Quanzhou added to UNESCO World Heritage List

Aerial photo taken on July 8, 2021 shows Anping Bridge in Anhai Town of Quanzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province. China's "Quanzhou: Emporium of the World in Song-Yuan China" was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List as a cultural site on Sunday, bringing the total number of the country's UNESCO World Heritage sites to 56. Quanzhou, a coastal city in China's Fujian Province, was a global maritime trade center back in the Song and Yuan dynasties. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong)

FUZHOU, July 25 (Xinhua) -- East China's port city of Quanzhou, once hailed as "the very great and noble city" by the Italian explorer Marco Polo, won UNESCO World Cultural Heritage status Sunday, bringing the total number of the country's UNESCO World Heritage sites to 56.

UNESCO accepted "Quanzhou: Emporium of the World in Song-Yuan China" as a cultural property on its World Heritage List amid the ongoing 44th session of the World Heritage Committee held in Fuzhou, capital of east China's Fujian Province.

Located on narrow plains along the coastline of Fujian, Quanzhou was one of the world's largest ports along the historic Maritime Silk Road, particularly in ancient China's Song Dynasty (960-1279) and Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368).

The serial property includes 22 sites of administrative buildings and structures, religious buildings, and statues. The property witnessed multi-cultural communities, cultural memorial sites and monuments, the production of ceramics and iron, and a transportation network formed of bridges, docks and pagodas that guided voyagers.

"It reflects greatly the spatial structure that combined production, transportation and marketing. It demonstrates the key institutional, social and cultural factors that contributed to the spectacular rise and prosperity of Quanzhou as a maritime hub of the East and Southeast Asia trade network during the 10th to 14th centuries AD," said a report by the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), the committee's official advisory body.

It is the second time the city has applied for the prestigious title. In 2018, China's nomination "Historic Monuments and Sites of Ancient Quanzhou (Zayton)" was referred back for a second chance when the committee met in Bahrain in 2018.

China made significant technical adjustments and resubmitted the application as "Quanzhou: Emporium of the World in Song-Yuan China," with the former 16 sites included in the serial nomination expanded to 22 sites, according to Zhang Lei. Zhang is head of the world cultural heritage department under China's National Cultural Heritage Administration and made the remarks at a press conference held earlier this month.

The session, originally scheduled for 2020 but postponed due to COVID-19, has been extended until July 31 to go over the agendas of both 2020 and 2021. 

Aerial photo taken on July 9, 2021 shows Luoyang Bridge in Quanzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong)

Aerial photo taken on July 8, 2021 shows Tianhou Temple in Licheng District of Quanzhou City, southeast China's Fujian Province. (Xinhua/Lin Shanchuan)

Aerial photo taken on July 7, 2021 shows the east and west pagodas of Kaiyuan Temple in Quanzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province. (Xinhua/Song Weiwei)

Photo taken on July 12, 2021 shows a site of Cizao Kilns in Jinjiang, Quanzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province. (Xinhua/ Lai Jincai)

Photo taken on July 8, 2021 shows Qingjing Mosque in Quanzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province. (Xinhua/Wei Peiquan)

Photo taken on July 5, 2021 shows Wanshou Pagoda in Shishi City, Quanzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province. (Xinhua/Wei Peiquan)

Photo taken on July 7, 2021 shows the Statue of Lao Tze in Fengze District of Quanzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province. (Xinhua/Lin Shanchuan)

Aerial photo taken on July 24, 2021 shows Qingjing Mosque in Quanzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province. (Xinhua/Wei Peiquan)

Photo taken on July 6, 2021 shows the Estuary Docks in Quanzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province. (Xinhua/Wei Peiquan)

Aerial photo taken on July 7, 2021 shows the ancient ferry of Shihu Dock in Shishi City, Quanzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province. (Xinhua/Song Weiwei)

Aerial photo taken on July 7, 2021 shows the site of Deji Gate in Quanzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong)

Photo taken on July 7, 2021 shows the Jiuri Mountain Wind-Praying Inscriptions in Nan'an of Quanzhou City, southeast China's Fujian Province. (Xinhua/Song Weiwei)

Photo taken on July 7, 2021 shows the site of Shunji Bridge in Quanzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong)

Photo taken on July 6, 2021 shows the Confucius Temple in Quanzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province. (Xinhua/Wei Peiquan)

Photo taken on May 20, 2019 shows Cao'an Temple in Jinjiang City, Quanzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province. (Xinhua/Wei Peiquan)

Quanzhou is located on the southeast coast of China's Fujian Province. In the Song (960-1279) and Yuan (1271-1368) dynasties, Quanzhou was known as "the largest port in the East". With numerous merchant ships from the East and the West coming and going day and night, the prosperity of the city was vividly recorded in many historical materials and "The Travels of Marco Polo", which recounts the journey of the Italian explorer to the East. As there are a thousand Hamlets in a thousand people's eyes, when strolling in this ancient city, people may have different feelings. Some may be attracted by its heartwarming humanistic atmosphere while others may be inspired by its people's spirit of perseverance. As one of the most renowned historical and cultural cities in China, Quanzhou is obviously ancient. Meanwhile, Quanzhou is young and energetic with its economic aggregate output topping all other cities in Fujian Province for 22 consecutive years. Nowadays, people in the thousand-year-old city are enjoying both its heritage and modernity.

