BEIJING, Dec. 8, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- The restored Notre-Dame
de Paris cathedral reopened on
Sunday, following a grand ceremony held the day before. In his
speech at the ceremony, French President Emmanuel Macron expressed gratitude on behalf of
the French people to "all those who saved, helped and rebuilt the
cathedral." On the cathedral's exterior walls, the words "thank
you" were displayed in multiple languages. After the fire caused
the collapse of the spire and the roof, the restoration of
Notre-Dame was considered an
"impossible task" due to its immense difficulty. The cathedral's
rebirth from the flames is the result of collective strength and
effort.
"Architecture is the great book of humanity," wrote the French
literary giant Victor Hugo in his
masterpiece Notre Dame de Paris, also known as The Hunchback of
Notre Dame, highlighting the profound
value of architecture in human civilization. Standing on Île de la
Cité in Paris, a small island in
the Seine River, Notre-Dame
de Paris cathedral has witnessed the
history of France, symbolizing the
spirit of French humanism and serving as a precious heritage of
human civilization. After the abrupt fire of 2019, many countries
extended their support for the restoration of Notre-Dame de Paris,
with China being the first country
to reach an intergovernmental agreement with France for the cathedral's restoration,
allowing Chinese experts to participate in the restoration project.
In February of this year, specialists from the Emperor
Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum in China's Shaanxi
Province went to Paris to assist with the conservation and
restoration of Notre-Dame. China and France have jointly initiated scientific
research on the preservation of wooden relics and earthen sites
from both Notre-Dame and the Mausoleum
of Emperor Qinshihuang. This marks the first international study of
charred wood samples from Notre-Dame,
with the Chinese team being the first non-French professionals to
ascend the cathedral's spire.
When placing Mausoleum of Qinshihuang and Notre-Dame cathedral side by side, people often
focus on the "differences" and "diversity" between them. However,
when viewed from the perspective of civilization, their
commonalities begin to emerge: Both are symbols of ancient
civilizations, both have suffered from fires, and both face complex
preservation challenges, among other similarities.
It is precisely this connection through civilization that allows
the people of China and
France to feel a sense of shared
empathy across borders for Notre-Dame's
disaster. As the modern Chinese Confucian master, Gu Hongming, said
in his book The Spirit of the Chinese People: "Only the French seem
to understand the Chinese people and Chinese civilization best, as
they have to a preeminent degree a quality of mind which, above all
things, is necessary to understand the real Chinese people and the
Chinese civilization."
In fact, the cooperation between China and France regarding the restoration of
Notre-Dame de
Paris cathedral is just one aspect of the broader
collaboration in architectural heritage preservation and cultural
exchange between the two countries. French architecture represents
Western architectural art, and the traditional architectures of
China and France differ not only in materials but also
in styles. However, scholars from both countries have discovered
through mutual learning that the similarities in their
architectural arts are beyond people's imagination. For example,
the "forest" of Notre-Dame is actually
very similar to the Xieshan roof style architectural structure in
China. This illustrates the
significance of exchange and mutual learning, where both sides
promote and enhance understanding through interaction, allowing the
civilizations of both parties to radiate new vitality, thereby
enriching the diversity of human civilization.
This is especially relevant today. In the over five years since
the fire at Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral, many events have occurred
worldwide, such as the global COVID-19 pandemic, the stalemate in
the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and the resurgence of
conflict in the Middle East, among
others. It can be said that the world, much like Notre-Dame five years ago, urgently needs "repair"
and protection. In fact, when the bells of Notre-Dame ring again, it will have already
demonstrated that human society can turn the "impossible" into the
possible through unity and cooperation, and this exemplifies the
power of mutual learning among civilizations. It indicates that the
correct way to "repair" the world lies in the mutual exchange,
learning, and cooperation between different civilizations.
The newly restored Notre-Dame
de Paris cathedral has made a
meaningful arrangement. At the top of the church's spire, a new
gilded copper rooster sculpture contains a scroll naming 2,000
individuals who participated in the restoration, honoring their
contributions. The rebirth of Notre-Dame is not only the result of France's own efforts but also a product of
international collaboration. In today's world, humanity lives in a
diverse environment composed of various cultures, races, skin
colors, religions, and social systems, forming a community of
shared destiny. To break down the barriers and prejudices between
civilizations and to avoid conflicts and confrontations, it is
essential to promote mutual respect and harmonious coexistence
among different civilizations. This will allow cultural exchanges
and mutual learning to serve as a bridge for enhancing friendship
among peoples, a driving force for the progress of human society,
and a bond for maintaining world peace.
Nearly two hundred years ago, Hugo revealed the value of
equality through the contrast of beauty and ugliness, good and
evil, in Notre Dame de Paris. Today, to understand the essence of
various civilizations, it is even more important to uphold an
attitude of equality and humility, to discard arrogance and
prejudice, and to respect each other's differences with an
inclusive and open spirit. Although Notre-Dame has reopened, its complete restoration
will still take time. This means that cooperation across
civilizations will continue to deepen, and such "repair" is
something the world needs more of.
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SOURCE Global Times
