At the cultural promotion event of the China Pavilion at the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan held recently, Zhang Jinghua, dean of the Zhou Dunyi Research Institute at Xiangnan University in Chenzhou City, explained the cultural connotations and historical values of cliff carvings and Eight Xiaoxiang Views in Hunan Province.

This is the first time that the exhibition theme of inscriptions on cliffs and eight Xiaoxiang views has been promoted on an international platform. It’s also the latest achievement of Xiangnan University in promoting Hunan culture to go global.

In Osaka, Japan, Zhang Jinghua said in a speech that the distribution of cliff carvings in Hunan province, in terms of time, is a continuation of the Chu bamboo slips of Yangtian Lake, Liye Qin bamboo slips, silk slips from Mawangdui Han tombs, Zoumalou bamboo slips in the Han Dynasty, Zoumalou bamboo slips in Wu State, and Suxianqiao Jin bamboo slips, all of which belong to cultural relics.

In terms of space, it overlaps and corresponds with the Xianggui Waterway, Vietnam Embassy, and the Eight Xiaoxiang Views.

He also proposed the concept of “The Carving Stone Road” corresponding to the distribution of cliff carvings in Hunan province. It indicates that it is not only an ancient transportation route, but also an important carrier for cultural exchange and inheritance.

Since its establishment in 2004, the research team of cliff carvings at Xiangnan University has successively received special funding from the National Social Science Fund for the study of obscure and unique skills.

It has also cooperated with the Yongzhou Wuxi Stele Forest Scenic Area to jointly build a research base, actively promoting the protection, research, and promotion of cliff carvings.

In December 2022, Xiangnan University established the Zhou Dunyi Research Institute and Zhou Dunyi Memorial Hall. The “Lianxi Study Research Base” was approved as a social science research base in Hunan Province, further consolidating the academic foundation of Hunan cultural research.

Xiangnan University has also organized some foreign students to carry out activities such as inscription rubbing, Hanfu etiquette, and study of New Confucianism, to enhance the perception and identification of international youth with Hunan culture.

Zou Hongru, secretary of the Party Committee of Xiangnan University, stated that they would continue to explore and study Hunan culture, expand channels for external exchange and cooperation, and contribute to promoting cultural exchange and mutual learning through various forms such as academic exchanges and cultural exhibitions.

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