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UNESCO designates Beijing Central Axis as World Heritage Site

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      China

      China

      UNESCO designates Beijing Central Axis as World Heritage Site

      2024-07-28 01:04 Last Updated At:03:17

      The Beijing Central Axis was added to the United Nations' cultural heritage list on Saturday, marking a prestigious recognition for the 700-year-old line of historical and cultural landmarks that traverse the heart of the Chinese capital.

      During the 46th session of the World Heritage Committee in New Delhi, India, both China's Beijing Central Axis and the Badain Jaran Desert were added to UNESCO's World Heritage List. This brings the total number of World Heritage sites in China to 59, making it one of the countries with the most World Heritage sites, alongside Italy.

      Upon the announcement, session chairperson Vishal Sharma exclaimed in Chinese, "Congratulations, China!"

      The Beijing Central Axis, the best-preserved example of traditional central axis architecture in China, extends 7.8 kilometers from Yongding Gate in the south to the Bell and Drum Towers in the north.

      The UNESCO World Heritage Committee recognizes the Beijing Central Axis for its integrity and authenticity. The committee stated that the north-south axis illustrates the traditional Chinese philosophy of the relationship between man, city, heaven, and nature. It is a typical and well-preserved example of the thousand-year development of Chinese capital planning.

      The Central Axis dates back to the 13th century during the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), and its length was extended during the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911).

      Several attractions along the axis, such as the Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven, have already been designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Efforts to get the entire Central Axis recognized by UNESCO began in 2011. Since then, over 100 cultural heritage restoration projects have been carried out along the axis.

      Lyu Zhou, director of the National Heritage Center at Tsinghua University, said that the line reflects the Chinese people's approach to constructing order.

      "In China, we are constantly discussing how to tell a compelling story of Chinese civilization through our world heritage. We think that Beijing Central Axis is an excellent medium for telling China's story, as it reflects the Chinese people's approach to constructing order," said Lyu.

      According to Lyu, the Beijing Central Axis is a great example that demonstrates the essence of Chinese history and culture, as well as their development trajectory.

      "For China and also the city of Beijing, the process of applying for World Heritage status is a social communication process. It helps people understand our history and culture, which are the roots of our nation, and attracts more people to get to know China. The axis answers questions like 'What is China?' and 'Why is China the way it is?' The Beijing Central Axis embodies a variety of concepts that address these questions," said Lyu.

      UNESCO designates Beijing Central Axis as World Heritage Site

      UNESCO designates Beijing Central Axis as World Heritage Site

      China's railway is expected to handle 13.2 million passengers nationwide on Thursday, the 10th of this year's 40-day Spring Festival travel rush, as the railway passenger traffic has been running at a high level for several days.

      The railway transported 13.32 million passengers on Wednesday, the ninth day of the travel rush.

      By 20:00 Wednesday, the country's railway ticketing platform 12306 had sold a total of 271 million tickets for the Spring Festival travel period which runs from Jan 14 to Feb 22.

      To ensure smooth travel during the Spring Festival, local railway departments are adding trains to meet the surging demand.

      China Railway Xi'an Bureau Group in northwest China's Shaanxi Province, is expected to handle 455,000 passengers on Thursday, with the local railway authorities planning to add 98 extra trains, including 12 overnight high-speed trains to the metropolises of Beijing, Shanghai and Hangzhou.

      China Railway Nanning Bureau Group in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region is set to run 690 passenger trains on Thursday, including an additional of 101 bullet trains.

      Qingdao railway station in east China's Shandong Province will operate passenger trains to Urumqi, capital of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, for the first time.

      The Spring Festival travel rush, known as Chunyun, is the largest annual human migration in the world as tens of millions of Chinese people return to their hometowns to celebrate the Lunar New Year with their families.

      The Spring Festival falls on Jan 29 this year, ushering in the Year of the Snake.

      China's railway expected to handle 13.2 mln passengers on 10th day of Spring Festival travel rush

      China's railway expected to handle 13.2 mln passengers on 10th day of Spring Festival travel rush

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