BEIJING, July 30,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Chinese people love symmetry,
which involves elements mirrored along a central axis, creating a
balanced and harmonious composition that is visually appealing as
well. The Central Axis is very important to Chinese as balance and
harmony are key elements in Chinese philosophy and everyday
life.
"Beijing Central Axis: A Building Ensemble Exhibiting the Ideal
Order of the Chinese Capital" was named as a World Heritage Site at
the 46th session of the World Heritage Committee in New Delhi, India, on Saturday, becoming
China's 59th entry on the
list.
With over 700 years' of history and urban development, it is now
the largest extant imperial capital city in China and a classic model of ancient Chinese
urban planning.
The old city of Beijing enjoys
a prominent position in the world history of urban planning and
development. Global Times Culture Desk reporters took a trip along
the Central Axis and its surrounding areas see the important
architecture such as palaces, temples and altars, bridges and city
gates as well as the people living there and explore how it
embodies the Chinese philosophy of "neutrality and harmony."
'Soul' and 'backbone' of Beijing
Known as "the soul and backbone of Beijing" and "the world's longest north-south
central axis," the Central Axis in Beijing is an architectural marvel spanning
7.8 kilometers from the Bell and Drum Towers in the north of the
city to the Yongdingmen Gate in the south. Consisting of 15
heritage components, it is classified as a "building complex" in
terms of cultural heritage.
Established during the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368) and further
developed through the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911), this
axis embodies the symmetrical precision and grandiosity that
characterized ancient Chinese urban planning.
As praised by famous Chinese architect Liang Sicheng, "The
unique sublime and magnificent spatial order of Beijing was generated by this central
axis."
Historically, the Central Axis has been the heart of
Beijing, housing significant
monuments and sites that represent the political, social, economic
and urban development of China.
Key landmarks such as the Bell and Drum Towers, the Forbidden City,
and the Temple of Heaven are aligned along this axis. These
structures not only symbolize imperial power or possess religious
significance but also highlight the meticulous planning and
architectural ingenuity of ancient Chinese society.
The World Heritage Committee recognized that the Central Axis in
Beijing fulfills the World
Heritage List selection criteria 3 and 4: bear a unique or
exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilization
that is either still living or has vanished; be an outstanding
example of a type of building, architectural, or technological
ensemble, or landscape that illustrates significant stages in human
history.
Heritage experts told the Global Times that the uniqueness of
the Central Axis in Beijing fills
a gap in the World Heritage List regarding urban landscape ideals
and the types of core architectural groups in the East,
representing an irreplaceable uniqueness and possessing outstanding
universal value.
Lü Zhou, director of the National Heritage Center at Tsinghua
University, told the Global Times that while many medieval European
cities on the World Heritage List evolved organically with
influences from religion, commerce, and municipal systems, leading
to intricate urban cores, Beijing
was uniquely planned and built as an ideal global central city,
with the Central Axis at the heart of this meticulously designed
urban layout.
Jiang Bo, a professor from the
Institute of Cultural Heritage at Shandong University, told the Global Times
that the Central Axis in Beijing
is a "masterpiece" with a unique Eastern charm in the history of
world urban planning.
"The urban planning concept of this north-south central axis has
a long history and profound influence, even extending to the Korean
Peninsula, Japan, and Vietnam, becoming an Eastern classic in
ancient world urban planning," he said.
Rebirth of an ancient relic
The application for the Central Axis in Beijing as a World Heritage site spanned 12
years. It did not just involve the dedication of experts in the
heritage field, but also the enthusiastic participation of the
general public, which has been crucial. Volunteer Fan Laiyou is one
of them.
As the streetlights flicker on accompanied by a flock of pigeons
flying in the sky, Beijing native
Fan, who is in his late 60s, starts his routine night patrol along
the hutong, or traditional alleyways, snaking around the foot of
the Bell and Drum Towers.
Fan and some of his neighbors embarked on volunteer patrols
seven years ago, assisting in maintaining the security of the
neighborhood and supervising the health of the cultural relics as
well as the historical buildings around the Bell and Drum
Towers.
"We contact the authorities as soon as we discover any damage to
the ancient buildings," Fan told the Global Times.
Residents along the Central Axis like Fan do not carry out these
efforts for the money, as in their eyes, they are working to
protect their homes.
Public awareness of preserving and cherishing the Central Axis
rose greatly after official projects to conserve historical relics
and large scale infrastructure in the related areas, including lots
of dwellings, were launched in droves.
Fan and his neighbors watched as the nearby buildings and
courtyards were renovated one by one and the pavement was replaced
by permeable brick. Even the streetlights standing outside their
gates were updated to brighter ones. They have been able to
completely relish daily life along the Central Axis.
The sustainable development of the axis itself has also been the
center of attention. Over 100 cultural heritage restoration
projects have been launched along the axis.
Overlooking the city's courtyard houses alongside the Drum Tower
where Fan's home is located, the nearly 48-meter-high Bell Tower has been fully restored and open to
the public since 2022. The restored Bell
Tower incorporates numerous modern facilities, while an
immersive digital exhibition provides visitors with a whole picture
of the history of the tower.
The human aspect along the axis is not the only issue that has
been taken into consideration. Government organizations are also
trying to build the Central Axis as a model of a harmonious
ecosystem.
The comeback of Beijing swifts,
who have witnessed Beijing's
historical changes since they started nesting in the original city
gatehouses and palace eaves in 1417, is just one example of these
efforts. Though human activities had harmed these birds, diverse
measures such as establishing a database based on data collected by
professionals and amateurs has led to more and more swifts
returning to their native city.
A lifetime commitment
During the session in India,
Li Qun, director of the National
Cultural Heritage Administration, stated that the "world heritage"
title in 2024 marks another new
beginning for China's commitment
to the lifetime management of the Central Axis in Beijing.
"Smart conservation" and "digital displays" are ways to shed
light on the sustainability of the Central Axis.
In 2021, a conservation center dedicated to the monitoring,
archiving and management of the Central Axis was established.
Supported by technology like AI and remote-sensing and mobile
signaling techniques, a digital "warning" system was built to
monitor for potential hazards caused by people, natural disasters
and fires along the Central Axis.
More than 7,000 documents recording the history and engineering
of the Central Axis was digitized into an archive.
Zhou Ziyu, the director of the conservation center's monitoring
department, told the Global Times that smart technology has boosted
the efficiency of managing the heritage site and that traditional
paperwork will gradually be replaced by digital means.
"The system will function as it is alive, which means that new
data will be added to it every day to make it an encyclopedia of
the Beijing Central Axis," Zhou remarked.
In the post-Central Axis era, "value interpretation" and
society's participation can keep the heritage site alive,
Deng Chao, the director general of
the Cultural Relics and Historic Sites of the NCHA, told the Global
Times.
Led by Chinese tech giant Tencent,
the online project "Central Axis Digital Patrolman" was launched
several years ago to engage ordinary people in supervising the
heritage site through an online platform. During the second quarter
of 2024, around 19,411 registered volunteers uploaded 76,317 patrol
photos online.
Over the years, the Central Axis has become a hot cultural belt
that has given rise to new landmarks such as the National Stadium,
also known as Bird's Nest, and the National Museum For Modern
Chinese Scientist, which opened in May.
These urban landmarks show that the more than 700-year-old
Central Axis is still able to keep up with the country's modern
growth.
"Cultural heritage requires continued and sustained conservation
efforts. The Central Axis in Beijing requires generations and generations
of experts to commit to it and take care of it with a rigorous
mind-set and love," Deng told the Global Times.
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SOURCE Global Times