The first Beijing Nanhaizi Culture Forum was held in Beijing's Daxing district on Dec 8, aiming to collect advice and suggestions from experts and scholars on promoting Nanhaizi culture.

It was the first high-profile academic forum focusing on the research of Nanhaizi culture in China.

“Nanhaizi was a very important site in the Qing dynasty (1644-1911),” said Dai Yi, head of the National Commission for the Compilation of Qing Dynasty History, adding that it was a political and cultural center at that time.

Emperors Shunzhi and Kangxi often dealt with governmental affairs in Nanhaizi at the beginning of their reigns and the area witnessed exchanges between nomadic and farming groups, including both friendly exchanges and wars, Dai said.

"Nanhaizi is one of Beijing's two ‘kidneys’ ,"said Wang Qiheng, professor of the School of Architecture College of Tianjin University and an expert as well on imperial gardens of the Qing Dynasty.

"The first ‘kidney’ of Beijing is in its northwestern suburbs, and the second is in Nanhaizi area," Wang stated.

Wang said Liangshui River and Fenghe River originated directly from Nanhaizi, which is a key link of Beijing's hydro ecology and water system, and play an important role in the transportation and water conservancy system in North China.

Nanhaizi culture is a legacy of “Kang Qian Shengshi”, Zhu Chengru, deputy director of the National Commission for the Compilation of Qing Dynasty History said, adding that Nanhaizi served as a military base for grand martial drills and parades. The emperor Qianlong reviewed his troops in Nanhaizi, which reflects its prominence at that time.

An exhibition featuring Nanhaizi was launched to demonstrate the glories and prosperity of the Liao (916-1125), Jin (1115-1234), Yuan (1271-1368), Ming (1368-1644) and Qing dynasties with the help of pictures, miniatures, 3D and VR technology.

Precious cultural relics kept by the National Library of China and the Zhejiang provincial museum were also on display at the exhibition.

Emperor Shunzi and Qianlong in the Qing dynasty respectively received the 5th and 6th Panchen Lama at the temple.

It was announced at the forum that a film on Nanhaizi's Deshou Temple is upcoming.

According to the organizer, the film project was launched in June 2018 with the support of the publicity department of Daxing district and the screen writing has been completed.