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The review site. Photo by Lv Zhou

On July 27, 2024, local time, the 46th UNESCO World Heritage Conference held in New Delhi, India, passed a resolution to include "Beijing Central Axis - A Masterpiece of China's Ideal Capital Order" in the World Heritage List. So far, the total number of China's World Heritage has reached 59.

Bird's eye view of the central axis

The "Central Axis of Beijing" runs through the old city of Beijing from north to south. It was first built in the 13th century and formed in the 16th century. After continuous evolution and development, it has become the world's longest urban axis with a total length of 7.8 kilometers. The "Central Axis of Beijing" is composed of five major types of relics, including ancient royal palace buildings, ancient royal sacrificial buildings, ancient urban management facilities, national ceremonial and public buildings, and central road remains. Its location, pattern, urban form and design reflect the ideal capital paradigm recorded in "Zhou Li Kao Gong Ji", showing the ancient Chinese dynasty system and urban planning tradition, and witnessing the development and evolution of Beijing city. The 15 heritage elements of the "Beijing Central Axis" are, from north to south: Bell and Drum Tower, Wanning Bridge, Jingshan, Forbidden City, Duanmen, Tiananmen, Outer Jinshui Bridge, Taimiao, Sheji Altar, Tiananmen Square and Buildings (Tiananmen Square, Monument to the People's Heroes, Chairman Mao Memorial Hall, National Museum and Great Hall of the People), Zhengyangmen, Remains of the Southern Section of the Road, Temple of Heaven, Xiannongtan and Yongdingmen. The heritage area covers 589 hectares and the buffer zone covers 4,542 hectares.

Bird's-eye view of the northern section of the central axis

The UNESCO World Heritage Committee recognized that the "Central Axis of Beijing" meets the World Heritage Criteria 3 and 4. The World Heritage Committee believes that the traditional Chinese capital planning theory and the philosophical ideas of "Zhong" and "He" embodied in the "Central Axis of Beijing" have made important contributions to the history of world urban planning (Criteria 3); as an outstanding example of the mature stage of the central axis of traditional Chinese capitals, the "Central Axis of Beijing" represents a unique type in the history of world cities (Criteria 4); the integrity, authenticity and protection and management of the "Central Axis of Beijing" are recognized. The World Heritage Committee stated that the authenticity of the "Central Axis of Beijing" is reflected in its continuity as the core of the capital, and Tiananmen Square and its buildings are an important part of the development of the "Central Axis of Beijing", recognizing the necessity of maintaining its current form.

Looking south from Drum Tower towards Jingshan Mountain, photo by Jiang Zhen

Li Qun, Vice Minister of Culture and Tourism and Director of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage, said that the successful application for World Heritage status is a new starting point. China will earnestly implement the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, and continue to work hard in the protection and repair of cultural relics and buildings, responding to the impact of natural disasters, encouraging community participation, scientifically guiding tourism development, and improving the ability to interpret and display, to ensure that the "Beijing Central Axis" is properly protected and inherited. China will continue to coordinate the protection and management of world cultural heritage, further strengthen exchanges and cooperation with international organizations and contracting parties, and make contributions to promoting exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations and building a community with a shared future for mankind through the platform of the Asian Cultural Heritage Protection Alliance. Beijing Vice Mayor Tan Xuxiang spoke on behalf of the government where the heritage is located.

Tiananmen Square and buildings

The application of Beijing's Central Axis for World Heritage status lasted 12 years, divided into the application launch phase (2012 to 2016), the comprehensive acceleration phase (2017 to 2021), and the final sprint phase (2022 to 2024). The State Administration of Cultural Heritage and the Beijing Municipal Government held 9 consecutive joint meetings between the ministry and the city to coordinate the solution of major issues in the application and inspection, issued the "Beijing Central Axis Cultural Heritage Protection Regulations" and the "Beijing Central Axis Protection and Management Plan", and established a cross-departmental collaborative management work mechanism between the central and local governments; focused on promoting archaeological excavations and research, and made major discoveries such as the Zhengyang Bridge, overpass, and southern section of the road ruins, filling the "gap" in the remains of the southern section of the central axis road. With the approval of the State Council, the State Administration of Cultural Heritage formally submitted the application to the UNESCO World Heritage Center on January 30, 2023. In August 2023, the on-site technical evaluation of the International Council on Monuments and Sites was successfully completed. In response to the issues raised in the professional evaluation, the State Administration of Cultural Heritage submitted supplementary materials twice in November 2023 and February 2024, and sent a delegation to Paris to participate in the professional defense, explaining in detail to the International Council on Monuments and Sites the time and space framework of the Beijing Central Axis, clearly explaining the continuity of the planning concept of traditional Chinese capitals and the integrity of the ancient and modern parts, and deeply explaining the important value and significance of the traditional philosophical ideas of "Zhong" and "He" in the global scope. On May 30, 2024, the International Council on Monuments and Sites formed an evaluation report and made the highest evaluation conclusion to directly include the "Beijing Central Axis" in the World Heritage List, laying a solid professional foundation for the successful application.

Taking the protection of Beijing's Central Axis as a starting point to promote the overall protection of Beijing's old city, it provides Chinese cases and Chinese experience for exploring the protection concepts and practices of ancient capitals in my country and other countries in the world, and properly handling the dialectical relationship between heritage protection and urban development. The State Administration of Cultural Heritage will work with Beijing to continue to steadily promote the overall protection of Beijing's old city, deeply explore the historical and cultural resources of the old city, improve the level of value display and interpretation, make cultural relics and cultural heritage come alive, and give full play to the social benefits and public education role of cultural relics resources represented by the "Beijing Central Axis"; actively carry out various forms of international exchanges and cooperation, highlight the outstanding achievements of Chinese civilization, show the contemporary style of the capital of a great country, and show the great achievements of Chinese-style modernization, so that the "Beijing Central Axis" can play a greater and more positive role in promoting exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations and enhancing the mutual understanding between the Chinese and foreign peoples.