The cultural seed bank of a civilization

Wenhan Ge, the headquarters of the China National Archives of Publications and Culture, now holds exhibitions of important artifacts, including ancient maps. [PHOTO BY JIANG DONG/CHINA DAILY]

Books, magazines and various items on display provide visitors with a unique insight into the national sense of identity, Yang Yang reports.

At Wenhan Ge (pavilion), the headquarters of the China National Archives of Publications and Culture, which sits at the foot of the Yanshan Mountains 40 kilometers from downtown Beijing, visitors can see a number of exhibitions featuring various precious "editions" that carry the gene of the Chinese civilization.

Inaugurated in July 2022, CNAPC consists of the headquarters Wenhan Ge in Beijing and three branches: Wenji Ge in Xi'an, Northwest China's Shaanxi province, Wenrun Ge in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang province, and Wenqin Ge in Guangzhou, South China's Guangdong province.

In a broad sense, ancient books, inscribed bronze ware, newspapers or food vouchers that carry distinct marks of different times, tapes, and even the first line of the code created to check people's COVID-19 test results, are all edition resources that record the historical process of a culture.