The east and west towers of Kaiyuan Temple in the morning light. According to Xinhua News Agency
html On July 25, at the 44th World Heritage Conference held in Fuzhou, China, "Quanzhou: World Marine Trade Center of Song and Yuan China" successfully passed the review of the 44th World Heritage Committee meeting of UNESCO and successfully It was included in the "World Heritage List" and became my country's 56th World Heritage.Quanzhou, the "largest port in the East" that appeared in "The Travels of Marco Polo", aroused the Europeans' yearning and yearning for the prosperity of the East in the Song and Yuan Dynasties. So why is Quanzhou so successful in applying for World Heritage status?
Panoramic view of Shihu Pier. According to Fujian Daily
Why is Quanzhou?
"This is one of the largest ports in the world. A large number of merchants gather here and goods pile up..." This is the Quanzhou described by the Italian traveler Marco Polo in the 13th century AD.
Quanzhou is located on the southeast coast of China. It is a famous historical and cultural city. It was born and prospered by the sea. It was a maritime trade port in the Tang, Five Dynasties, Song and Yuan dynasties. During the Song and Yuan dynasties, it became a world-famous port. trading center.
Quanzhou is the starting point of the Maritime Silk Road. Zheng He's seven voyages to the West started from here. The rise of the Maritime Silk Road promoted the prosperity of Quanzhou. At that time, the city wall was expanded to protect against foreign invasion, and cypress trees were planted all over the city. Quanzhou was named "City of cypress". Especially from the 10th to the 14th century, Quanzhou became one of the most prosperous commercial centers in the world's maritime trade network, shaped by the unprecedented upsurge of Asian maritime trade. Countless merchant ships from the East and the West traveled day and night, and the bustling scene of "merchants from all over the world amidst the sound of the rising sea" was vividly recorded in Marco Polo's travel notes and a series of historical materials. As a dialogue window between China and the world during the Song and Yuan Dynasties,
demonstrates China's complete maritime trade system, developed economic level, and cultural attitude of diversity and tolerance.
Today, when you are in Quanzhou, piers, sea breeze, ships... these elements are everywhere, silently reminding you that this is a "civilized landmark" facing the sea.
The Longevity Tower in the afterglow. Photo according to Xinhua News Agency.
2 What are the heritage points?
"Quanzhou: China's World Marine Trade Center in the Song and Yuan Dynasties", which is included in the World Heritage List this time, consists of 22 representative monuments and sites and their associated environments and spaces, including the Jiuri Mountain Wind Prayer Stone Carvings, Shibosi Ruins, Dejimen Ruins, Tianhou Palace, Zhenwu Temple, Nanwai Zongzhengsi Ruins, Quanzhou Confucian Temple and Academy, Kaiyuan Temple, Laojun Rock Statue, Qingjing Temple, Islamic Holy Tomb, Caoan Maniguang Buddha Statue, Cizao Kiln site (Jinjiao Yishan kiln site), Dehua kiln site (Weilin-Neiban kiln site, Qudou Palace kiln site), Anxi Qingyang Xiacaopu iron smelting site, Luoyang Bridge, Anping Bridge, Shunji Bridge site, Jiangkou Pier, Shihu Pier, Liusheng Pagoda, Wanshou Pagoda. According to Fu Jing, head of the text technology team for the Quanzhou project of
, Quanzhou’s series of heritages include temples, bridges, tombs, architectural sites and other types, reflecting Quanzhou’s distinctive overseas trade system and diverse social structure in the Song and Yuan Dynasties. "This has undoubtedly enriched the project types of world cultural heritage and filled the gap of Eastern maritime civilization in world cultural heritage."
Shibosi Site. Picture according to Fujian Daily
During the Song and Yuan Dynasties, the ports and routes on China's southeast coast were centered on Quanzhou Citong Port. The establishment of the Shipping Department in the Southern Song Dynasty made Quanzhou become "the largest port in the East". "The Shibo Division is a bit like today's customs, and the Nanwai Zongzheng Division is the institution that manages the clan. They are all government offices, which reflects the status of ancient Quanzhou as a city at that time." said An Jiayao, a researcher at the Institute of Archeology of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
Laojunyan statue. According to Xinhua News Agency
Kaiyuan Temple is the largest Buddhist temple with the most prominent official status in Quanzhou during the Song and Yuan Dynasties. The temple economy, high-standard buildings and multicultural relics it represents reflect the economic prosperity and culture brought to Quanzhou by maritime trade during the Song and Yuan Dynasties. Coexistence characteristics. This kind of blending and coexistence of multiple cultures can also be seen in heritage sites such as the Laojun Rock Statue, the Qingjing Temple, the Islamic Holy Tomb, and the Maniguang Buddha Statue in Cao'an.
