On April 17th, good news came from UNESCO - a new batch of documentary heritage was included in the Memory of the World Register, adding valuable wealth to the world's memory. This includes the "Sui Zhou Zeng Hou Yi Bianzhong" and "Shaolin Temple Stele (566-1990)" declared by China, as well as the Zheng He relic "Bu Shi Ceylon Mountain Buddhist Temple Stele (February 15, 1409)" jointly declared by China and Sri Lanka. The Memory of the World Register was initiated by UNESCO in 1992 with the aim of implementing the task of protecting world cultural heritage as stipulated in the UNESCO Constitution, promoting the utilization of cultural heritage, and raising awareness of the importance of documentary heritage. The documentary heritage referred to not only includes traditional carriers such as papyrus, parchment, palm leaves, wood chips, stone chips, and paper, but also new media such as recordings, television and film works, and digital media. What memories do the three newly added Chinese "members" hold? On the banks of Donghu Lake in Wuhan, in the "Zeng Houyi" exhibition hall of Hubei Provincial Museum, 65 original bronze bells from eight groups on three floors are hung on a curved copper wooden bell stand. The clear and visible inscriptions on it make visitors linger and forget to leave. The inscription on Zeng Houyi's bell is currently the only known official music theory document from pre Qin China, which preserves the musical memory of humanity over 2400 years ago through the mutual verification of sound and text. This picture is a bell made by Marquis Yi of Zeng. There are currently 499 stone tablets (566-1990) from Shaolin Temple in Songshan, Henan Province, presenting a relatively complete and coherent sequence of stone carving historical documents dating back to 1424. Its content involves multiple aspects such as politics, economy, religion, military, culture, etc. It not only witnesses the formation and development of Shaolin Temple, but also truly records the process of civilization exchange and mutual learning between China and countries such as India, Japan, South Korea, Mongolia, etc. According to Yang Hongrui, the director of the Shaolin Temple Archives in Songshan, China, during the trial operation of the Shaolin Temple Digital Archives Exhibition Hall in September 2024, the approximately 100 square meter exhibition hall was extremely popular, with an average of 14 tourists entering every minute. Tourists from home and abroad came to experience the unique charm of Shaolin inscriptions. This picture is a rubbings of the "Shaolin Observation of Martial Arts" stele. (Data picture) Look overseas. In Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka, the "Treasure of the Town Hall" in the center of the main exhibition hall of the National Museum comes from China - this "Bushi Silan Mountain Buddhist Temple Stele" was erected more than 600 years ago by the famous Ming Dynasty navigator Zheng He during his voyages to the West. The inscription on it, which records the Zheng He fleet's pilgrimage to holy sites and offering incense, is still clearly visible today. Tourists often stop here to appreciate and feel the friendly imprints that travel through the long history. This picture shows the monument of the Buddhist temple on Mount Bushi Silan (February 15, 1409). What is the significance of this selection? Including the selected documentary heritage, China currently has 18 documentary archives including "Compendium of Materia Medica", "Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon", and "Nanjing Massacre Archives" included in the "Memory of the World List". Being included in the Memory of the World Register means that they are not only cultural treasures of China, but also a common memory wealth of all mankind. Injecting new impetus into the protection and inheritance of cultural archives - UNESCO hopes to promote the importance of these precious cultural heritage through the establishment of the Memory of the World Register, the awarding of labels, and other means, in order to effectively preserve and rescue them, and promote the widespread application of these human heritage. The newly joined Chinese "members" will also receive more attention and protection. On the eve of May Day, the digital archives exhibition hall of Shaolin Temple will officially open to tourists on a regular basis, marking this important milestone. Yang Hongrui stated that in the future, efforts will continue to deepen the digital protection, academic research, and public dissemination of the Shaolin Temple steles. At the same time, the global Shaolin archive and literature resource recycling project will be launched to further enrich and improve the overall appearance of Shaolin Temple's history and culture. Zhang Xiaoyun, the director of Hubei Provincial Museum, told reporters that the museum has digitized the sound archives of Zeng Houyi's bell and applied them to exhibition halls. At the same time, the digital cultural relic VR experience project being developed is also about to be launched. Highlighting the significant value of Chinese culture in global academic research - without understanding China through its long-standing historical continuity, it is impossible to comprehend ancient China, modern China, and even future China. As the only known official music theory document of pre Qin China, the international academic research on the Zeng Houyi Bell and its inscriptions involves fields such as archaeology, history, metallurgy, acoustics, astronomy, ancient writing, chemistry, and music. The Shaolin Temple Stele preserves traditional Chinese art forms such as stone carving, calligraphy, painting, and sculpture, and gathers diverse cultural information such as Zen Buddhism, martial arts, and religious beliefs. It is a typical historical document collection of collective memory in language, art, religious beliefs, and cultural exchanges around the world. These literature archives tell the world about the profound historical heritage of the Chinese nation and have outstanding value in the field of academic research. The selected "Shaolin Temple Stele (566-1990)" and "Bushi Ceylon Buddhist Temple Stele (February 15, 1409)" provide valuable experience for the exchange and integration of world cultures. Both reflect the exchange and dialogue between different civilizations in history. While showcasing the outstanding inclusiveness and peace of Chinese civilization, they also contribute to enriching the diversity of world memory heritage and showcasing the harmonious coexistence of human civilization. Cultural exchange and cooperation are the most solid foundation for establishing cooperative relationships between countries Ruwan Lanasingha, deputy minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism of Sri Lanka, said that the success of the declaration was an important milestone in the cultural and historical process of the two countries. "It strongly reminds us that the two countries share the same memory and common history, which is a bond to maintain the friendship between the two peoples." It is reported that Sri Lanka and China will continue to further cooperate in the fields of archaeology, education and tourism, taking the opportunity of the selection of the "Buddhist Temple Monument to Mount Ceylon (February 15, 1409)". (New Society)