The Fourth Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Archaeological Academic Exchange and the closing ceremony of the 2026 Beijing Public Archaeology Season were held on Saturday at Shiyuan Park in Yanqing district, a mountainous area in northwestern Beijing known for its sections of the Great Wall and its role as a competition zone during the 2022 Winter Olympics.
More than 100 archaeologists, historians and scholars from Beijing, Tianjin and neighboring Hebei province gathered to share recent archaeological discoveries and research findings, and discuss ways to strengthen cooperation in the study and preservation of the region's shared cultural heritage.
The event, themed "Tracing Our Roots and Advancing Together", was organized by cultural heritage authorities in Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei, together with the publicity department of the Yanqing district committee. It brought together experts from major Chinese research institutions and universities, including the Palace Museum, the National Museum of China, the Institute of Archaeology of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and several leading universities.
Launched in 2023, the annual academic exchange has served as a platform for promoting cultural collaboration and archaeological research across the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. Its first three editions were held in Beijing, Hebei and Tianjin, respectively. This year's event marked its return to Beijing.
During the ceremony, the Beijing Archaeological Institute and the Yanqing district bureau of cultural heritage signed an agreement to transfer 447 archaeological artifacts to the district, returning the excavated objects to the locality where they were unearthed.