Stone carvings of praying for wind in Jiuri Mountain.Photo according to Xinhua News Agency
From the Jiuri Mountain Wind Prayer Stone Carvings where a wind prayer ceremony is held, the Zhenwu Temple to pray for safe navigation, and the Tianhou Temple reflecting Mazu belief, we can feel the spiritual sustenance of the merchant groups engaged in maritime trade during the Song and Yuan Dynasties. The Shibosi ruins, the Dejimen ruins, the Nanwai Zongzhengsi ruins, the Quanzhou Confucian Temple and the Academy profoundly reflect the role of officials and social elites in promoting maritime trade.
Luoyang Bridge. According to Xinhua News Agency
Cizao kiln site, Dehua kiln site, and Anxi Qingyang Xiacaopu iron smelting site tell the story of Quanzhou’s strong industrial capabilities in the Song and Yuan Dynasties. The Luoyang Bridge, Anping Bridge, and Shunji Bridge sites bear witness to the bridge-building in Quanzhou during the Song and Yuan Dynasties. Technological sophistication and the development of water transport systems. Among them, the bridge technology that has impressed the world has created the Luoyang Bridge, one of the four famous bridges in ancient China. The "sleeping wood sinking foundation" technology has built the Anping Bridge, the longest existing cross-sea beam-type stone bridge in China.
Anping Bridge. Photo according to Xinhua News Agency
From Jiangkou Pier to Shihu Pier, we can vaguely see the boats coming and going in the past; from Liusheng Pagoda to Wanshou Pagoda, Quanzhou people’s historical memory of maritime trade has become eternal.
A corner of Shihu Pier. According to Xinhua News Agency
The road to the application for World Heritage has not been smooth.
Quanzhou has gone through 20 years since the beginning of the road to the application for World Heritage with "Quanzhou, the eastern end of the Maritime Silk Road". During this period, he experienced many twists and turns.
In 2017, my country proposed for the first time the "Ancient Quanzhou (Cryptonite) Historic Sites" project to be included in the World Heritage List. After evaluation by an international professional advisory body, the 42nd World Heritage Conference held in Bahrain in 2018 made a decision to "remit it for further discussion".
Subsequently, in accordance with the resolution of the conference and the opinions of international professional consulting organizations, the State Administration of Cultural Heritage guided Quanzhou City, professional organizations and the International Council on Monuments and Sites to cooperate closely, and made major adjustments to the positioning of the Quanzhou project. Si ruins, Anping Bridge, Shunji Bridge ruins, Dehua kiln site, Anxi Qingyang Xiacaopu Iron Smelting Site, 6 declaration points, reorganized the combination logic of the declaration points, extracted outstanding universal values, and clearly proposed that the important maritime trade in the Song and Yuan Dynasties A brand new theme focused on history.
Ding Yuling, director of the Quanzhou Overseas Transportation History Museum, said: "If it is a relatively simple theme such as a bridge, a tower or Tusi ruins, it is easy to understand in terms of cultural value. But a brand-new combined theme like Quanzhou, I think It is not easy to convince international experts to agree with "
". The theme is more distinct, the value description is clearer and more complete, the number of heritage sites has been increased from the original 16 to 22, the heritage content has been further enriched, and the overall quality of the submitted projects has been significantly improved. Zhang Lei, head of the World Cultural Heritage Department of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage, said that Quanzhou has applied for a World Heritage project.
Dejimen ruins and Tianhou Temple. According to Xinhua News Agency
Under the new theme, Quanzhou’s application for World Heritage has finally come to a successful conclusion. The 44th World Heritage Committee meeting decided that "Quanzhou: World Maritime Trade Center in Song and Yuan China" reflects the unique and outstanding spatial structure of a port city in a specific historical period, and the 22 heritage sites it contains cover social structure, administrative Many important cultural elements such as institutions, transportation, production and commerce jointly contributed to Quanzhou's gradual rise and vigorous development from the 10th to the 14th century AD, becoming the maritime hub of East and Southeast Asia's trade network and making great contributions to the economic and cultural development of East and Southeast Asia.
"Quanzhou's culture is diverse, open and inclusive." Today, walking in the ancient city of Quanzhou, people can deeply feel that in more than a thousand years of cultivation, the hard work and wisdom of the predecessors have long been turned into indelible legends , moistening things silently affects the appearance and spirit of the city.
Jinyu Lane, Licheng District, Quanzhou City. According to Xinhua News Agency
After the successful application for World Heritage:
A new starting point for protection and utilization
The successful application for World Heritage is not the end, but a new starting point for Quanzhou's historical archeology, cultural research, protection and utilization.
"living inheritance", many experts have emphasized that this is the characteristic of Quanzhou's cultural heritage.It means that Quanzhou cultural heritage is deeply integrated into the production and life of local people. It is by no means a cold and stiff building, but full of the smell of human fireworks. Many heritage sites, including Kaiyuan Temple, do not charge tickets except for Qingyuan Mountain and Qingjing Temple where Laojun Rock is located. "Many of our heritage sites have maintained their original functions for thousands of years. They are not condescending and tourists are welcome to visit." said Li Qingjun, deputy section chief of the cultural preservation section of the Quanzhou Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism. He gave two figures at the same time, "In order to retain nostalgia and maintain the authenticity and integrity of cultural heritage, nearly 200 square kilometers and 2% of the land area have been included in protected areas, buffer zones and landscape control areas."
