Editor's note: 

The opening ceremony for the Chinese Traditional Culture Museum (CTCM), along with the launch of the Treasures of China: An Exhibition of Chinese Intangible Cultural Heritage and Arts and Crafts, kicked off in Beijing on Feb 5. Han Ziyong, president of the Chinese National Academy of Arts and director of the museum, introduced the construction and exhibition arrangements of the venue. Below are the key points from Han's speech:

The CTCM was established in 1990. In 2006, it was transferred to the administration under the former Ministry of Culture and managed by the Chinese National Academy of Arts. After relocating in 2008, the museum faced a period without a permanent site and had to halt most operations. In 2007, Chang Shana, designer and scholar of Dunhuang art, wrote to the State Council, urging the reconstruction of the museum. Several members of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and the National People's Congress deputies also proposed the establishment of a national museum for intangible cultural heritage, including arts and crafts.

China has a long-standing tradition of etiquette and music, with a rich heritage of traditional folk customs. As early as the Stone Age, the industrious and wise Chinese ancestors created a unique and unparalleled jade culture, symbolizing virtue and auspiciousness. Over 5,000 years, traditional Chinese folk culture, including handicrafts, has flourished and serves as a historical testament to the enduring and profound Chinese civilization.

Since 2000, with the process of globalization and deepened international cultural exchanges, China has entered a new phase of protecting, inheriting and boosting its national and folk culture. China has the most items inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and has established a four-tier protection system for intangible cultural heritage. In 2011, the NPC passed the Law of the People's Republic of China on Intangible Cultural Heritage.

To coordinate the development of intangible cultural heritage and arts and crafts, the former Ministry of Culture proposed a project to the State Council for a venue that integrates both functions. In 2011, the State Council approved, and the National Development and Reform Commission approved the "Two Museums" project. In August 2018, the commission approved the feasibility study report for the project. The "Two Museums" project has a floor area of 91,126 square meters, with a budget of about 1.54 billion yuan ($212.12 million), and was included in the key cultural construction projects during the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20) period.

The construction of the "Two Museums" shares the same site as the construction of the Museum of the Communist Party of China. The "Two Museums" project commenced on March 30, 2019, with the underground structure completed on Jan 13, 2020, and the main structure finished on July 31, 2020. By June 2021, the building's facade and surrounding environment were completed, in time for the major events marking the Party's centenary. 

The project broke ground on March 30, 2019, and was completed and accepted on Jan 5, 2022. Its construction took 1,012 days and involved over 8,000 builders. The project was completed safely, efficiently and with integrity, without exceeding the budget, area, or timeline.

Looking back at the past three years, the successful completion and operation of the museum are attributed to the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee, the support from the Central Publicity Department, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Finance, the Central Organization Department of the CPC, and Beijing municipal government, as well as the leadership and efforts of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and the hard work of over 8,000 workers.

The construction of the CTCM was not easy. It is crucial to manage and utilize the museum effectively, tell the stories of Chinese intangible cultural heritage and arts and crafts well, and meet the public's new expectations for a better life. 

According to the instructions from the central leadership and the requirements of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the "Two Museums" will open during the Spring Festival holiday.

Yesterday, the grand opening of the Beijing Winter Olympics took place. To support the Olympics and Paralympics, as a key cultural project for these events, under the leadership of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, we swiftly coordinated the completion and acceptance of the construction with the exhibition preparation. Leveraging the strong academic resources and rich collections of the Chinese National Academy of Arts, we simultaneously advanced the planning, design and setup of the Treasures of China: An Exhibition of Chinese Intangible Cultural Heritage and Arts and Crafts.

The Treasures of China exhibition consists of eight sections, covering arts and crafts, guqin, traditional musical instruments, traditional fine arts, opera, seal carving and rubbings, traditional New Year pictures, opera performances, and academic lectures. 

A total of 1,298 items are exhibited, 80 percent of which are displayed to the public for the first time, with most of the exhibits being treasures accumulated by the Chinese National Academy of Arts over 70 years. The exhibition also features interactive elements, with QR codes for each exhibit providing audio-visual explanations.

A journey of 1,000 miles begins with a single step. As a national museum established in the new era, standing at the starting point of the new journey towards building a modern socialist country, we are determined to create a world-class museum for Chinese arts and crafts and intangible cultural heritage and contribute to the construction of a culturally strong nation.