Blue Quanzhou Bay Like Fire, Erythrina Flower Tough East West Pagoda, Magnificent Luoyang Bridge
Quanzhou World Heritage: Live Inheritance of China’s Marine Civilization
On the afternoon of July 25th, “Quanzhou: World Marine Trade Center of Song and Yuan China” was officially approved at the 44th World Heritage Conference. At this point, China’s world heritage list has added another shining pearl, reaching 56 locations.
This project fully reflects the highly integrated overseas trade system of production, transportation, and sales in Quanzhou during the Song and Yuan dynasties, as well as the diverse social system composed of institutional, social, and cultural factors that supported its operation. The conference resolution believes that its 22 heritage sites, including transportation, production, and commerce, together contribute to Quanzhou becoming a maritime hub for East and Southeast Asian trade networks.
Protecting, inheriting, and utilizing these precious assets is our common responsibility and an inevitable requirement for the continuation of human civilization and the sustainable development of the world.
The blue Quanzhou Bay is like a fire like thorn tree flower, with a resilient east-west tower and a magnificent Luoyang Bridge. In Quanzhou, cultural heritage has been passed down for thousands of years and has long been integrated with people’s lives. The reporter conducted on-site visits to some heritage sites, interviewed participants and witnesses of local heritage applications, and listened to them share the stories and insights behind them.
ICOMOS suggests that the Quanzhou project be ‘included’
Quanzhou is a famous historical and cultural city. It was a maritime trade port during the Tang, Five Dynasties, Song, and Yuan dynasties, and even became a world-renowned trade center during the Song and Yuan dynasties. Archaeologist Zhuang Weiji once pointed out that in the middle of the Tang Dynasty, due to the “An Shi Rebellion”, the land Silk Road was blocked, and the maritime Silk Road gradually became the main channel of transportation between China and foreign countries. Quanzhou emerged as a port for maritime transportation..Single themes such as a bridge, a tower, or a Tusi site are easily understood in terms of cultural value. But it’s not easy to persuade international experts to agree with a brand new combination theme like Quanzhou
“The theme is more distinct, the value description is more clear and complete, the number of heritage sites has increased from 16 to 22, the heritage connotation has been further enriched, and the overall quality of the declared project has been significantly improved.” Referring to this Quanzhou World Heritage application project, Zhang Lei, the head of the World Cultural Heritage Department of the National Cutural Heritage Administration, introduced that the National Cutural Heritage Administration guided the local government to further strengthen heritage protection and management, strengthen archaeological research, and enhance the interpretation and display of heritage values, We have also established cooperation with international professional institutions and made significant adjustments to the declared projects from a technical perspective. Therefore, we hold a cautious and optimistic attitude towards the results of the World Heritage application.
Adjustments have been made to the project name, heritage site, narrative logic, etc
What are the highlights of Quanzhou’s storytelling approach when asking ICOMOS to provide evaluation suggestions for “inclusion”? How to study and improve the value of heritage, the logical composition and overall correlation of elements of a series of heritage, as well as sustainable protection and management approaches, are closely related to them.
The most obvious change is the project name. From “Ancient Quanzhou (Erythrina) Historical Site” to “Quanzhou: The World Maritime Trade Center of Song and Yuan China”, Li Guohong, the director of the Shishi City Museum, believes that “by limiting time and value, the theme is more focused and specific. At that time, Quanzhou was not only a window for China to understand the world, but also a perspective for the world to understand China
In addition to the name, this application for World Heritage also added 6 new heritage sites, including Anping Bridge, Shunji Bridge Site, Shibosi Site, Nanwaizong Zhengsi Site, Anxi Qingyang Xiacaopu Iron Smelting Site, and Qudougong Dehua Kiln Site. At the same time, the area of the heritage area and buffer zone have increased exponentially. It is understood that the original 16 heritage sites include docks, navigation aids, bridges, and sea temples that reflect local maritime trade traditions, as well as temples and cemeteries that reflect the culture and life of foreign ethnic groups; The addition of new heritage sites highlights the universal value of Quanzhou as a world maritime trade center in China during the Song and Yuan dynasties, and the heritage support system is more complete.
