World Heritage in China
World Heritage sites are selected carefully by United Nations by way of some strict procedures. It is roughly belonging to human on the earth, rather than the local people of the territory. World heritage is the masterpieces of human ancestors, which deepen our understanding on the world and human as well as the interaction between nature and human.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) seeks to encourage the identification, protection and preservation of cultural and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity. This is embodied in an international treaty called the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage. UNESCO's World Heritage mission is to: encourage countries to sign the World Heritage Convention and to ensure the protection of their natural and cultural heritage; encourage States Parties to the Convention to nominate sites within their national territory for inclusion on the World Heritage List; encourage States Parties to establish management plans and set up reporting systems on the state of conservation of their World Heritage sites; help States Parties safeguard World Heritage properties by providing technical assistance and professional training; provide emergency assistance for World Heritage sites in immediate danger; support States Parties' public awareness-building activities for World Heritage conservation; encourage participation of the local population in the preservation of their cultural and natural heritage; encourage international cooperation in the conservation of our world's cultural and natural heritage.
Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage was organized by UNESCO and officially agreed on the 17th United Nations Congress on December 11, 1972. In 1976, the World Heritage Committee was founded and published the List of World Heritage. China participated into this international organization in 1985. In 1999, China became the member of World Heritage Committee. China began to apply for items of world heritage in 1986. From 1987 to 2008, there were 37 sites listed into the List of World Heritage in China. 26 are cultural heritage sites, 7 are natural sites and 4 cultural and natural sites. Besides, there are also four intangible cultural heritages in the world. China is ranked to be the third place in world-heritage-site possession. The sites listed into the List of World Heritage will be the international places of interest, and they also will be assisted by the World Heritage Fund. It also could be the tourism destination for world tour.
Natural and Cultural Heritage Cultural Heritage Natural Heritage
Intangible Cultural Heritage Properties submitted on the Tentative List
Natural and Cultural Heritage
Cultural Heritage
Peking Man Site at Zhoukoudian (1987)
The Great Wall (1987)
Mogao Caves (1987)
Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor (1987)
Imperial Palaces of the Ming and Qing Dynasties in Beijing and Shenyang (1987)
Temple and Cemetery of Confucius and the Kong Family Mansion in Qufu (1994)
Mountain Resort and its Outlying Temples, Chengde (1994)
Historic Ensemble of the Potala Palace, Lhasa (1994)
Ancient Building Complex in the Wudang Mountains (1994)
Old Town of Lijiang (1997)
Ancient City of Ping Yao (1997)
Classical Gardens of Suzhou (1997)
Summer Palace, an Imperial Garden in Beijing (1998)
Temple of Heaven: an Imperial Sacrificial Altar in Beijing (1998)
Dazu Rock Carvings (1999)
Ancient Villages in Southern Anhui – Xidi and Hongcun (2000)
Yungang Grottoes (2001)
Yin Xu (2006)
Longmen Grottoes (2000)
Imperial Tombs of the Ming and Qing Dynasties (2000)
Mount Qingcheng and the Dujiangyan Irrigation System (2000)
Capital Cities and Tombs of the Ancient Koguryo Kingdom (2004)
Historic Centre of Macao (2005)
Kaiping Diaolou and Villages (2007)
Fujian Tulou (2008)
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Natural Heritage
Huanglong Scenic and Historic Interest Area (1992)
Jiuzhaigou Valley Scenic and Historic Interest Area (1992)
Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area (1992)
South China Karst (2007)
Intangible Cultural Heritage
Properties submitted on the Tentative List
The Sakyamuni Pagoda at Fogong Temple (1996)
