Beijing "Central Axis": A New Force in the Era of "Tourism Integrates the World"
30 Julio 2024 - 2:24AM
As reported by the Chinese edition of World Tourism Pictorial,
after a 12-year "marathon," on July 27, the "Beijing Central Axis"
was officially included into the World Heritage List at the 46th
session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee held in New Delhi,
India, under the title "Beijing Central Axis - A Masterpiece of the
Order of the Ideal Capital City of China". This brought the total
number of World Heritage Sites in China to 59.
The heritage value of the Beijing Central Axis is described in
the inscription document as: "With its grand scale, uniform
planning layout and orderly urban landscape, it is an outstanding
example of the mature stage of the central axis development of the
traditional capital city of China and the most complete existing
traditional central axis architectural complex in China."
Specifically, the Beijing Central Axis refers to the symmetrical
axis of buildings in Beijing's east-west layout since the Dayidu in
the Yuan Dynasty and the Beijing City in the Ming and Qing
Dynasties. The central axis of the Beijing City in the Ming and
Qing Dynasties starts from Yongdingmen in the south to the Bell and
Drum Towers in the north, with a straight-line distance of about
7.8 kilometers. It was first built in the 13th century and took
shape in the 16th century, with a development history of over seven
centuries.
In the eyes of those who always view China through a political
lens, Tian'anmen Square, the Monument to the People's Heroes and
the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall are all related to Chinese political
consciousness. When the "World Heritage" application of the Beijing
Central Axis appeared on the world stage, this perception seemed to
be refreshed, mainly due to a lack of understanding of Chinese
cultural traditions. In the pre-Qin period of China, the Rites of
Zhou·Kaogongji already described the planning paradigm of the ideal
Chinese capital city: "The craftsman builds the capital, nine-li
square, with three gates on each side. Inside the capital, there
are nine longitudinal and nine latitudinal roads, with nine tracks
on the main roads, ancestral temples on the left, altars on the
right, the court in front and the market behind." The central axis
is the result of development through the Yuan, Ming, Qing and
modern periods, showing lasting vitality and reflecting the
cultural inheritance of Chinese civilization.
The Beijing Central Axis runs through the old city of Beijing
from north to south. Through continuous evolution, it has formed
the world's longest urban axis today, with a total length of 7.8
kilometers. Its location, layout, urban form and design reflect the
traditional paradigm of the ideal Chinese capital city, showcasing
the ancient Chinese urban planning tradition and being an important
symbol of the distinctive characteristics of Chinese
civilization.
According to the introduction, the UNESCO World Heritage
Committee recognized the integrity, authenticity and protection
management status of the "Beijing Central Axis", considering it to
represent a unique type in the history of world cities. The
traditional Chinese capital city planning theory and the philosophy
of "Centrality" and "Harmony" it embodies have made significant
contributions to the history of world urban planning. The
organization highly appreciates the tremendous efforts and
outstanding achievements of the Chinese government in the
protection and inheritance of the cultural heritage of old
Beijing.
The UNESCO World Heritage Committee believes: "The Beijing
Central Axis embodies the traditional Chinese capital city planning
theory and the philosophy of 'Centrality' and 'Harmony' ,making an
important contribution to the history of world urban planning and
meeting criteria III of world heritage "; "As an outstanding
example of the mature stage of the central axis of the traditional
Chinese capital city, the Beijing Central Axis represents a unique
type in the history of world cities, meeting the criteria IV of
world heritage." "It also recognizes the integrity, authenticity
and protection management status of the Beijing Central Axis." This
evaluation by UNESCO is a clear response and answer to the
traditional Chinese capital city planning theory and the philosophy
of "Centrality" and "Harmony".
The Beijing Central Axis embodies the characteristic of
"integration" in cultural heritage, which is unique in the world.
The central axis runs through Beijing from north to south,
including 15 heritage sites: the Bell and Drum Towers at the north
end, Wanning Bridge, Jingshan, the Forbidden City, Duanmen,
Tian'anmen, the Outer Jinshui Bridge, Tiananmen Square and its
architectural complex, Zhengyang Gate, the road remnants of the
southern section of the central axis and Yongding Gate at the south
end. The Imperial Ancestral Temple and the Altar of the Land and
Grain, the Temple of Heaven and the Xiannong Altar are located on
the east and west sides of the central axis, forming the spine of
the ancient city.
If "integration" is the essence of the Beijing Central Axis,
after Beijing's successful bid for the Olympics, the central axis
was extended northward to become the axis of the Olympic Park in
the era of "tourism integrates the world", adding new international
connotations to the central axis. The National Stadium (Bird's
Nest) was built on the east side, and the National Aquatics Center
(Water Cube) on the west side. Extending northward through the
Olympic Park to the Olympic Forest Park, both Yangshan and Aohai in
the park are on the central axis.
As Li Qun, Deputy Minister of Ministry of Culture and Tourism of
the PRC and Director of the National Cultural Heritage
Administration, said in an interview, the success of the World
Heritage application for the Beijing Central Axis is not the end
but a new beginning. The next step is to leverage the social
utility and public education function of cultural relics resources
represented by the "Beijing Central Axis". In addition, various
forms of international exchange and cooperation will be actively
carried out, allowing the "Beijing Central Axis" to play a greater
and more positive role in promoting exchanges and mutual learning
among civilizations and enhancing mutual understanding between
China and other countries.
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