Lin Han, Deputy Director of the Quanzhou Overseas Transportation History Museum, explained, “For example, the addition of two new bridges serves as representatives of the transportation network, the Yetie and Dehua Kiln sites serve as supplements to exported goods, the Shibo and Nanwai Zongzheng sites, one is the customs of the year, and the other is the yamen that resettled the royal family, all of which are part of the institutional guarantee
There is also a ‘little interlude’ in this. According to Lin Han, experts from the World Cultural Heritage site have pointed out that besides porcelain, iron is also one of the most important bulk export commodities in history. Considering the smelting foundation of Quanzhou, “if an iron smelting site can be found, it will be a good supplement to the theme of the World Heritage application..Some records about smelting were found in the local chronicles and geological data of Fujian, and cultural and historical workers from various districts and counties were mobilized to search for hundreds of place names with relevant characters such as “smelting” and “iron” throughout the city. After analysis and judgment, key areas were selected for on-site investigation. The Qingyang Xiacaopu Iron Smelting Site alone has been visited eight times before archaeological excavations were confirmed on site. The results are surprising. This is currently the first archaeological site to prove the coexistence of two technical systems: block iron smelting and pig iron smelting, “Lin Han said.
This is a smelting field made in heaven and earth, and I have to admire the ingenuity of the ancients. “Yi Shufeng, the director of the Anxi County Museum, introduced that Qingyang is rich in iron ore resources; The dense forests of the Wulang Mountains provide inexhaustible fuel; Xiacaopu is high in the north and low in the south, with two mountains sandwiched between the east and west, forming a natural “bellows”; The ferry is located near the mountain path, and iron boats can flow downstream to reach Quanzhou Port.
In addition, in the latest version of the application text, the narrative logic of heritage sites has been readjusted, with 22 heritage sites reclassified according to six key elements: institutional guarantees, diverse communities, urban structure, production bases, transportation networks, and regional layout.
ICOMOS believes that Quanzhou has made considerable efforts to revise the application plan, expand the number of heritage sites, and provide an overall historical and geographical narrative, greatly improving the clarity of the entire heritage system. ICOMOS believes that this series of heritage should be considered for inclusion in the list, laying a solid foundation for the successful application of the World Heritage Site.
The protection and restoration of historical features is not solely the responsibility of the cultural heritage unit
Quanzhou Tianhou Temple is the oldest, largest, and highest standard temple that exists to worship the sea god Mazu. In front of the entrance of the dormitory, a pair of Hindu stone pillars (which were relocated during the Ming Dynasty maintenance) are connected to wooden pillars, with a couplet engraved on the front: “Divine achievements protect the sea country, water virtue matches the heaven and earth”. Little known is that these wooden columns were repaired more than 20 years ago and now look seamlessly integrated with the entire building.
In the past, we emphasized ‘repairing the old as old’, but now we demand ‘minimal intervention’. “Liu Dashan, the general manager of protection and repair projects such as Fuwen Temple and Tianhou Palace, explained that while ensuring structural safety, we should not move or repair small things to maintain the authenticity and historical style of cultural relics and ancient buildings as much as possible. Taking this pair of wooden pillars as an example, there are many termites in the damp areas of southern Fujian, and coupled with their age, the core of the pillars was once decayed. When repairing, they did not simply replace it, but instead spent more than ten days carefully peeling off the skin of the original pillar, replacing it with a new pillar and gradually sticking the skin back, which allowed the world to see the original appearance of the couplet..Pressing against the background wall in the screen disrupts the visual effect. Considering the cultural connotation and architectural characteristics of the Fuwen Temple, CCTV used virtual imaging technology to “erase” these two buildings in its post production.
