Beijing Central Axis Has Been Inscribed on UNESCO World Heritage List

On July 27， 2024， local time， the 46th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee， held in New Delhi， India， passed a resolution to include the “Beijing Central Axis: A Building Ensemble Exhibiting the Ideal Order of the Chinese Capital” in the World Heritage List. With this addition， China now has a total of 59 World Heritage sites.

The “Beijing Central Axis” runs through the old city of Beijing from north to south. It was first established in the 13th century and took shape in the 16th century. Over time， it has evolved into today’s 7.8-kilometer-long axis， the longest urban axis in the world. The Beijing Central Axis comprises five categories of heritage sites: imperial palaces and gardens， imperial sacrificial buildings， ancient city management facilities， national ceremonial and public buildings， and central axis road remains. Its layout， urban design， and structure embody the ideal capital city model described in the ancient Chinese text Zhou Li: Kao Gong Ji (Rites of Zhou: Book of Diverse Crafts)， showcasing the traditions of ancient Chinese imperial systems and urban planning， and witnessing the development and evolution of Beijing. The 15 heritage components of the Beijing Central Axis include: the Bell and Drum Towers， Wanning Bridge， Jingshan Mountain， the Forbidden City， Duanmen Gate， Tian’anmen， the Outer Golden Water Bridge， the Imperial Ancestral Temple， the Altar of Land and Grain， Tian’anmen Square and its architectural complex (including Tian’anmen Square， the Monument to the People’s Heroes， the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall， the National Museum of China， and the Great Hall of the People)， Zhengyangmen Gate， the southern road remnants， the Temple of Heaven， the Altar of Agriculture， and Yongdingmen Gate. The heritage area covers 589 hectares， with a buffer zone of 4，542 hectares. The Beijing Central Axis is an important symbol of Chinese civilization’s outstanding characteristics.

The UNESCO World Heritage Committee recognized that the “Beijing Central Axis” meets World Heritage criteria iii and iv， and highly praised the Chinese government’s significant efforts and achievements in protecting and preserving the cultural heritage of Beijing’s old city. The Committee noted that the “Beijing Central Axis” exemplifies China’s traditional capital city planning theory and the philosophies of Zhong (Centrality) and He (Harmony)， making an important contribution to the history of world urban planning (criterion iii); and as a mature stage of the central axis in traditional Chinese capital cities， it represents a unique type in the history of world cities (criterion iv). The Committee also acknowledged the integrity， authenticity， and conservation management of the Beijing Central Axis. The Committee emphasized that the authenticity of the Beijing Central Axis is reflected in its continuity as the core of the capital， with Tian’anmen Square and its architectural complex being a crucial part of the axis’s development， and recognized the necessity of maintaining its current form.

In 2012， the Beijing Central Axis was included in China’s World Cultural Heritage Tentative List. During the 12-year process of applying for World Heritage status， Beijing used this opportunity to drive the overall protection of the old city， including the relocation of key cultural relics and historic buildings， strengthening cultural heritage protection， and improving the surrounding environment. “We developed and implemented the ‘Beijing Central Axis World Heritage Application and Protection Three-Year Action Plan (July 2020–June 2023)，’ covering areas such as value interpretation， protection management， environmental improvement， public participation， and safeguard mechanisms，” explained Chu Jianhao， deputy director of the Beijing Municipal Administration of Cultural Heritage and deputy director of the Beijing Central Axis World Heritage Application and Protection Office. Through these efforts， the historical layout and appearance of the Beijing Central Axis have been gradually restored and vividly recreated. The living environment and urban landscape along the axis have continuously improved， enhancing the sense of happiness and fulfillment among the people.