Wuyue Culture Nourishes Chinese Civilization over Millennia

Trams carrying tourists travel through the Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City Park in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, July 4, 2024. [Xinhua]

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that over the course of history, Chinese civilization has reached numerous cultural pinnacles thanks to its defining innovative vitality, unbroken continuity and steadfast cultural inheritance. We launch the "Cultural China" series to take you on a journey to explore the unique charm and humanistic essence of China's regional cultures.

The tumultuous era known as the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC) witnessed the rise of two states, Wu and Yue, in the basin of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River which was one of the important cradles of Chinese civilization. Recent archaeological excavations and related research have revealed that this region is the birthplace of rice agriculture, primitive porcelain-making and man-made canals in China. Its brilliant culture has infused Chinese civilization with a spirit of exploration, inclusiveness, and innovation. In the first episode of this series, we will take an in-depth look at Wuyue culture.

A photo taken on Aug 6, 2025 shows the West Lake scenic area in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. [People's Daily]

Wuyue culture represents the core of Jiangnan culture which refers to the culture in the south of the Yangtze River, and is an important component of the Chinese culture. It comprises Wu culture, centered in the Taihu Lake basin, and Yue culture, centered in the Qiantang River basin. During the Spring and Autumn Period, the two cultures interacted and merged amid conflicts between the states of Wu and Yue, gradually developing into a relatively unified cultural identity.

Over thousands of years, Wuyue culture, with its distinctive local characteristics and profound humanistic heritage, has produced many outstanding cultural achievements of global value. It has significantly propelled the economic development and social progress of the Jiangnan region, and made unique contributions to the development of the Chinese nation.

Cargo ships travel along the Tantai Lake section of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, May 9, 2026. [People's Daily]

Taking shape during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods (770-221 BC), Wuyue culture further embraced the open and inclusive ethos that defined the prosperous Tang Dynasty (618-907). Through long-standing integration and accumulation, it has eventually developed into a regional culture characterized by inclusiveness, openness, pragmatism and integrity.

During the turbulent Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period (907-960), the Kingdom of Wuyue adopted the strategic policies of safeguarding the territory, maintaining social stability and ceasing warfare to benefit the people. This governance strategy ushered in a prolonged period of steady development across eastern and western Zhejiang. It forged Zhejiang's unique cultural identity for centuries afterward and laid a solid foundation for the enduring prosperity of the Yangtze River Delta in subsequent ages.

As the Song Dynasty (960-1279) ushered in a new era, Wuyue culture blossomed into a sophisticated aesthetic system, molding the innate character of the Wuyue people. They carry themselves with mild grace while harboring unyielding resolve, remaining humble and poised deep within. In modern times, the pragmatic and enterprising elements of Wuyue culture injected vitality into industrial and commercial innovation. It became a historical source of Haipai culture, or Shanghai-style culture, which emerged from the fusion of traditional Chinese culture and Western industrial civilization.

A visitor photographs Shang Yu Tie, a cursive script handscroll by Eastern Jin (317-420) calligrapher Wang Xizhi, at the Chinese Calligraphy Gallery of the Shanghai Museum East on November 14, 2024. [Xinhua]

For thousands of years, Wuyue culture has driven the development of the Jiangnan region (the area south of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River) and influenced the course of Chinese history. Throughout history, multiple major phases of cultural fusion within the Wuyue region have ushered in successive eras of cultural boom and economic prosperity.

During the Western Jin Dynasty (265-316), a large number of people migrated from the north to the south, bringing with them classical texts, systems of rites and music, and advanced agricultural and handicraft techniques. This marked the beginning of the southward shift of China's cultural center, and the Wuyue region had entered an important period of integrated cultural development.

During the Tang Dynasty (618-907), the Wuyue region witnessed a vibrant flowering of literary arts and became a magnet for eminent literati and scholars from across the country. More than 400 poets, including Li Bai and Du Fu, traveled to eastern Zhejiang, creating more than 1,500 poems that paved the way for the "Tang Poetry Road in East Zhejiang", a path that has endured for more than 1,000 years.

From the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties (1271-1911) into modern times, Wuyue culture flourished further and began to extend its influence northward. This cultural influence was evident not only in literature and art but also in science, technology and philosophy. In the mid to late Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the Yangming School, founded by Wang Yangming, a Chinese philosopher and educator who emphasized unity of knowledge and action, made significant theoretical contributions to and innovative developments in traditional Confucianism.

In modern times, as Western learning spread eastward, the Wuyue region stood at the forefront of this cultural exchange. This led to the emergence of numerous reformists and revolutionary intellectuals who played a crucial role in China's intellectual enlightenment and social transformation. With the advent of reform and opening up in 1978, the Yangtze River Delta, led by Shanghai and flanked by Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces, rapidly rose to prominence, revitalizing Wuyue culture.

This photo taken on July 23, 2025 shows the Suzhou Industrial Park in Jiangsu Province. [People's Daily]

Today, culture is increasingly intertwined with the economy and politics, becoming a vital source of national cohesion and creativity, as well as a key factor in the competition for comprehensive national power. The Wuyue region, lying at the core area of the Yangtze River Delta, has undergone extensive interaction and integration, sharing a common dialect, customs and cultural characteristics. This has gradually developed into a distinctive culture with homogeneous elements, standing out among China's regional cultures. The Yangtze River Delta, which shares Wuyue culture, is thriving on the path of regional economic integration precisely because of this cultural compatibility.