The Classification and Present Situation of Historical Culture Resources

The historical culture resources of Beijing can be divided as following types.

1.World Cultural Heritage: The culture heritage designated by UNESCO (UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) according to Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage.

2.Cultural relic protection units designated by state, city, district or county: the national major cultural relic protection units shall be selected or directly confirmed from Beijing Cultural Relic Protection Units by cultural relic administration authority under State Council (i.e. State Administration of Cultural Heritage), municipal cultural heritage protection units shall be confirmed by municipal people’s government, the district or county cultural heritage protection units shall be confirmed by district or county people’s government, and shall be submitted to municipal government for file.

3.General Survey and Registration on Cultural Heritage: Beijing Municipal Government will organize to develop cultural heritage general survey work in regular time. District or county Government will organize to carry on general survey work on immovable cultural heritage in regular time. The units, which are not checked, ratified and publicized as cultural heritage protection units are forbidden to move the cultural heritage. They should be register and publicize by cultural heritage administration authority of district or county people’s government.
The immovable cultural heritage which are not checked, ratified and publicized as cultural heritage protection units should be registered and publicized by cultural heritage administration authority of district or county people’s government.

4.Protection courtyards with licensed card: In 2002, Beijing city shall made investigation on the existing Siheyuang (four union courtyard) of the old cities. It formulates the recognized standard of protecting courtyard on the principle “The present condition is well, the layout is basically sound, the building style is still existing, it forms a scale, it has reserved value”.

5.Excellent modern and contemporary buildings: In 2004, Ministry of Construction and Beijing City Master Planning (2004－2020) issue the protection type. It means the building and construction with high historical culture vale that can reflect the city development history and that were built between middle period of 19th century and 1950’s.

6.Underground cultural heritage imbedding area: Facing the situation on weak work of protecting underground cultural heritage in Beijing, it marks out the underground cultural heritage imbedding area to carry on the protection.

Until 2002, there are 6 places belonging to world culture heritage in urban area, they are Forbidden City, Great Wall, Zhoukoudian Ancient Beijinger Site, Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven, Ming Tombs. There are 60 places belonging to state major cultural heritage protection units. There are 234 places on the level of municipal cultural heritage protection unit. There are 568 places on the level of district or county cultural heritage protection unit. The total cultural heritages protection units are 862 places.

In 2004, Beijing also promulgates the 7th municipal cultural heritage protection units in 30 places.

Until 2002, the temporary units of district or county cultural heritage are 237 places; the registered cultural heritages on general survey are 2521 places.

The underground cultural heritage imbedding area are totaled 3 batches 36 places, there mainly dotted in remote suburbs district or county of Beijing.

The protection courtyards with licensed card are 658 places. They are dotted in the four districts of old cities. Among them, there are 333 places in Dongcheng District, 154 places in Xicheng District, 80 places in Chongwen District, 91 places in Xuanwu District.

7.Historical culture protection area: The towns, streets and villages that reserve rich cultural heritage and have important history value or revolution memory significance. And they are checked, ratified and publicized by municipal government and filed in State Council.

There are 3 batches of history culture protection area ratified and publicized by Beijing city, totally 43 areas. Among, there are 33 places in old city, 10 areas outside old city.

There are 14 places dotted in imperial city among 25 historical culture protection areas of old city in first batch. South and north long streets, Xihuamen Street, South and north Chizi, Donghuamen street, Jingshan east, west, back, front streets, Dianmennei street, Wenjin street, Wusi street, Zhishanmen street. There are 7 areas dotted in the internal city outside imperial city: Xisibei Yitiao to Batiao, Dongsi Santiao to Batiao, Nan Luguxiang area, Shichahai area, Guozijian (the Imperial College) area, Fuchengmennei Street, Dongjiao Minxiang. There are 4 places in external city: Dashilan, Xianyukou area, east and west Liulichang area. The total contained lands are 1038 hectares in the 25 historical culture protection area of old city. It occupies 16.6% of land area of the old city.

In 2002, there are added 5 areas with sound history view, concentrated history heritage, with important effect to old city whole protection. They are imperial city, Bei Luoguxiang, Zhang Zizhong Road North, Zhang Zizhong Road South, Fuyuansi Temple. There are added the second batch of historical culture protection area with 628 hectares (including imperial city). They occupy 10% of the old city. There are 10 areas of the towns, streets and villages that reserve rich cultural heritage and have local features outside the old city. They are west suburb Qing Dynasty imperial garden, Lugouqiao Wanping City, Moshikou, Sanjiadian village, Chuandixia village, Chadao city, Yulinpu, Gubeikou old city, Yaoqiaoyu and Xiaokou castle, Jiaozhuanghu.

In 2004, there are 3 supplementary marked history culture protection areas in the old city. They are Xintaicang, Dongsi South, South Naoshikou. The added third historical culture protection areas occupy area of 141 hectares, which account for 2.3% of the old city. At the same time, on the base of publicized 33 areas of historical culture protection area in old city, it enlarges the building control area of the protection area of the Guozijian, Bei Luoguxiang, Shichahai, imperial city etc. The total area is 160 hectares, which account for 2.6% of old city.

In the old city, the 33 historical culture protection areas occupy 1967 hectares, which account for 31% of the old city.

8.Historical culture famous city: They are the cities that reserve rich cultural heritage and have important history value or revolution memory significance. In 1982, Beijing city are publicized as one of national first batch of historical culture cities.

The historical culture famous city includes the old city whole and urban historical culture resources. The old city whole mainly include the traditional city central axial, 凸 form enceinte and four city walls, imperial city, historical river and lake water system, chess road network and backbone, street and lane layout, plain and wide space form, important scenery line and street scenery, traditional building color and form features, ancient famous trees and traditional virescence, “Hutong–Siheyuan(Alley-Four union courtyard ) traditional living status. The municipal historical culture resources mainly include, city “mountain and water layout”, scenery and historical relic area, urban river and lake system, city historical site, non-material culture heritage.