The 3rd Liangzhu Forum
The 3rd Liangzhu Forum will be held in Yuhang District, east China’s Hangzhou from October 18 to 20, showcasing the symbiosis of global civilizations as well as an innovative way of how a city can blend the ancient and the modern.
In Yuhang, on one side lies the archaeological ruins of Liangzhu — slumbering for 5,000 years — where jade cong (ritual jade artifacts), ancient dams, and the layout of the old city stand as tangible proof of China’s glorious early civilization. On the other, modern cities and communities evolve constantly; in sleek yet poetic workspaces, young innovators wield technology like a brush to script a new chapter of history.
Through the mutual empowerment of heritage protection and urban development, Yuhang has not only breathed life into this millennium-old legacy but also drawn cultural and creative industries, as well as global young talent, to take root. Today, it stands as a one-of-a-kind landmark — where deep historical roots meet youthful energy.
Technology as a Shield: Keeping the Millennium-Old Heritage Visible and Secure
Preserving Liangzhu’s earthen ruins was once a global challenge. In southern China’s humid climate, soil erodes quickly; seepage, microbial activity, and even the faint thud of tourists’ footsteps all threaten this fragile heritage. Instead of locking it away in sealed protection, Liangzhu turned to technology to build a digital safety net.
At the Laohuling Dam Ruins, a massive white protective shell wraps around the 5,000-year-old water conservancy project like an eggshell. Inside, water level gauges, infrared cameras, and small weather stations monitor humidity, temperature, and water levels in real time. The moment abnormal data is detected, the drainage system kicks in automatically. Across the entire 162-square-kilometer heritage protection zone, over 600 cameras, 5 drone ports, and underground sensor cables weave together a 3D intelligent monitoring network.
Technology is more than a guardian — it is a time tunnel linking past and present. At the archaeological ruins of Liangzhu park, scanning a QR code near the Mojiaoshan Ruins makes a Neolithic palace “emerge” in visitors’ phone screens, with wooden beams and thatched roofs crisply visible. Inside Liangzhu Museum, putting on AR glasses and reaching toward a jade cong in a display case brings a virtual version of the artifact “breaking out” and settling into the palm of one’s hand.
This summer, a new VR project was introduced to elevate this experience further: donning headsets, visitors will “travel back” to Liangzhu 5,000 years ago, watching ancestors tend rice fields, carve jade in workshops, and hold rituals in plazas. In just 35 minutes, they will live through the rise and fall of this civilization.
“Cultural relics may fade, but data endures forever,” says Luo Xiaohong, director of the digital information department at Liangzhu Museum. As early as 2014, Liangzhu launched its cultural relics digitization initiative. Now, a new round of data collection is underway: over 200 precious artifacts will gain permanent digital lives, ensuring that even thousands of years from now, people can still “touch” this civilization through a screen.
Culture as the Core: Liangzhu Cultural Corridor Becomes Fertile Ground for Global Digital Creativity
Liangzhu’s allure extends beyond its ancient ruins. In 2022, Yuhang District launched the Liangzhu Cultural Corridor, with Liangzhu culture at its heart. This corridor weaves together Canal culture, Jingshan culture, Tiaoxi culture, and digital culture, advancing cultural development in a connected, corridor-style model, and emerging as an incubator for the global digital cultural industry.
Within the corridor’s industrial ecosystem, the fusion of technology and culture spawns one innovation after another. At Small Design, employees can create a comic strip in just 90 seconds: the company’s self-developed AI tool streamlines the 11-step traditional comic creation process to 5, cutting costs by 37%. Suoyi Technology Enabled Vision, a firm specializing in 3D computer imaging and digital animation, has integrated AIGC into its production workflow, slashing the overall cycle by 60% and reducing costs to 50-60% of the industry average.
Such enterprises are far from rare here. Today, the Liangzhu Cultural Corridor is home to over 1,000 enterprises above the designated size, with growing strength in digital content, animation, and gaming. This 5,000-year-old civilization has become a sought-after IP in the global creative industry.
To support these businesses, Yuhang District has rolled out 20 industrial policies to promote the cultural industry, offering end-to-end support from talent recruitment to project launch. It has also established a 200-million-yuan fund for literary and artistic development and a 200-million-yuan micro-drama fund, injecting capital into every link of the chain — from creation and filming to distribution.
In 2024, 203 of Yuhang’s cultural enterprises above the designated size achieved 609.978 billion yuan in revenue and 191.82 billion yuan in added value, accounting for over 55% of Hangzhou’s total in both metrics. A single district now contributes half of the city’s cultural industry growth.
Livability as Its Charm: Global Youth Settle in Yuhang to Share a Better Life
Liangzhu’s appeal goes beyond industrial opportunities as it makes living amid history a reality. This livable atmosphere radiates from Liangzhu New City to the entire Yuhang District, drawing young people from around the world to build their homes here.
As evening falls, the Yuying Bridge by Yuhu Lake lights up with rainbow-hued glow, spanning the water like a floating arc. Around the lake, art galleries, markets, and camps have sprung up, earning it the nickname “an art gallery without ceilings or walls” among young people. Along Liangzhu Port, 13 cultural installations dot the greenway: some mimic the shape of jade cong, others bear patterns from Liangzhu pottery. What was once an ordinary riverbank has transformed into an open-air cultural corridor, which is perfect for strolling and photography. On weekends, the Liangzhu 5000+ art & innovation park hosts a steady stream of cultural and creative markets and art exhibitions, each more vibrant than the last.
Yuhang has linked high-quality resources across three key areas: the Liangzhu Cultural Corridor, the Hangzhou West Science and Technology Innovation Corridor, and the central axis of Hangzhou’s major new urban center.
On one hand, abundant cultural heritage and facilities offer young people diverse spaces for sports, art, and reading. On the other, the thriving tech industry opens up vast horizons for innovation and entrepreneurship, turning the vision of “experiencing history in Liangzhu, chasing one’s dream in Yuhang” into reality.
Along the central axis, landmark cultural venues like concert halls, grand theaters, and libraries add to the city’s dynamic, youthful energy. At the China Liangzhu Digital Culture Community, enterprises covering games, animation, film/television, and the metaverse employ nearly 4,000 digital trade professionals, many of whom moved here from Shanghai, Beijing, or even abroad, lured by Yuhang’s reputation.
From a cradle of civilization 5,000 years ago to a core engine driving Yuhang’s high-quality development today, Liangzhu has preserved its roots through protection, unlocked the future with technology, and united people through a high quality of life. Every mound here holds a piece of history; every enterprise nurtures creativity; every young person writes a new chapter in this civilization’s story.
For the world, Liangzhu stands as proof: ancient heritage and modern life are never at odds. They can empower each other, growing together into a future brimming with vitality.
Source: The 3rd Liangzhu Forum