This kind of expediency is certainly not feasible in the face of applying for World Heritage. Li Qingjun, Deputy Chief of the Cultural Protection Department of Quanzhou Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, said, “A cultural heritage must have a heritage zone, buffer zone, and landscape control zone. Taking advantage of the opportunity of applying for cultural heritage, we demolished these two buildings in 2017 and restored the historical skyline of Fuwen Temple
The application for World Heritage is a massive project, with countless supporting forces from top to bottom. Li Qingjun waved his phone and said, “There are at least 200 new phones stored here, most of which are experts in the fields of cultural heritage, underwater archaeology, urban archaeology, urban protection planning, and ancient building protection and repair
Huang Mingzhen, the director of the Quanzhou Museum and deputy director of the Quanzhou Maritime Silk Road World Heritage Application Center, told reporters that authenticity and completeness are the key areas of investigation for the application. The Song and Yuan dynasties correspond to the 10th to 14th centuries, and we need to use cultural relics, historical records, and other evidence to prove that cultural relics were built and preserved from the Song and Yuan dynasties to this day, which is the authenticity
Taking the Shihu Dock as an example, in order to prove that the dock was built during the Song Dynasty, experts from the Fujian Provincial Museum drilled four exploratory holes next to the Tongji Zhanqiao Bridge. Under the bridge, porcelain pieces from the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties were found, stacked layer by layer, getting closer to the previous era. The patterns, shapes, and colors of porcelain from different periods vary, which is more convincing evidence than stone, “said Li Guohong.
Successful application for World Heritage is a new starting point for protection and utilization
The successful application for World Heritage is not the end point, but a new starting point for Quanzhou’s historical archaeology, cultural research, protection, and utilization. According to convention, a portion of the application text specifically discusses protective measures.
It is not only our solemn commitment to the world, but also the general principles for the protection of 22 heritage sites. Next, we should also formulate protection rules for each of the 22 heritage sites under the guidance of the general principles, especially paying attention to science, accuracy, and operability. “Li Guohong said.
Why emphasize scientific precision? Li Guohong said, “The 22 heritage sites exhibit different intrinsic values, as well as different shapes, materials, and environments, making it difficult to solve all specific problems with one set of methods.” He further explained, “The three heritage sites of Longevity Pagoda, Liusheng Pagoda, Shihu Dock and Shishi Lion are all made of stone. What we fear most is not fire or lightning strike. How to do a good job of lightning protection without changing the appearance of cultural relics is the key point. However, for example, Kaiyuan Temple and Fuwen Temple, we may not be able to use a cigarette end. As for open-air sites, we should pay special attention to the instantaneous rainstorm wash, and the drainage and waterproof measures of archaeological sites should be in place.”.Lasting for thousands of years, still burning today, just changing places; Since the day when the Wanshou Tower and Liusheng Tower stand tall, they have been the unchanging landmarks in the hearts of sailors; Amidst the morning bells and evening drums of Kaiyuan Temple, the entire city still went to pray for peace and good weather; Luoyang Bridge and Anping Bridge are no longer the main thoroughfares of the past, but this does not prevent citizens from strolling at the bridge head and lingering in the sunset
In the interview, multiple experts emphasized that “live inheritance” is a characteristic of Quanzhou’s cultural heritage. The meaning is that Quanzhou’s cultural heritage is deeply integrated into the production and life of the local people, and is not a cold and rigid building, but filled with the smell of human fireworks. Many heritage sites, including Kaiyuan Temple, do not charge admission fees except for the Qingyuan Mountain and Qingjing Temple where Laojun Rock is located. Many of our heritage sites have maintained their original functions for thousands of years and are not superior, and tourists and the public are welcome to visit, “said Li Qingjun.
He also gave two numbers, “In order to retain homesickness and maintain the authenticity and integrity of cultural heritage, nearly 200 square kilometers and 2% of the land area have been included in protected areas, buffer zones, and landscape control zones