A tourist visits Xijie, an ancient street area, in Quanzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, July 8, 2021. (Xinhua/Song Weiwei)

Kids play in the Heavenly Goddess Palace in Quanzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, July 8, 2021. (Xinhua/Lin Shanchuan)

A swallow and a butterfly fly around a roof ridge in Quanzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, July 8, 2021. (Xinhua/Wei Peiquan)

A fisherwoman smiles in the sunset glow on an ancient bridge in Quanzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, July 7, 2021. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong)

Aerial photo taken on July 7, 2021 shows vehicles running around an ancient city gate in Quanzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province. (Xinhua/Song Weiwei)

Kids rest under trees beside an anient stone bridge in Quanzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, July 8, 2021. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong)

An elder lady rides in Xijie, an ancient street area, in Quanzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, July 7, 2021. (Xinhua/Song Weiwei)

Photo taken on May 19, 2019 shows the roof ridges of traditional residential buildings in Quanzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province. (Xinhua/Wei Peiquan)

A woman does morning exercises with her kids in Xijie, an ancient street area, in Quanzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, July 7, 2021. (Xinhua/Song Weiwei)

Aerial photo taken on July 8, 2021 shows the general view of Quanzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province. (Xinhua/Song Weiwei)

Tourists enjoy a puppet show in Quanzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, July 6, 2021. (Xinhua/Song Weiwei)

A fisherman rows a boat on the river in Quanzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, July 7, 2021. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong)

Aerial photo taken on July 9, 2021 shows fishermen rowing boats on the river beside an anient bridge in Quanzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong)

Artists perform Nanyin, one of China's oldest music styles and a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, at a teahouse in Quanzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, July 6, 2021. (Xinhua/Wei Peiquan)

Aerial photo taken on July 8, 2021 shows tourists visiting an anient stone bridge in Quanzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong)

Aerial photo taken on July 7, 2021 shows the statue of Zheng Chenggong, a national hero in the 17th century, in the backdrop of modern buildings in Quanzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province. (Xinhua/Song Weiwei)

Aerial photo shows tourists visiting an anient stone bridge in Quanzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, July 8, 2021. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong)

A man enjoys coffee at an exhibition center on coffee culture in Licheng District of Quanzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, July 8, 2021. (Xinhua/Lin Shanchuan)

Kids learn to make pottery in Licheng District of Quanzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, July 8, 2021. (Xinhua/Lin Shanchuan)

A woman rides through historical Jinyu alley in Licheng District of Quanzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, July 8, 2021. (Xinhua/Lin Shanchuan)

Residents pass the Bell Tower early in the morning in Quanzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, July 8, 2021. (Xinhua/Song Weiwei)

Tourists take pictures at the building on an anient stone bridge in Quanzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, July 8, 2021. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong)

Kids play at an alley in Licheng District of Quanzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, July 8, 2021. (Xinhua/Lin Shanchuan)

A man rides early in the moring in Xijie, an ancient street area, in Quanzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, March 24, 2018. (Xinhua/Song Weiwei)

Artists perform Nanyin, one of China's oldest music styles and a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, at a teahouse in Quanzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, July 6, 2021. (Xinhua/Wei Peiquan)

Tourists take photos in historical Jinyu alley in Licheng District of Quanzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, July 8, 2021. (Xinhua/Lin Shanchuan)

Tourists walk past Qingjing Temple in Quanzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, July 6, 2021. (Xinhua/Wei Peiquan)

Photo taken on July 7, 2021 shows a unique kind of traditional headwear on a woman's head in Xijie, an ancient street area, in Quanzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province. (Xinhua/Song Weiwei)

A woman walks past Kaiyuan Temple in Xijie, an ancient street area, in Quanzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, July 7, 2021. (Xinhua/Song Weiwei)

Aerial photo shows people enjoying tea at a homestay in Xijie, an ancient street area, in Quanzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, July 7, 2021. (Xinhua/Wei Peiquan)

Aerial photo taken on July 9, 2021 shows fishermen rowing boats on the river beside an anient bridge in Quanzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong)

Source：<http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2021-07/25/c_1310084985.htm>