The World Heritage Committee,
1. Having examined Documents WHC-09/33.COM/8B and WHC-09/33.COM/INF.8B1,
2. Refers the nomination of Historic monuments of Mount Songshan, China, back to the State Party in order to allow it to:
a) Consider further the relationship between some of the nominated sites and the central China sacred mountain, Mount Songshan and;
b) Consider how a nomination of some of the selected sites together with part of the mountain might reflect their value as an ensemble that manifests the power and influence the mountain had in constitutional, religious and ceremonial terms and how the simple worship of nature was transformed into a force that legitimized imperial power, under the guidance of Confucian thought;
c) Consider nominating the Observatory on its own as a site associated with technological development and the development of scientific ideas;
3. Recommends that, as the collection of ancient trees is a key quality of the area, greater recognition, survey and research should be provided to establish its cultural value as part of any future nominated ensemble;