Anji Bridge (1996)
Foguang Temple (1996)
The Ruins of Jiaohe Ancient City (1996)
Shennongjia Nature Reserve (1996)
Dongzhai Port Nature Reserve (1996)
The Alligator Sinensis Nature Reserve (1996)
Poyang Nature Reserve (1996)
The Lijiang River Scenic Zone at Guilin (1996)
Lunan Stone Forest Scenic Zone (1996)
West Lake Scenic Zone in Hangzhou (1996)
The Ruins of Daming Palace of the Tang Dynasty (1996)
The Remains of Chang'an City of the Han Dynasty (1996)
The Forest of Steles in Xi'an (1996)
The City Wall of Xi'an (1996)
Chengyang Yongji Bridge (1996)
Kaiyuan Temple Pagoda of Dingzhou City (1996)
Dule Temple (1996)
Historical Residential Courtyards in Dingcun (1996)
Liangzhu Archaeological Sites (1996)
Beihai Park (1996)
Yunju Temple Pagoda and its Stone Scriptures (1996)
Beijing Ancient Observatory (1996)
Lugou Bridge (1996)
Tonglushan Ancient Copper Mine Sites (1996)
Sakya Tower of Fogong Monastery (1996)
Foguang Monastery (1996)
Yongle Palace (1996)
Niuheliang Archaeological Site (1996)
Historical Remains at Yuan Shangdu (1996)
The Silk Road (Chinese Section) (1996)
The Ancient Town of Tongli (1998)
The Ancient Town of Zhouzhuang (1998)
Norbulingka (2000)
The Ancient Venetian Township in the South of Yangtze River - Luzhi (2001)
The Ancient Venetian Township in the South of Yangtze River - Nanxun (2001)
The Ancient Venetian Township in the South of Yangtze River - Wuzhen (2001)
The Ancient Venetian Township in the South of Yangtze River - Xitang (2001)
Mount Wutai Administrative Bureau (2001)
Yalong, Tibet (2001)
Yangtze Gorges Scenic Spot (2001)
Jinfushan Scenic Spot (2001)
Heaven Pit and Ground Seam Scenic Spot (2001)
Hua Shan Scenic Area (2001)
Yandang Mountain (2001)
Putuo Mountain Scenic Resort (2001)
Nanxi River (2001)
Songshan Area (2001)
Maijishan Scenic Spots (2001)
Wudalianchi Scenic Spots (2001)
Haitan Scenic Spots (2001)
Dali Chanshan Mountain and Erhai Lake Scenic Spot (2001)
Honghe Hani Terraced Fields (2002)
The protection zone of Chengjiang fossil lagerstätte (2005)
Sanqingshan National Park (2005)
The Grand Canal (2008)
Pagoda, Library Caves and Stone Tablets of sutra of Yunju Temple (2008)
Sites for Liquor Making in China (2008)
Shanxi Businessmen’s Courtyard Houses (2008)
Ancient Residences in Shanxi and Shaanxi Provinces (2008)
Ensemble of Buddhist Temples in of Mount Wutai (2008)
City Walls of the Ming and Qing Dynasties (2008)
The Niuheliang Archaeological Site (2008)
Sites of the Yuan Dynasty Upper Capital (Xanadu )and Middle Capital (2008)
Slender West Lake and Historic Urban Area in Yangzhou (2008)
The Ancient Waterfront Towns in the South of Yangtze River (2008)
Hangzhou West Lake - Traditional Longjing Tea Garden Landscape (2008)
Liangzhu Archaeological Site (2008)
Ancient Porcelain Kiln Site in China: The Yue-Kiln Site at Shanglin Lake (2008)
Site of Ancient Copper Mine: Site of Ancient Copper Mine in Tongling (2008)
Site of the Qi State Capital and the Mausoleum of King of the Qi State at Linzi (2008)
Chinese Section of the Silk Road (2008)
Historic Monuments of Mount Song (2008)
Fenghuang Ancient City (2008)
Site of Southern Yue State (2008)
Lingqu Canal (2008)
The Rock Painting of the Mountain Huashan (2008)
Baiheliang Ancient Hydrological Inscription (2008)
Archaeological Sites of the Ancient Shu State (2008)
Diaolou Buildings and Villages for Tibetan and Qiang Ethnic Groups (2008)
Miao Nationality Villages in Southeast Guizhou Province (2008)
Dong Nationality Villages in Southeast Guizhou Province: The Villages of Dong Nationality-Liudong and Jiudong Villages (2008)
Hani Terraces (2008)
Karez Wells (2008)
Extension Project of Classical Gardens of Suzhou: Classical Gardens of Suzhou and Historical Street Blocks (2008)
Extension Project of Ancient Villages in South Anhui Province: Tangyue, Likeng and Wangkou village (2008)
Extension Project of Temple and Cemetery of Confucius and the Kong Family Mansion in Qufu: Temple of Confucius at Nishan Mountain, Temple and Cemetery of Mencius and the Meng Family Mansion, Temple of Yanhui and Temple of Zeng Zi (2008)
Expansion Project of Imperial Tombs of the Ming and Qing Dynasties: King Lujian’s Tombs (2008)
Danxia Landform of China (2008)
The Four Sacred Mountains as an Extension of Mt. Taishan (2008)
