On Thursday, March 12, 2026, at 19:00, the Romanian Cultural Institute in Beijing hosted, at its headquarters in Galaxy SOHO, the launch of the volume “罗马尼亚库库特尼文化彩陶集萃 / Selected Collection of the Cucuteni Culture Painted Pottery from Romania”, published at the end of 2025 by the prestigious Cultural Relics Press in Beijing. The event brought together specialists in archaeology, researchers, diplomats, representatives of the academic community, and a large audience interested in cultural heritage and Romanian–Chinese scientific cooperation.
To introduce the cultural and archaeological context of the editorial project, the evening opened with the screening of the documentary “When Yangshao Met Cucuteni”, produced by China Media Group, which explores the symbolic dialogue between two of the most representative Neolithic cultures of Europe and Asia.
The book launch took place in the presence of Mr. Claudiu Florian, Minister Plenipotentiary and Cultural Counselor of the Embassy of Romania in China, Mr. Chen Xingcan, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Mr. Wen Chenghao, editor and researcher at the Institute of Archaeology of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, and Mr. Dong Xixiao, Vice Dean of the Faculty of European Languages and Literatures at Beijing Foreign Studies University, as well as more than one hundred Romanian and Chinese guests.
The event was opened by Liviu Țăranu, Director of the Romanian Cultural Institute in Beijing, who delivered a welcome address to the participants. This was followed by remarks from the four distinguished guests, who discussed the academic and cultural significance of the volume and highlighted the importance of Romanian–Chinese cooperation in archaeological research. The publication was produced under the guidance and with the support of the Institute of Archaeology of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and the Zhengzhou Institute of Archaeology, representing a concrete editorial outcome of the scientific collaboration between Romania and China within the archaeological research conducted at the Dobrovăț site, Iași County, during the excavation campaigns of 2019, 2023, 2024, and 2025.
In their speeches, representatives of the Chinese academic institutions evoked the shared emotion and pride of the Romanian and Chinese archaeological teams who collaborated over many years to bring to the forefront the complexity and significance of the Cucuteni Culture heritage. The speakers emphasized that the album published in Beijing represents not only a major scholarly contribution — being the first systematic publication in China dedicated to Cucuteni painted pottery — but also a symbolic expression of cultural dialogue between two ancient civilizations.
The speakers also recalled the beginnings of Romanian–Chinese cooperation in archaeological research, initiated in 2017, as well as the emotion surrounding the first excavation campaign carried out in 2019 at Dobrovăț — the first archaeological site in Europe where Chinese archaeologists participated in field excavations. The interventions highlighted not only the scientific dimension of the collaboration but also the human relationships developed over the years: the joy of reunion after the pandemic period, the shared experiences during fieldwork campaigns, and the spirit of cooperation that characterized the entire project.
A special moment of the evening was dedicated to expressing gratitude to the Romanian partners — the Institute of Archaeology in Iași, the museums of the Moldavia region, and the Romanian Cultural Institute in Beijing — whose support was essential for the realization of the project. The memory of Professor Gheorghe Lazarovici was also honored with deep respect, as he was considered one of the mentors and key promoters of this academic collaboration.
In closing, Academician Chen Xingcan, coordinator of the archaeological research project, expressed his conviction that this scientific collaboration will continue through new excavation campaigns, publications, and academic exchanges, further strengthening Romanian–Chinese cultural dialogue and deepening the friendship between the two peoples, founded on mutual respect for cultural heritage and the values of their ancient civilizations.
