The Shangshan Archaeological Park in Pujiang county, Jinhua. [Photo/IC]
The "Zhijiang Tongxin: 2026 Fifth Designers' China Tour" commenced in Pujiang county, Jinhua, Zhejiang province, on March 23. This event aims to unite design talents from colleges and institutions to explore new paths for the innovative development of Shangshan culture.
Shangshan culture, a Neolithic culture dating back 11,000 to 8,500 years in the Jinqu Basin in the middle and western part of Zhejiang, has been widely recognized as a source of rice agriculture, with many related relics found at its archeological sites.
At the event, the China Design Award's Shangshan Culture (Pujiang) Creative Product Design Competition was launched, encouraging designs inspired by artifacts like painted pottery and rice remains from the Shangshan cultural sites, rejuvenating traditional culture through modern design.
"Shangshan culture is a key source of Chinese civilization, offering endless inspiration for contemporary design," said Lu Xiaobo, a distinguished professor of liberal arts at Tsinghua University.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the naming of "Shangshan culture". Over 30 renowned designers gathered to visit the Shangshan Archaeological Park, drawing inspiration from its ancient rice farming culture.
Zhuo Shiyao from the Taiwan Design Alliance reflected on his first visit to Pujiang, saying Shangshan is a promising source of inspiration for designers. The competition will run until August, culminating in awards for top designs.
A think tank of designers was established at the event, supporting the development of Shangshan-themed creative products and the application for World Heritage status of the Shangshan cultural site cluster.
