Think Tank

Young people need more breakthrough ways to get closer to traditional culture

2025-10-14   

In recent years, in addition to regular sightseeing check ins, a new trend has quietly emerged in some historic cities. Luoyang tour guides have transformed into "one-day tours of historical celebrity cemeteries". This seemingly niche and alternative "tomb visits" are quietly becoming popular among young people, opening a unique door for them to get close to traditional culture. Young people leave painkillers for Cao Cao's tomb and write blessings of "clear sea and clear river" at Wu Hou's tomb, using a way full of life atmosphere to turn historical figures in textbooks into confidant spiritual friends. Behind this is a fundamental shift in contemporary young people's understanding of traditional culture: they reject rigid preaching and one-way output, and crave interaction and empathy to bring traditional culture to life vividly in the present. The rise of "tomb visits" reflects the transformation of young people from observers of traditional culture to participants. In the past, traditional culture was often labeled as heavy, rigid, and shelved, often existing in the form of textual symbols in textbooks and static cultural relics in museums, with a sense of distance. And 'tomb visits' precisely break this sense of distance, this non heavy and warm connection, transforming young people from passive knowledge receivers to active emotional investors. 'Visiting graves' is not only a cultural check-in, but also a spiritual healing for young people to cope with the fast-paced life. Under the pressure of academic and work, chasing after popular celebrities and attending noisy concerts often fails to bring inner peace, while conversing with the "eternal idol in history" can provide a unique spiritual outlet. But the rise of "tomb visits" is only an opportunity and starting point, and the inheritance of traditional culture requires exploring more diverse and in-depth paths to support it. The key to keeping young people close to traditional culture is to grasp the four core elements of empathy, experience, creativity, and community. Building an emotional bridge with traditional culture through empathetic thinking is the first step towards getting closer to it. The charm of "visiting graves" lies in the way young people establish emotional connections with historical figures across time and space by "shedding tears in front of Li Yu's tomb and wandering in front of Du Fu's tomb". When traditional culture transforms from cold knowledge to tangible and perceptible emotional carriers, it can naturally resonate with young people and encourage them to actively approach rather than passively accept it. Immersive experiences can make traditional culture more easily perceived. In the "Tomb Tour", young people sit quietly in front of the tomb and leave messages, which is essentially an immersive historical dialogue. This experience can be further expanded: museums can launch role-playing activities, allowing young people to wear Hanfu to play the role of ancient people and participate in the "imperial examination"; Scenic areas can develop real-life poetry tours. At the Jingting Mountain where Li Bai sang and the Yueyang Tower where Du Fu climbed, young people can follow the lines of poetry to check in and experience the artistic conception of "painting in poetry and painting in poetry", making every site a living classroom. Encouraging young people to become cultural translators is the key to inheriting traditional culture. They are able to interpret historical stories through short videos and scripts, and this creativity that combines traditional elements with modern aesthetics is the core driving force behind the revitalization of traditional culture. Society should provide more tolerance and support, such as establishing creative funds to transform young people's creative ideas into corresponding cultural and creative products and characteristic activities. When young people transform from "cultural audiences" to "cultural creators", traditional culture has the vitality to circulate in the new era. In addition, building a "like-minded community" can sustain the enthusiasm for getting close to traditional culture. The power of community can turn individual experiences into collective memories. Online reading of ancient books and historical debates, offline organizing traditional craft workshops and visiting ancient sites for research, bringing together like-minded young people to deepen their understanding of traditional culture through communication and continue this passion through interaction. 'Visiting graves' is just a starting point, it reflects the young people's desire for spiritual resonance and their pursuit of the roots of traditional culture. When we use empathy as a bond, experience as a carrier, creativity as a driving force, and community as a support, we can build more bridges for young people to get closer to traditional culture. When young people are no longer spectators of culture, but participants and creators, the spark of ancient civilization will surely shine even brighter in the new era. (New Society)

Edit:Luo yu Responsible editor:Jia jia

Source:Beijing Youth Daily

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