long fostered cultural unity and exchange between East and West. It’s a powerful symbol of national identity and a treasured emblem of Chinese heritage.”

International students with hand-painted fans near Gongchen Bridge, Hangzhou.

At the China Knife, Scissors, and Sword Museum along the canal, French student Théo Lexcellent was busy painting his own traditional oil-paper umbrella. He arrived in China earlier this year to study Mandarin and chose to settle in Hangzhou, drawn by its natural beauty and cultural richness.

“The Grand Canal is as vital to China as the Seine is to France,” Théo remarked. “Waterways are essential to a country’s development, and making this umbrella myself gave me a much deeper appreciation of the canal’s heritage.”

Yang Jianwu, President of the Zhejiang Cultural Heritage Protection and Utilization Association and Distinguished Expert at the Zhejiang Urban Governance Research Center, emphasized: “Gaining World Heritage status brings a site into global view and within a rigorous framework of professional conservation. Strict protection standards ensure the preservation of core values and material integrity, securing a foundation for the continued legacy of human civilization.”

Foreign tourists experience jade making techniques in the experience workshop of Liangzhu Ancient City Ruins Park in Hangzhou, Zhejiang.

In the interactive workshop at the Liangzhu Ancient City Ruins Park, Russian student Angie was completely absorbed in polishing a piece of jade. “These aren’t just decorative objects,” she said. With summer break approaching, Angie plans to return to Russia in two weeks.“Through these artifacts, I hope to share the story of this World Heritage site with my family.”

As a powerful testament to China’s 5,000-year civilization, the protection of the Liangzhu site holds extraordinary significance.

According to Sun Haibo, Director of the Cultural Relics and Heritage Division of the Liangzhu Site Management Committee: “The Liangzhu site sits in the humid Jiangnan region. These environmental challenges have pushed us to continually develop new technologies to provide targeted and effective conservation for the site's earthen architecture.”

Interview with Sun Haibo, Director of the Cultural Relics and Heritage Management Bureau of the Liangzhu Site Management Area Management Committee in Hangzhou

To address these challenges, the committee has established a specialized laboratory focused on earthen site preservation in humid environments. This advanced facility covers a range of disciplines, including construction technique analysis, restoration technology development, simulation modeling, monitoring and diagnostics, and biochemical research. “We look forward to deepening collaboration with more research institutions around the world,” Sun added, “to jointly advance innovation in earthen site preservation.”

“Cultural heritage is the soul of a city. To protect it is to safeguard our roots and spirit,” said Gao Xiaohui, Party Secretary and Director of the Hangzhou Bureau of Gardens and Cultural Relics.
“We hope this special occasion inspires all sectors of society to join hands as guardians, inheritors, and ambassadors of cultural heritage.” (End)

译文：

杭州三大“世遗”：文化遗产保护的中国智慧

时值中国第20个“文化和自然遗产日”，记者走进西湖文化景观、中国大运河（杭州段）、良渚古城遗址三大世界文化遗产，了解杭州在文化遗产保护、传承与利用的创新路径。

“水光潋滟晴方好，山色空蒙雨亦奇”，苏轼笔下的西湖美景在数字时代焕发新生。这座拥有两千多年历史的文化景观正与现代科技完美融合。

杭州西湖世界文化遗产监测管理中心主任陈云飞介绍，西湖依托物联网、人工智能等前沿技术，打造了智慧景区建设的“西湖样本”。在湖心亭、太子湾等关键点位，自动监测设备24小时守护着西湖水质，确保水体年均透明度常年保持在80厘米以上，“水下森林”清晰可见。

“我们充分发挥杭州‘数字经济第一城’的优势，建成了一体化智能化公共数据服务平台。”陈云飞表示，“物联感知中心、智能算力中心等五大中心覆盖了文遗保护、生态监测、应急管理等20余个应用场景，为全国景区数字化建设提供了宝贵的‘西湖经验’。”

晚风轻拂，裹挟着湖水的清凉与草木的芬芳，让人顿觉神清气爽。或许正如人们所言，西湖的魔力，便在于能治愈世间一切烦忧。

记者又来到中国大运河（杭州段），这条世界上里程最长、工程最大的古代运河至今仍在发挥着重要作用。

杭州市京杭运河（杭州段）综合保护中心主任房友强介绍：“大运河沟通南北、通江达海，促进中华民族的交流融合和东西方文明交流互鉴，这是当之无愧的民族文化符号和国家文化名片。”

在中国大运河(杭州段）的中国刀剪剑博物馆内，来自法国的徐朗正专注地为自己的油纸伞描绘图画。今年初，他来到中国学习中文，因喜爱自然与美丽的景致，选择在杭州求学。

“中国大运河连接南北，其重要性就像法国的塞纳河，水路交通对国家经济发展意义重大。”徐朗说，亲手制作油纸伞的体验，让他加深了对中国大运河的印象。

浙江省文物保护利用协会会长、浙江省城市治理研究中心特聘专家杨建武表示：“申遗将遗产置于国际视野与专业保护框架之下，通过严格的保护标准与措施，确保遗产本体得到妥善维护，为人类文明的传承保留物质基础。”

在良渚古城遗址公园的体验工坊内，来自俄罗斯留的安吉正专注地打磨玉石。“这些不只是手工艺品。”安吉说，暑期将至，安吉计划两周后返回俄罗斯，“我要把世界遗产的故事，借由这些实物讲给家人听”。

良渚文化作为中华五千年文明史的重要实证，其遗址保护工作具有特殊意义。

杭州良渚遗址管理区管理委员会文物与遗产管理局局长孙海波表示：“良渚遗址地处江南潮湿环境，这种特殊的地理条件促使我们不断创新技术手段，为土遗址保护精准‘把脉’。”

据介绍，为应对潮湿环境下的土遗址保护难题，管理中心专门建立了潮湿环境土遗址保护实验室。该实验室功能完备，涵盖了土遗址建造工艺研究、修复技术开发、模型模拟实验、监测分析以及生物化学研究等多个专业领域。“我们期待未来能与更多研究机构开展合作，共同推进土遗址保护技术的创新发展。”孙海波补充道。

“文化遗产是城市的灵魂，保护文化遗产就是守护我们的‘根’与‘魂’。”杭州市园林文物局党组书记、局长高小辉表示，希望以此次活动为契机，与各方携手共同当好文化遗产的守护者、传承者、传播者。（完）