Museum curator's decades-long quest to preserve and utilize cultural relics

ZHENGZHOU -- Ma Xiaolin, a museum curator in Central China's Henan province, has put a great deal of thought into the management of the Hongqi Canal, a major cultural relic site under national protection.

Every day, more than 200 people patrol the canal, which is a massive irrigation project in Henan's Linzhou city. This engineering feat was built in the 1960s, according to Ma, head of Henan Museum.

"With the proper use of technology, we'll only need 30 people for the canal's management, thus minimising costs while improving efficiency," Ma said after concluding a survey on the protection and utilization of cultural relics with revolutionary legacy.

Ma, 56, is a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). He has spent nearly three decades protecting cultural relics.

Since 2018, when Ma became a member of the 13th CPPCC National Committee, he has submitted proposals on the safety of cultural relics every year.

During a visit to several counties in Henan in 2020, Ma took note of the challenges in the protection and management of lower-level immovable revolutionary cultural relics.

"There are more than 36,000 pieces of immovable revolutionary cultural relics across the country. While those of a higher level are usually well protected, those at a lower level, though huge in quantity, need stronger policy and financial support, more manpower, and better display to improve their protection," Ma said.

The following year, he submitted a targeted proposal at the annual session of the CPPCC National Committee, suggesting a raft of measures to strengthen the protection and utilization of immovable revolutionary cultural relics.

Shortly afterwards, he received a reply from the National Cultural Heritage Administration. At the end of 2021, the administration issued a circular, calling for greater protection of revolutionary cultural relics below the provincial level.

Unfortunately, in July 2021, torrential rain damaged more than 400 cultural heritage sites across Henan.

In response, at the annual session of the CPPCC National Committee in 2022, Ma submitted a proposal aimed at enhancing the emergency response capabilities of museums and other cultural relics protection institutions.

"The safety of cultural relics is a red line not to be crossed," Ma said.

Ma believes that cultural relics are a form of "living history", rather than "static antiques". "Cultural relics have to become part of people's daily lives. It is where their true value lies," he said.

With that in mind, during the top political advisory body's 2019 session, Ma submitted a proposal on popularizing oracle bone inscriptions.

Under the leadership of Ma, Henan Museum has taken several initiatives in recent years to connect the public with the cultural relics held within the museum, including the rollout of archaeological blind boxes that contain replicas of cultural relics.

"With technology and innovation, relics from ancient times could become close friends in life," Ma said.

This year, Ma will continue to focus his work on the protection and utilization of cultural relics, and submit proposals to expand the global influence of Chinese culture.

"Protecting national treasure, having archaeological research at heart, and bringing cultural relics to life. These are among the goals I have pursued throughout my career," Ma said.