At the heart of China's cultural reawakening lies an overarching vision from President Xi Jinping that sees museums not merely as repositories of artifacts, but as vital engines of learning and cultural rejuvenation.
From heritage sites preserved for millennia to bustling ancient streets being revitalized across the nation, China s cultural venues, including museums, are enjoying a boom in popularity. They also are emerging as dynamic educational institutions and serving as bridges between the past and present as well as between different peoples.
A scene in Mission Impossible III involving Tom Cruise running through the small alleys of a picturesque town in China left a deep impression on some of those who watched and propelled Xitang, an ancient town in Jiashan county, Jiaxing, Zhejiang province, where the scene was filmed in 2005, to a leading role in tourism.