Quanzhou revamps UNESCO World Heritage listing application

China's only UNESCO World Cultural Heritage application project in 2020, the "Historic Monuments and Sites of Ancient Quanzhou (Zayton)" project has been revamped and renamed as "Quanzhou: China's World Ocean Trade Center in Song Dynasty (960-1279) and Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368)".

The historical monuments and sites are located in and around Quanzhou, a city in East China's Fujian province.

The news was announced at the online sharing activity of Chinese Committee for the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS-China) in Beijing on April 18.

In the Song and Yuan dynasties, old Quanzhou constructed many buildings and sites related to marine commerce and culture, as the Marine Silk Road entered a prosperous age.

Based on the original 16 heritage sites, the project is now adding six heritage sites including Anping Bridge, Shunji Bridge, Shibosi Site, Nanwai Zongzhengsi Site, Qingyang Xiacaobu Site and Dehua Kiln Site.

The content added in the application is more of archaeological remains and sites, supporting the value of Quanzhou as an international trade center during the Song and Yuan dynasties, making its universal value more abundant and perfect.

Quanzhou, as the dialogue window between China and the world in the Song and Yuan dynasties, demonstrated China's complete ocean trade system, advanced economic level and diverse and inclusive cultural attitude.

The revised text of the application for Quanzhou has been reported, and the ICOMOS headquarters organized an expert review in March this year.