Integrating Heaven and Earth,and Inheriting and Innovating-Retrospect and Prospect of the 40 Years of the Scenic and Historic Area System of China

LI Jinlu

1 Unique Value,and Integrating Heaven and Earth

The core of China's scenic and historic areas is the landscape culture of ＂Harmony between Human and Nature＂,which is a great innovation and a precious heritage dedicated by the Chinese nation to all mankind.Heaven and earth are one vein,passing down from generation to generation.

1.1 Unique origination paths

Myths inhabit the world.From the Kunlun Sacred Mountain in ancient times to the East China Sea Immortal Mountain thousands of years ago,from the ＂Five Mountains＂ and ＂Five Towns＂ of the Central Plains 2,000 years ago,to hundreds of famous mountains throughout China,and then to more than 1,000 scenic and historic areas in modern China,it has gone through the stages of sacred landscapes for nature worship,gentlemen's landscapes for people and nature reflecting each other,poetic and natural landscapes for aesthetic lyricism,religious landscapes for selfcultivation of various sects,philosophical landscapes for cosmic life,literati landscapes for academic studies,scenic landscapes for tourism and leisure,and scientific landscapes for ecological and geoscience research,interweaving a hymn of mountains and rivers.

1.2 Unique spirits

Striving forward against all odds,and back to basics.The ancient sages placed themselves under the rock and the wood and stone dwelling,and began their outstanding physical and mental cultivation,achieving a high degree of integration of the tangible body,the sensible aura and the invisible consciousness,and realizing a deep understanding of human life.The scenic and historic areas vividly record the self-cultivation theory and practice of Confucianism,Buddhism,Taoism,medicine,martial arts,academies and other schools in traditional Chinese culture,and has accumulated into an excellent natural and cultural heritage.

1.3 Unique epistemology and methodology

Harmony between human and nature,and the universe as a whole.In the Chinese landscape culture,there is a unique concept that mountains and rivers have the spirit to nurture outstanding talents.With magical landscapes,mysterious legends,fairy-like illusions and sacred atmosphere,the ancients ＂looked up at astronomy,looked down on geography,took all things from close and far away,and realized the transcendence of life with the virtue of the gods and the feelings of all things＂.

The ＂Five Mountains＂ system,which is the core of Chinese civilization,simulates the cosmic model in the consciousness of the ancients.In ancient times,the famous mountains and rivers undertook the important function of the state to worship heaven and earth,and constructed a cosmology of ＂harmony between human and nature＂ between the space-time universe and human life.

1.4 Unique landscape culture

1) Mountains and rivers carry cultivation,and practice reshapes landscapes.What the ancients sought was to enlighten the wisdom of life of the Chinese nation in mountains and rivers that were like a fairyland.Countless celebrities travelled to famous mountains and rivers to draw essence,aesthetic enlightenment,cosmic cognition and life inspiration;The landscape culture has also derived a wealth of landscape poetry,landscape painting,landscape literature and landscape gardens.The practice of the ancients in the mountains and rivers constituted the characteristics of the ＂scenery and cultural heart＂ of the scenic and historic areas.

2) Respect for history and culture.The positive ancient myths of the Chinese nation,the psychic practice that enlightens wisdom,the simple materialist thought,the method of understanding the universe as a whole,and the social ideal of seeking freedom and selffreedom are all inherent characteristics of today's scenic and historic areas.

2 Magnificent Product of the Era

2.1 The important role should not be underestimated

In 1982,the scenic and historic area system of China was born under the background of the Reform and Opening up.It not only contains core values such as history and culture,philosophy and aesthetics,and ecological science,but also reflects the direct value of scientific research and popularization,tourism services,and physical output,as well as derivative values such as promoting economic and social development.It is a leading demonstration place for poverty alleviation in China,and it is also the best place for public tourism and leisure.

2.2 The contribution is too great to ignore

Forty years ago,the State Council promulgated the first batch of national key scenic and historic areas,which is a milestone event in the history of China's famous mountains.The scenic and historic areas cause has made remarkable achievements,and has gradually established a relatively complete system of laws and regulations,technology and management system,and has made unique contributions to the development of the national economy and people's life ideals.

Today,the number of scenic and historic areas has grown to 1,051,accounting for 2.4% of the territorial land area,and the treasures of China's natural and cultural heritage have been protected,including 244 national scenic and historic areas with a collection of famous landscape and historic sites,accounting for 69.6% of China's 56 world heritage sites,and their ideas and practices have made great contributions to the cause of human natural and cultural heritage.

2.3 The spiritual world should not be taken lightly

In the landscape,the ancients combined philosophical speculation with daily selfcultivation,inwardly sought the source of human texts,and explored the cosmic avenue outward,making scenic and historic areas constitute a unique spiritual world of the Chinese.

3 Inheriting and Innovating,the Contemporary Mission

3.1 Inheriting and innovating should not be marginalized

The scenic and historic areas carry the cultural genes and blood of the Chinese nation,contain the essence of oriental thought,and are a broad and profound cultural treasure of mountains and rivers.Natural and cultural heritage tells the past and foreshadows the future.We should protect the country and the people with famous mountains,enlighten wisdom with scenery,and nourish China with mountains and rivers.

3.2 National rejuvenation is the right thing to do

We should draw nourishment from the traditional culture of Confucianism,Buddhism and Taoism from mountains and rivers,learn methods from doctors,warriors,and folk schools,activate the living culture that was once carried between the mountains and rivers,release the heritage value hidden in it,and obtain the spiritual nourishment of national rejuvenation.

3.3 Ecological civilization,a thousand-year practice

The scenic and historic areas pursue teaching from nature,and realize the harmony between human and nature as well as society.It is a wonderful branch of Chinese civilization,based on the ecosystem,and extending to the cultural level;it contains the content of geological sciences and broadens to the field of philosophy;and it is an ancient practice and contemporary interpretation of ＂Ecological Civilization,Beautiful China＂.

3.4 National policy,with comprehensive benefits

The scenic and historic areas involve the demonstration of ecological civilization and beautiful China,the inheritance and innovation of excellent traditional Chinese culture,and the well-being of people's livelihood in economic and social development.We must be worthy of the heavenly gift,the inheritance of our ancestors and the expectations of the people.It is necessary to coordinate the realization of comprehensive functions such as landscape protection,cultural inheritance,aesthetic enlightenment,scientific research and popularization,sightseeing,and promotion of social development.

3.5 Scenic and historic areas,between heaven and earth

The landscape is the essence of mountains and rivers,and scenic and historic areas are gorgeous treasures of the organic integration of nature and culture.We need to know ourselves and respect diversity.The ancient is used for the present,and the foreign is used for the Chinese.We should not forget the original,face the future,and unswervingly take the road of landscape culture development with Chinese characteristics.

The purpose of scenic and historic area system of China is to establish the intention for the universe,for the heaven and the earth,for the country,for the society,for the people,for the saints,and for the eternal peace.