Explore China: A Journey Through World Natural and Cultural Heritage Sites

Author: Lin Fanjun
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-05-01
Features: Zhoukoudian Peking Man Site, Lijiang Ancient Town, Classical Gardens of Suzhou, Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor and Terracotta Warriors, Dazu Rock Carvings, Ancient Architecture Complex of Wudang Mountain. The well-preserved relics such as the Mogao Caves and Potala Palace are symbols of our nation's certain civilization and culture. A list of cultural and natural heritage is the most concrete and real epitome and record of Chinese history. To appreciate them closely is another way for us to revisit history. Come! Let us, together on this journey, see the shadows of history and the traces of our ancestors on this land.
In November 1972, the UNESCO General Conference adopted the Convention on the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, which has now been ratified by 176 states. In 1985, China became the 89th contracting party, and to date, our country has 30 world heritage sites. They are:
World Cultural Heritage:
- Imperial Palaces of the Ming and Qing Dynasties (Forbidden City in Beijing, Imperial Palace in Shenyang)
- Summer Palace
- Great Wall
- Temple of Heaven
- Chengde Mountain Resort and Surrounding Temples
- Pingyao Ancient City
- Zhoukoudian Peking Man Site
- Lijiang Ancient Town
- Classical Gardens of Suzhou
- Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor and Terracotta Warriors
- Dazu Rock Carvings
- Ancient Architecture Complex of Wudang Mountain
- Mogao Caves
- Potala Palace (Jokhang Temple, Norbulingka)
- Longmen Grottoes
- Confucius Mansion, Temple, and Cemetery in Qufu
- Imperial Tombs of the Ming and Qing Dynasties (Ming Tombs, Eastern Qing Tombs, Western Qing Tombs, Ming Xiaoling Tomb, Thirteen Tombs, Shengjing Tombs)
- Mount Qingcheng – Dujiangyan Irrigation System
- Ancient Villages of Southern Anhui
- Yungang Grottoes
- Ancient Capital Cities, Tombs and Noble Tombs of Goguryeo
World Natural Heritage:
- Jiuzhaigou Valley
- Huanglong
- Wulingyuan
- Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan and Tibet
World Cultural and Natural Heritage:
- Mount Tai
- Mount Huangshan
- Mount Emei – Leshan Giant Buddha
- Mount Wuyi
Cultural Landscapes:
- Mount Lu
These well-preserved relics are symbols of our nation's certain civilization and culture. A list of cultural and natural heritage is the most concrete and real epitome and record of Chinese history. They record the history, culture, and spirit of our nation. Our ancestors, generation after generation, engraved their hopes and aspirations, their joys and sorrows, into this land beneath their feet.
Look, Lijiang Ancient Town has the elegant and refined Naxi ancient music, echoing through the ages and still resonating on every stone slab of the city today. In Pingyao City, the grandeur of the Jin merchant's "Connecting the World" spirit is palpable. In every hall and pavilion of Wudang Mountain, the essence of Taoism is preserved. Jiuzhaigou Valley is a paradise away from the hustle and bustle of industrial civilization. The ancient villages of Southern Anhui record the prosperity and glory of the Huizhou merchants. The vitality of life on the Great Wall, despite its decay, and the spirit it embodies through its winding path, are symbols of an ancient nation. The fallen pillars of the Old Summer Palace also reflect the decline of an empire. The glory and dignity of civilization, the footsteps and sighs of history, all converge on this land that stretches endlessly.
Today, as our hurried footsteps land on this land, we meet history in this very way. In these relics that have weathered millennia, we seem to still see the ever-renewing shadows of our ancestors. The memory of history solidifies at this moment—when you rush to the summit of Mount Tai at dawn to watch the sunrise; when you quietly gaze at the Leshan Giant Buddha in the afternoon; when you linger in the Mogao Caves in the evening, reluctant to leave. In this silence, history is awakened. To appreciate them closely and deeply is another way for us to revisit history, and also a revival of historical memory beneath our feet.
Come! Let us, together on this journey, see the shadows of history and the traces of our ancestors on this land. Let every travel enthusiast find their dreams here.