"Ancient Paths Spanning Millennia, Imbued with Culture and History”. 

President Xi Jinping emphasized that “The continuity of Chinese civilization fundamentally determines that the Chinese nation must follow its own path. If we don’t understand China from its long-standing historical continuity, it is impossible to understand ancient China, it is impossible to understand modern China, and it is impossible to understand future China.” 

China’s renowned ancient paths are not only significant historical records inscribed on the land but also vibrant showcases of evolving modern civilization. As cultural repositories, they preserve the threads of traditional Chinese cultural heritage and bear the marks of exchanges with other civilizations. 

The Tea Horse Road, the Ancient Shu Road, the Kaolin Road and the Grand Canal — each of these routes connects ancient, contemporary, and future China in its own unique way. 

Since early spring, the "Path Seekers" team has embarked on a journey of exploration, discovery and exchange. Joining the expedition of famous ancient paths are participants from France and the United States, alongside Chinese historians and cultural experts. Together, they traced the roots of traditional Chinese culture, verified the marks of mutual learning between Chinese and foreign civilizations, and gained a deep understanding of the cultural foundation underlying China’s path to modernization. 

On March 15, 2023, Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed the Global Civilization Initiative. According to a China-proposed resolution unanimously adopted by the 78th session of the UN General Assembly, June 10 was designated as the International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations. The resolution advocates for respecting the diversity of civilizations, promoting equal dialogue and mutual respect among them, and fully embodies the core essence of the Global Civilization Initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping.

What is the origin of civilization? How should different civilizations coexist? Where is human civilization headed? Members of diverse nationalities and languages participating in the journey of exploration learn to understand, respect, and trust one another. Through dialogue and exchange, they foster mutual learning between civilizations, continuously refining Chinese wisdom and Chinese solutions for global challenges.

From today, the report on the "Path Seekers" initiative will be posted on the website of Xinhua Daily (https://www.xhby.net), the Jiaohuidian APP, the English website of JiangsuNow (https://english.jschina.com.cn), and other platforms in various languages.  

Chief Producers: Yang Liqun, Shuang Chuanxue 

Chief Planners: Gu Leiming, Liu Wei

Line Producer: Fu Qing 

Chief Coordinator: Shen Zhengrong 

Coordinators: Bao Wenjun, Wang Naiyi 

Creators: Liu Liu, Chen Cheng, Zhu Na, Qian Yingying, Chen Yuwei, Wang Ruifeng 

Art Editor: Zhang Di