The Wuyue Kingdom, founded by Qian Liu from Lin'an, took Qiantang (present-day Hangzhou) as its capital from 907 to 978, leaving behind a rich cultural legacy. As modern-day residents of Hangzhou and global citizens, how should we reconnect with that glorious past?

On July 27, another sharing session on Wuyue Kingdom legacy was organized. Held at Hangzhou News Building, the event invited two seasoned experts to guide citizens through time, unlocking the mysteries of the Wuyue Kingdom and Hangzhou's hidden historical codes.

Fu Qiang, deputy director of the Yijin City Archaeological Site Park in Lin'an district.

Fu Qiang, deputy director of the Yijin City Archaeological Site Park in Lin'an district, delivered a keynote, drawing on recent archaeological discoveries from the Wuyue Cultural Museum and royal tombs. He revealed the deep historical layers hidden beneath Lin'an — once the homeland of Wuyue's founding ruler, Qian Liu.

Fu also highlighted the Wuyue Cultural Museum, China's first comprehensive museum dedicated to Wuyue heritage. Among its most treasured artifacts is a rare collection of mi se ci (secret-colored celadon), including three masterpieces — a lamp, an incense burner, and a covered jar — all decorated with intricate cloud patterns. These items are listed as national treasures that are prohibited from leaving China, and they represent the artistic pinnacle of Wuyue craftsmanship.

Wei Zhuting, deputy director of the Wuyue History and Culture Research Center, Zhejiang Provincial Museum.

Wei Zhuting, deputy director of the Wuyue History and Culture Research Center at Zhejiang Provincial Museum, zoomed in on historical relics across Hangzhou, from Leifeng Pagoda's underground palace to the misty stone caves of Yanxia Cave. Through maps, fieldwork, and vivid storytelling, he guided the audience on an archaeological adventure through the Wuyue Kingdom.

He revealed that in 893, Qian Liu led the expansion of Hangzhou's city walls, establishing the framework for the future capital. Then in 910, he organized the construction of a large stone seawall along the Qiantang River to protect against its powerful tidal surges. These two major engineering projects — city expansion and tidal defense — together laid the foundation for the Hangzhou we know today.

Wei explained that West Lake's famous tradition of building pagodas actually started during the Wuyue period. Well-known landmarks like Leifeng Pagoda and Baochu Pagoda were originally built under the orders of the Wuyue royal family, and some of them still exist today. At the event, visitors could also see images of ancient stone carvings and Buddhist relics, showing how much the Wuyue rulers valued religion, art, and large-scale cultural projects.

Quoting the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127) poet Liu Yong's Wanghaichao, he concluded: "The Wuyue Kingdom's 72 years of peace and prosperity paved the way for Hangzhou's lasting grandeur."

The audience included international students from Zhejiang University of Science and Technology and local families with kids. After the talks, a bilingual quiz got everyone's brains buzzing. Participants raced to answer questions about Wuyue history in both Chinese and English.

The kid with gifts.

After the event, participants shared their thoughts. Kotovskaia Uliana from Russia said, "Learning about ancient kingdoms like Wuyue helps me understand China more deeply! I had no idea West Lake had different names or that Hangzhou used to be a capital city. I learned so much today." She hopes more events like this will go beyond language — and truly teach culture.

Kotovskaia Uliana, Russia.

Piotr Zawadzki from Poland, who has worked in Hangzhou for four years, was amazed: "This event showed a whole new face of Hangzhou." He knows downtown well, but not the hidden treasures of Lin'an. "I'll definitely hike to Yijin city, visit the museum, and hike to that legendary ancient tower!"

Li Hui and his daughter Li Anyi.

Li Hui brought his daughter, Li Anyi, who's about to start Grade 5. He hoped the event would fill some gaps in her knowledge of her hometown's history. "She's lived in Hangzhou for years but still doesn't know much about its past," he said. Li Anyi was fascinated by the story of King Qian building the Qiantang seawall and even raised her hand to ask a question. The family loves history and often visits museums — now they've got a new destination: "Next week, we're going to the Yijin city site!"