PROJECT

DESCRIPTION

Yotkan Ancient City, the site of the ancient Buddhist capital city in Yutian, was once a hot topic in 19th-century European and Central Asian archaeology due to the collection and excavation of a large number of cultural relics by British explorer Stein and Swedish explorer Sven Hedin, as well as French explorer Bercy. In 2019, we planned and designed this once disappeared Yutian Buddhist ancient city through four years of unremitting efforts. From the excavation and revitalization of Hetian culture and the overall planning of the project, to the overall creation of architectural planning and design, as well as the decoration design of the project, a cultural and tourism design work with ancient Yutian cultural characteristics and modern creative style has been presented. Once launched, it has caused a huge social impact.
We are in the same world - the beautiful Earth, where humans share the same breath and destiny
But different historical origins, regional characteristics, lifestyles, cultural values, and religious beliefs have formed heterogeneous genes among each other, which have generated great attraction to each other and formed a rich and colorful symbiotic world.
The vast and long Silk Road is the best presentation of our mutual integration, composing a brilliant chapter of human cultural coexistence and mutual learning in history.
We have conducted extensive excavation and research on the history and culture, ancient sites, language and writing, music and dance, murals and sculptures, religious beliefs, mythological stories, military settlements and land reclamation, ethnic changes and other aspects of the southern Silk Road through multi-dimensional and multi perspective collection, excavation, exploration and field investigation. We have reorganized and refined them, and formed a 450000 word "Cultural Handbook for the Yotegan Ancient City Project". Sigh: In the oasis on the edge of the Taklamakan Desert in Xinjiang, various ethnic groups have undergone long-term migration and integration, with intertwined distribution of ethnic groups, economic interdependence, cultural inclusiveness, emotional affinity, and folk customs, culture, religion, art, etc. emerging and growing through mutual exchange and integration, forming cultural characteristics of ethnic diversity and rich and colorful lifestyles. Whether it is the ancient city of Niya, the ruins of Loulan, or the Dandan Ulik, they all emit a charming light in the boundless sand sea, and the convergence of various civilizations constructs a brilliant and diverse cultural landscape in the long river of history.
Design with culture at the forefront.
The overall plan is an ancient city of the Han and Tang dynasties, drawing inspiration from history in terms of architectural form, spatial layout, and lifestyle. And through in-depth analysis of the current situation of the modern industry, combined with key content and data such as market demand and local culture, we comprehensively sorted out the cultural tourism industry chain and brought the millennium cultural heritage buried in the desert to life.
The Yuchi Royal City, centered around the Sumir Castle, is surrounded by various forms of residential buildings scattered around it. Utilizing the traditional "Khotan style" red and white architectural characteristics, tall corner towers, staggered corridor roofs, carved corridor columns, and various details of residential buildings, each element tells a story that belongs to this place. Through time and space, the entire ancient city reaches a wider audience with its architecture, landscape, streets and alleys, performances, and even the sound of merchants shouting and the aroma of grilled meat, creating a rich, flavorful, and experiential atmosphere of human fireworks. It delves deeper and more firmly into the uniqueness and worldliness of Xinjiang's cultural tourism. Through the Silk Road, various ethnic groups have jointly created a diverse and integrated Chinese civilization and a long and splendid Chinese culture.
After four years of time and three years of pandemic isolation, we finally presented this difficult millennium old city, which quickly gained recognition and a lot of attention and dissemination from people from all walks of life.
Famous collector Mr. Ma Weidu, renowned Zhigang think tank host Mr. Wang Zhigang, and Chairman of China New Oriental Education Group and CEO of Oriental Selection Mr. Yu Minhong, along with their team, experienced the charm of the ancient city and highly appreciated the designer's talent and cultivation, praising the architecture and performances of the ancient city.
On November 11, 2023, Guangzhou Design Week's "Red Sister's Travel" organized designers from all over the country to gather in the "Youtegan Old City". Designer Akang shared the overall design concept with everyone.
In 2024, the CCTV Spring Festival Gala "2024 East West North South Congratulations on the New Year" was filmed at the Hotan branch venue in the "Youtegan Ancient City". The ancient city of Yotkan will be featured in the 2024 CCTV News Oriental Time and Space special report.
The promotional video "Beautiful" for the "Youtegan Old City" music video won one silver and two bronze medals at the Clio Music Award, one of the four major global creative awards in 2024. It also won the Bronze Lion Award at the Cannes International Creative Festival in France in 2024, and successively won the ADC Gold Cube Award at the global creative and design hall level in New York, the D&AD Lead Pen in the UK, the One Show Excellence Award in New York, and was officially selected for the Beverly Hills International Film Festival in the United States.
We believe that the "Youtegan Ancient City" in Hotan, Xinjiang, China will uphold its own mission and add a wonderful touch to the culture of the Silk Road.