Shaanxi launches cultural heritage event

To celebrate China's 9th Heritage Day on June 14, Shaanxi province launched a cultural heritage event on Saturday.

Organized by Shaanxi provincial administration of cultural heritage and supported by Hanyangling Museum and Xianyang city administration of cultural heritage and tourism, the event aims to enhance awareness and understanding of the society about cultural heritage, to promote the protection and development of cultural heritage, to carry forward the fine traditional Chinese culture and to create a positive atmosphere for the whole society to participate in the protection of cultural heritage.

The activity called Walking on the Wuling Highland and Experiencing the Western Han (a dynasty that ruled from BC 206 to AD 9) it encourages visitors to walk on the highland over an area of about 500 sq km around the ancient royal tombs' area and the mausoleums of nine emperors of the Western Han Dynasty.

More than 500 cultural heritage officials, archaeologists, experts, scholars and social volunteers took part in the activity and walked around the Hanyangling and visited the museum after the activity's opening ceremony to experience the ancient cultural heritage.

Hanyangling, which was built between BC 153 and BC 126, is the mausoleum of Emperor Hanjingdi and his wife. Emperor Hanjingdi named Liu Qi (BC 188 – BC 141) was the sixth emperor of the Western Han Dynasty (BC 206 – AD 9).

The mausoleum was excavated in May 1990 and the museum displaying the 1,800 cultural relics was unearthed from the mausoleum opened to the public on Sept 30 in 1999.