The Chinese Emphasis on Culture: Manifestation of Nationalism or a Return to Basics?

As global cultural dynamics evolve and digital technologies reshape the transmission of heritage, China’s re-emergence on the world stage commands growing international attention. From the ancient Silk Road to the viral success of Black Myth: Wukong, Chinese heritage has long crossed borders. Its latest reception, however, signals a new chapter — one shaped by policy, creativity, and digital diffusion. Since “Culture” was added to the CCP’s Four Confidences in 2016, China has positioned itself as not only a geopolitical actor but also a cultural force. 

China’s influence has long been rooted in its civilisational legacy of knowledge, trade, and innovation: 

• Printing, gunpowder, and the compass originated in China. 

• Paper money was introduced during the Song Dynasty in 1023 CE. 

• The Han era expanded the Silk Road and cultural exchange. 

• The Ming era drove maritime trade and built the Forbidden City. 

Yet deeper questions remain: 

• How did Chinese philosophy, martial arts, and religion become early instruments of soft power? 

• What role has the diaspora played in promoting Chinese culture abroad, and how have nostalgia and evolving identity shaped new expressions of it? 

• To what extent is modern Chinese culture an organic product of civilisation and to what extent does deliberate statecraft guide it? 

Join the final virtual conference of GIFT’s “China in the World” 2025 series, free to attend via Zoom. 

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From the Silk Road to global screens, Chinese culture has long shaped the world, blending ancient traditions with modern expression. This conference will explore how China’s cultural renaissance is perceived at home and abroad, and its impact on global engagement