History, culture and contemporary value of Beijing central axis

The central axis of Beijing refers to the center of the old city of Beijing, from the bell and drum tower at the northern end. Yongding Gate, 7.8 kilometers long, runs through the north and south of Beijing Old Town, and has always decided to have a huge building group in the urban pattern of the old city of Beijing. In this huge building complex, the most important national commemorative buildings, etiquette buildings and iconic buildings in Chinese history since the 13th century, showing the representative material morphological characteristics of Chinese civilization.

The central axis of Beijing is a unique testimony of Chinese civilization. As a representation of the development of civilization, the city must present its main characteristics from various aspects. In the Chinese cultural tradition, the choice of the location of the capital is of great significance. Its position in the land must not only meet the central status in the concept, but also correspond to the position of a specific constellation on the sky. Important part of the concept of people.

As the core building complex of the capital city, the central axis in Beijing has inherited the metropolitan pattern and system formed since the early years of the Western Zhou Dynasty, and continued the tradition corresponding to the building complexes of the city center since the Qin and Han dynasties.

In the Emperor Qianlong, in the "Emperor's Articles", he expressed this relationship as Kaiyang Star, which corresponds to Beijing Star Emperor's seat in Beijing. In the pattern and orientation of the Beijing central axis, whether it is "Xiang Ming" or "Ying Zhijue" and "Jianji Sui", they strongly show the moral significance and construction of the core architecture of the capital in the traditional Chinese concept of the Chinese traditional concept. Symbolicity of national order. When the Yuan Dynasty built a large capital (Beijing), it was an attachment to the establishment of a state system that was formed in the early years of the Western Zhou Dynasty and became a Confucian classic literature in the Han Dynasty. The inheritance of this traditional civilization spirit also reflects the formation of the multi -in -one pattern of Chinese civilization.

The Taimiao, Social Altar, Temple of Heaven, and Gongnan in Beijing are the most important national sacrifice venues in ancient Chinese society, and sacrifice is used as the most important affairs of the country in Chinese history. These four groups of altar temple buildings and other buildings on the central axis of Beijing jointly build a traditional tolerance and diverse belief system for Chinese civilization.

The central axis of Beijing is an outstanding example of the core building complex of the capital city on the basis of the Chinese civilization order and aesthetic concept. The construction of the capital is not only the process of building order in a city, but also a representation of national order. As the core building complex of the metropolitan city, Beijing's central axis, from the scale, form, layout, layout of the building, to decorative details, it is not or to express the ultimate expression of this order based on the traditional concept of Chinese civilization, forming a pattern form that leads the city.

The court and palace room expressed the level of order. The Bell and Drum Tower reflected the urban management system that builds a social life order through the management of time. The central axis of Beijing constitutes a clear expression of this order. "Respect in China" is the basis of order in traditional Chinese culture. The buildings in the Beijing central axis building group show the ultimate pursuit of this aesthetic image. The symmetrical layout of the two sides of the urban area of ​​the central Beijing axis building complex, forming a magnificent, magnificent and orderly urban landscape.

The urban center building complex in the north and south of Beijing Old Town has passed through a number of complex urban functional areas, presenting the life of the emperor in the palace, the life of the princes, bureaucrats, etc. in the inner city, and the lives of ordinary people in the outer city. The most complete material carrier of traditional social life. This expression of traditional life is also reflected in the extremely rich intangible cultural heritage related to the Beijing central axis building complex.

The central axis of Beijing as the core of the capital of ancient China and the modern Chinese capital after the Middle Ages. Its site selection and construction are related to the mountains and lakes and water systems that cross Beijing from west to east, forming a culture and nature. The integrity of material heritage and intangible cultural heritage, historical relics and contemporary life. Whether as a unique carrier of Chinese civilization or an outstanding example of urban planning, architecture, and landscape design in the core city of the oriental civilization, it has made Beijing central axis a prominent worldwide value.

The value of the Beijing central axis lies not only in it is a unique historical heritage, but also its huge influence on real life. It is the core of Beijing cities, an important carrier of contemporary life, the center of today's national etiquette activities, and a political and cultural center. The continuation of this historical function has made it have a huge contemporary influence.

The understanding of the civilization value carried by the central axis in Beijing has promoted the society's attention to historical culture, promoted the public's understanding of Chinese civilization, formed a cultural identity based on historical and cultural value, stimulated cultural pride, mobilized to mobilize The enthusiasm of the people participating in the protection and inheritance of the central axis in Beijing and promoting traditional culture. More and more people take the initiative to explore, collect, introduce the deep and rich historical and cultural, magnificent architectural forms, colorful and colorful intangible cultural heritage, and participate in the central axis protection and inheritance and cultural innovation inspired by Beijing In the middle, the role of Beijing's central axis has gradually demonstrated the role of sustainable development of society through heritage protection.

As a large -scale and strong living legacy, the central axis of Beijing not only connects many cultural relics and monuments, but also clearly builds an expression system for the spirit and value of Chinese civilization and culture. The protection and value interpretation of Beijing's central axis are an important practice to build a system of historical and cultural protection and inheritance. Let the cultural relics live not only to give the contemporary use function of historical buildings, but more importantly, to make the historical and cultural value they carry, they are recognized and understood by society and the public, and they are truly rejuvenating. Through the interpretation and dissemination of the historical and cultural value of Beijing's central axis, it has promoted people's awareness of its social value, and promoted the protection, inheritance, promotion, and innovation of the social and public the historical and cultural value of Beijing's central axis. This inheritance, promotion and innovation are manifested in the continuous development of the extension line of the north and south of the Beijing central axis in Beijing, but also reflected in the continuous improvement of the living environment of the old city. It is also reflected in the rich historical and cultural value Cultural and creativity provides endless inspiration. The protection of the central axis in Beijing has provided huge impetus for the sustainable development of Beijing, which is also the goal of the pursuit of world heritage protection.

(Author: Lu Zhou, a professor at Tsinghua University, the person in charge of the Beijing central axis declaration of the World Heritage Text Team)

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