Cultures and relics of different contents and forms together constitute Quanzhou's unique maritime culture and have become world-renowned cultural treasures. These are not only for Quanzhou, but also for China and the world.
News link
Together with Quanzhou, they were listed as "World Heritage"
After three days of deliberation, as of July 26, 16 new members had been added to the World Heritage family. The review of additions to the list of this World Heritage Conference will continue until the 28th, when the UNESCO World Heritage List and the List of World Heritage in Danger will be updated.
So, in addition to Quanzhou, what other world cultural wonders have entered the World Heritage List? We take a look at some of the shortlisted heritage projects.
Asia:
Hima Petroglyphs, Najran Province, Saudi Arabia
Cultural rock paintings of Hima Najran (Illustration by Dr Majeed Khan). According to The Paper
Himma rock paintings are mainly located in the arid mountainous area of southwest Saudi Arabia, on an ancient caravan route on the Arabian Peninsula. Travelers and armies who camped here left behind a large number of rock paintings and inscriptions depicting hunting, animals, plants, and lifestyles at different times, which lasted until the end of the 20th century, and most of them remained in their original state.
India: Kakatiya Dynasty Rudeshwara (Ramappa) Temple in Telangana
Rudeshwara Temple (wiki image). Picture according to The Paper
Rudeshwara, commonly known as Ramappa Temple, is the main Shiva temple in a walled complex. It was built in Rudes of the Kakatiya Dynasty (1123-1323 AD) During the reign of Rudradeva and Recharla Rudra. UNESCO believes that the temple's sculptures are of high artistic quality and vividly demonstrate local dance customs and Kakatiya culture.
Iran: Transverse Railway
Iran’s Transverse Railway (wiki image). According to The Paper
The Trans-Iran Railway was built in 1927 with a total length of 1,394 kilometers. It connects the Caspian Sea in the northeast of Iran and the Persian Gulf in the southwest. It passes through two mountain ranges and numerous rivers, plateaus, forests and plains, spanning 4 climate zone. The project was designed by the Iranian government in cooperation with 43 construction contractors from other countries and took 11 years to complete.
Europe
European Spa Resorts
European Spa Resorts is a cross-border heritage site, jointly declared by Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom, and includes 11 towns in 7 countries. This ambitious project highlights the importance and value of Europe’s unique spa culture and architecture.
Cordouan Lighthouse, France
Cordouan Lighthouse, France (photo by news.in-24.com). Picture according to The Paper
Cordouan Lighthouse is the oldest inhabited lighthouse in France. It stands on a reef platform at the mouth of the Gironde River in the Atlantic Ocean. Its environment is highly exposed and very harsh. People can only visit it when the weather is good. It can only be seen from the coastline. During the New Navigation Period, it displayed outstanding lighthouse architectural art.
Mathilde Heights in Darmstadt, Germany
In the Mathilde Heights, the commanding heights of the city of Darmstadt in west-central Germany, there is the Darmstadt Artist Village, which is connected by the Hesse Highway Devi Founded in 1897 by Ernst Ludwig, it was the center of the emerging reform movement in architecture, arts and crafts.The heritage site consists of 2 components and a total of 23 heritage sites.
Italy: Padua, the capital of painting, Giotto's Scrovegni Chapel and the 14th-century mural group in Padua
The murals painted by Giotto in the Scrovegni Chapel (afar.com picture). According to The Paper
, the heritage site consists of 8 religious and secular building complexes distributed in the old town of Padua. Here, many artists created a large number of murals in buildings with different functions between 1302 and 1397. . UNESCO said that together, the murals show how the art of mural painting developed in the 14th century with new creative impulses and understanding of spatial expression. With the success of this project, the number of Italian World Heritage Sites has increased to 57, currently ranking first in the world.
Spain: Paseo del Prado and Retiro Park, a landscape of art and science
Retiro Gardens (lonelyplanet picture). According to The Paper
, this 200-hectare cultural landscape is located in the center of Madrid. There are large fountains on the avenue (especially the Terrace Fountain and the Poseidon Fountain), as well as the city's landmark Terrace Square. In addition, there is also the Retiro Park, the remains of the Boone Retiro Palace built in the 17th century. The site embodies the new ideas about urban space and development during the enlightened absolutism of the 18th century, and collectively illustrates the desire for a utopian society at the height of the Spanish Empire.
Cover News Xu Yalan Comprehensive from Xinhua News Agency, Fujian Daily, The Paper, and China Discipline Inspection and Supervision News
[If you have news clues, you are welcome to report them to us. Once adopted, we will be compensated. Follow us on WeChat for reporting materials: ihxdsb, QQ for reporting materials: 3386405712】
