The Center of Heaven and Earth

On the morning of August 1, 2010 (Beijing Time), UNESCO during its 34th session in Brazil inscribed several of the most renowned sites across Dengfeng onto its World Heritage List under the title of “Historic Monuments of Dengfeng in The Center of Heaven and Earth”.

It is the third World Heritage site the province now boasts. At present, China has 39 world cultural heritages, ranking the third in the world. The inscribed group of eleven historic monuments includes Gaocheng Astronomical Observatory, Huishan Temple, Taishi Que Gate, Qimu Que Gate, Shaolin Monastery and its Pagoda Forest, Shaoshi Que Gate, Songyang Academy, Songyue Temple Pagoda, Taishi Que Gates, and Zhongyue Temple. Constructed over a period of more than 2,000 years and nine dynasties, the architectures constitute one of the most ancient historical building clusters in China. They are reflections of the ancient Chinese views of cosmos and aesthetics.

Everybody involved in the application finally breathed in great relief after hearing of the historic inscription. Dengfeng had tried in vain to get the same group of historic monuments inscribed in 2009. At that time, the emphasis was on the historical significance and architecture. The application in 2010 highlighted the center of heaven and earth, a core concept in Chinese culture which international jurors understood more easily. And this time, the representatives effectively explained the interactions between the center of heaven and earth and ancient Chinese concepts of earth and heaven and the royal supremacy in China. They also successfully expounded the conceptual influence on architecture, religion and art in this region of China.

Dengfeng used to be the center of the central kingdom. It was where the earliest dynasties of China founded their capitals, ancient Chinese culture flourished, and Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism set up their major bases.

The most convincing evidence of establishing Dengfeng as the center of heaven and earth is the astronomical observation site. It was first built in 1037 BC in the Western Zhou Dynasty. The observation was designed to measure the shadows cast by the sun and determined the center of earth. In 723AD, a new observatory was built on the previous site. This observatory remains today. In 1276, astronomer Guo Shoujing (1231-1316) built an observatory. It was the central observatory of the 27 observatories across China at that time. It testifies to the birth of Shoushi Calendar, the world’s most advanced calendar at that time.

Songyue Temple Pagoda, constructed in 523 AD, is a pioneer in the history of pagoda construction in China and a witness to a successful blending of Chinese and Indian architectural styles. The pagoda also testifies to the central role Dengfeng played in the spreading of Buddhism in China.

The Shaolin Monastery came into being in 495AD. The compound now is home to more than 30 buildings erected in the Ming and Qing dynasties. The 174 cultural relics housed in the monastery are precious evidence of the value and significance of the monastery. The monastery is where Zen originated and famous for Shaolin kongfu.

There are 241 ancient pagodas and 2 modern pagodas at the Shaolin Monastery constructed from 689 to 1803. Dubbed as a museum of the art of ancient pagoda of China, the cluster of pagodas provides information and material evidence for researchers looking into ancient architecture, carving and religion development.

Huishan Temple, first constructed before 500AD, home to nine buildings constructed from Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. The most precious is a structure built during the Yuan (1279-1368). Monk Yixing, an outstanding astronomer of the Tang Dynasty, lived here. The temple is an evidence that Buddhists of that time participated in astronomical observations and studied the ancient world view.

Songyang Academy, constructed in 484, one of the four major academies of Chinese classical studies in the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127). The 26 buildings in the academy were erected in the Qing Dynasty. The unique layout of the academy gives researchers an insight into the architecture of academies, education system and Confucianism in ancient China. As Confucianism plays a central role in Chinese culture, the academy testifies to Dengfeng’s status as the center of heaven and earth.

The three Quan gates represent the majesty of the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220). Taishi Que Gate and Zhongyue Temple combine to constitute a cluster of buildings constructed for royal rituals. They show how ancient Chinese architects carried out the spatial code for such ritual buildings. Shaoshi Que Gate and Qimu Que Gate embody the ancestral worship, a fundamental principle that underpinned the hereditary politics, family relations and ethics in ancient China. The three gates are remains of ritual architectures of the capitals of the ancient dynasties. They also pointed to our ancestors’ belief in the center of heaven and earth.

Zhongyue Temple, constructed about the second century BC, is situated on a flatland against the backdrop of Mount Taishi. The independent structure, a derivative of royal architecture in ancient China, is a representative architecture of Chinese Taoism. The cast-iron statue of the Song Dynasty, the stone steles with inscriptions of various dynasties and the ancient cypress woods add a special touch to the concept of the center of heaven and earth. It testifies to the history of Taoism in China.

This cluster of ancient buildings represents the grandeur, profundity and history of the ancient China.