The 8,000-year-old dugout canoe unearthed at the Kuahuqiao Site in Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang province. [Photo/VCG]
In April 2005, Xi Jinping, then Party Secretary of Zhejiang province, visited the Kuahuqiao Site in the provincial capital of Hangzhou on a fact-finding trip. The site yielded an 8,000-year-old dugout canoe — one of the oldest surviving in the world.
As several photographers crossed into the restricted area around the canoe to get a better angle, Xi kindly asked them to step back.
"Taking photos is secondary — protecting cultural relics comes first," Xi said.
The small episode reflected Xi's long-standing commitment to preserving China's cultural heritage.
Xi once called cultural relics "a valuable legacy from our ancestors", saying they embody China's history, culture and splendid civilization and sustain a great national spirit.
"The protection of cultural relics is the duty of the current generation and will benefit many generations to come," Xi said.
