As part of the World Mayors Dialogue in Luoyang, mayors and city representatives from multiple countries visited Luoyi Ancient City to witness a daily scene unique to Luoyang. The lanes are filled with people in Hanfu. Locals joke that "a princess every three steps, a noble lady every five". The charm of the Tang Dynasty is not a staged performance, but a living daily sight in this ancient town.
As dusk fell, red lanterns lit up Luoyi Ancient City, with bluestone paths stretching into the distance. The foreign mayors strolled slowly through the alleys. Everywhere they looked, residents and visitors walked calmly in diverse styles of Hanfu, their flowing robes set against ancient buildings and glowing lanterns. At the ancient city's intangible cultural heritage experience zone, overseas guests stopped to take part in hands-on activities. Some tried on tiger-head hats, while others put on Hanfu to experience the beauty of traditional Oriental costumes. Performances unfolded on the ancient stage. The interplay of lights, water and elegantly robed visitors made the overseas guests feel as if they had stepped into a market scene from the prosperous Tang Dynasty.
Many of these mayors have toured historic cities across the globe. They remarked that heritage sites in many places exist only as static museum exhibits, separated from ordinary people's daily lives. What struck them most about Luoyang is that the city does not lock its history away. Instead, drawing on its rich Heluo and Sui-Tang cultural roots, Luoyang carries its ancient civilisation forward into the future.
Ancient alleyways, traditional costumes and intangible heritage crafts are no longer distant historical symbols found only in books. They are cultural carriers woven into modern life. Hanfu has become a popular wardrobe choice for young people. Workshops for intangible cultural heritage welcome visitors. Folk traditions are open to hands-on experiences, and age-old cultural heritage has become an internal driving force for urban development.
The foreign guests said the visit reshaped their understanding of ancient capitals. Luoyang has revitalised and passed down its history, letting the grace of the Tang Dynasty take root in modern urban life. This city development model, rooted in ancient heritage yet oriented toward the future, offers a replicable Luoyang model for the preservation and renewal of historic cultural cities worldwide.
(Source: Liu Rui)
Related News:
Watch This | Cultural heritage bridges people, says Greek official inspired by dynamic Luoyang
Comment