Beijing Central Axis bears the outstanding universal value underpinned by criteria (iii), (iv) and (vi).
An exceptional testimony to the Chinese cultural tradition of "neutrality and harmony"
An enduring and exceptional testimony to the state ritual traditions
A physical testimony to the traditional methods of urban management
Having enduring influence on the city's urban development through centuries of evolution
Beijing Central Axis provides an exceptional material testimony to the philosophy of "neutrality and harmony” prized in the Chinese tradition. It is the unique evidence to testify to the state ritual traditions that have been carried forward to this day, exhibiting the emphasis placed on rituals and order in capital city planning since the 13th century and embodying the pursuit of social harmony and stability through urban construction. It also stands as a vivid illustration of the traditional way of city management. Since its inception, Beijing Central Axis has continued to evolve and exert influence on the city's urban development, demonstrating the enduring vitality of planning tradition.
The best-preserved building complex of traditional capital central axis in China
The use of the mountain and water system to demonstrate the unique worldview of human-nature harmony from Chinese traditions
A complete manifestation of the planning paradigm for the ideal capital city prescribed in the Kaogongji
A hierarchical and well-organized urban landscape with contrasts and variations
Beijing Central Axis is an outstanding example representing the mature stage of the urban central axis of Chinese capitals, and also the best-preserved capital central axis in China, characterized by its unique siting, its urban layout demonstrating the paradigm of the ideal capital city as set out in the Kaogongji, and its hierarchical and well-ordered architectural form and urban landscape.
Beijing Central Axis embodies the Chinese society's traditional spiritual beliefs and values of inclusion and diversity. It bears direct and material connections with The Travels of Marco Polo, an important literary work that introduced China to the Western world during medieval times. Beijing Central Axis is also directly associated with a series of historic events that had worldwide impacts, witnessing the epoch-making transformation of the Chinese society from a dynastic system to a modern state.
Beijing Central Axis embodies the traditional concept of site selection for capital cities. The location of the city was chosen in accordance with the principle of "modeling heaven and earth," with the capital city sited on the earth to directly reflect the area surrounding the North Star (Polaris) in the sky. It also follows the traditional concept of being "surrounded by mountains on north, east, west sides, and embraced by water on south side," cleverly matching the natural environment of the area where Beijing Central Axis is located with the prevailing geographical conditions. This method of location selection also emphasizes the leading role of Beijing Central Axis on the urban planning of the city.
Beijing Central Axis as a whole demonstrates the planning paradigm for an ideal capital as prescribed in the Kaogongji (Book of Diverse Crafts, written in the pre-Qin Period, before 221 BCE), with the "court in the front, market in the back" and "an ancestral temple on the left, an altar of land and grain on the right." The sacrificial buildings are closely distributed on either side of the Axis, highlighting the respect for ceremonial traditions in Chinese culture. This fully formed layout has become an outstanding example representing the culmination of central axis planning for capital cities over the centuries.
Beijing Central Axis constitutes a spatial framework for diverse traditions. With the state ritual traditions at its core, the Axis connects the state ceremonial spaces of the imperial city, sacrificial rituals, and celebratory events with urban facilities needed by ordinary people in their daily lives such as city management facilities, demonstrating complex and diversified cultural traditions of Beijing’s old city.
As the longest and best-preserved traditional capital city axis in China, at 7.8 kilometers long, Beijing Central Axis presents an imposing cityscape sequence and is the ultimate expression of traditional Chinese urban aesthetics. The layout of the key nodes of Beijing Central Axis uses proportional modular relationships to construct a powerful expression of hierarchy and cadence. The pattern and form of the Axis are centered and symmetrical, highlighting the differences and variations within its rigorous order. The traditional Chinese landscape design methods, such as counterpoint and framing are used to create the diverse landscape in each of different sections of the Axis.
Beijing Central Axis is the cumulative product of more than seven centuries of history in the old city of Beijing and has been a continuous urban lineage. The urban pattern of its northern section was formed during the Yuan dynasty and is still in use to this day. The urban pattern, architecture, and landscape of the central and southern sections were formed during the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) and further enriched during the Qing dynasty (1636-1912). The whole Axis was gradually developed into a public-oriented, open urban space in the 20th century and continues to exert a great influence on urban planning and development today. Beijing Central Axis, with its rich history, demonstrates the enduring vitality of traditional Chinese urban planning concepts and the diverse cultural identity of the Chinese civilization.
In terms of evidence of transformations, as the heart of the capital of Yuan, Ming, Qing, and modern China, Beijing Central Axis is a testimony to major historic events. It is the site where numerous historic events occurred, including the end of China's more than 2,000 years of dynastic rule and the establishment of the People's Republic of China. It has stood witness to the gradual historical transformation of the Chinese society from a dynastic system into a modern state.