To mark the second anniversary of the Beijing Central Axis' inscription as a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Beijing Central Axis World Heritage Photography Exhibition has opened at Zhongshan Park, where it will run through Aug 24.
Fifteen heritage component sites along the Beijing Central Axis, including the Palace Museum, the National Museum of China, the Temple of Heaven Park and Jingshan Park, have joined the event.
A yearlong series of activities themed around the Beijing Central Axis and UNESCO's inscription of "Beijing Central Axis: A Building Ensemble Exhibiting the Ideal Order of the Chinese Capital" will also be held across the city.
The exhibition highlights the rich heritage and enduring appeal of the 7.8-kilometer Beijing Central Axis, the historic backbone of the old city, offering visitors a visual journey that bridges Beijing's past and present.
Set along the north-south main route through the inner altar of the Altar of Land and Grain at Zhongshan Park, the exhibition invites visitors to explore the displays while strolling through the historic landscape.
It features 48 photographs contributed by heritage sites and photography enthusiasts. Brief captions explain the historical evolution, architectural features and cultural significance of the 15 heritage sites along the Central Axis.
The images capture the Axis' distinctive skyline, rhythmic symmetry, and layered urban landscape. They range from sweeping aerial views to intimate close-ups that reveal intricate architectural details, while showcasing the quiet beauty of snow-covered scenes and the shifting light of dawn and dusk.
Since the Beijing Central Axis was added to the World Heritage List two years ago, Zhongshan Park has continued to strengthen heritage conservation and adaptive reuse.
The park has completed the surveying and digital documentation of 15 heritage buildings from the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties at the Altar of Land and Grain. More than 100 cultural relics have also been digitally archived in high definition.
Besides organizing livestreams of academic forums and the annual Tulip Cultural Festival, the park has developed a lineup of cultural and creative products spanning five categories and 73 items, enabling this millennium-old garden to thrive with vibrant vitality in the new era.
