Take advantage of the search to browse through the World Heritage Centre information.

Historic Monuments of Dengfeng in “The Centre of Heaven and Earth”

Historic Monuments of Dengfeng in “The Centre of Heaven and Earth”

Mount Songshang is considered to be the central sacred mountain of China. At the foot of this 1500 metre high mountain, close to the city of Dengfeng in Henan province and spread over a 40 square-kilometre circle, stand eight clusters of buildings and sites, including three Han Que gates - remains of the oldest religious edifices in China -, temples, the Zhougong Sundial Platform and the Dengfeng Observatory. Constructed over the course of nine dynasties, these buildings are reflections of different ways of perceiving the centre of heaven and earth and the power of the mountain as a centre for religious devotion. The historical monuments of Dengfeng include some of the best examples of ancient Chinese buildings devoted to ritual, science, technology and education.

Description is available under license CC-BY-SA IGO 3.0

Monuments historiques de Dengfeng au « centre du ciel et de la terre »

Songshang est considéré comme le mont sacré central de la Chine. Au pied de cette montagne haute de 1500 mètres, à proximité de la ville de Dengfeng, dans la province du Henan, s'étendent sur 40 kilomètres carrés huit ensembles d'édifices, qui comprennent notamment trois portes Que Han -vestiges des plus anciens édifices religieux d'Etat chinois-, des temples, la plateforme du cadran solaire de Zhougong et l'observatoire de Dengfeng. Edifiées tout au long de neuf dynasties, ces constructions reflètent de différentes manières la perception du centre du ciel et de la terre et le pouvoir de la montagne comme centre de dévotion religieuse. Les monuments historiques de Dengfeng figurent parmi les meilleurs exemples de bâtiments anciens voués à des activités rituelles, scientifiques, technologiques et éducatives.

Description is available under license CC-BY-SA IGO 3.0

آثار دِنغفِنغ التاريخية في

يُعتبر جبل سونغشان، الواقع في مقاطعة "هينان"، الجبل المقدس المركزي في الصين. وفي أسفل هذا الجبل، الذي يبلغ ارتفاعه 1500 متر، ويقع بالقرب من مدينة دِنغفِنغ، في مقاطعة "هينان"، تمتد، على مسافة 40 كيلومتراً، ثماني مجموعات من البنايات التاريخية تشمل، على وجه الخصوص، البوابات الثلاث "كوي هان" ـ وهي آثار لأقدم البنايات الدينية للدولة الصينية ـ ومعابد، ومنصة مزولة (الساعة الشمسية) في "زو غونغ"، ومرصد دِنغفِنغ. وتبين هذه البنايات، بطرق مختلفة، والتي أقيمت خلال تِسْع أُسَرٍ حاكمة، رؤية مركز السماء والأرض والقوى الكامنة في الجبل باعتباره مركزاً لأداء الفروض الدينية. وتُعتبر آثار دِنغفِنغ التاريخية من أبرز نماذج الأبنية القديمة المخصصة للشعائر الدينية، والأنشطة العلمية، والتكنولوجية، والتربوية.

source: UNESCO/CPE
Description is available under license CC-BY-SA IGO 3.0

登封 “天地之中”历史古迹

位于中国河南省的嵩山,被认为是具有神圣意义的中岳。在海拔1500米的嵩山脚下,距河南省登封市不远,有8 座占地共40平方公里的建筑群,其中包括三座汉代古阙,以及中国最古老的道教建筑遗址——中岳庙、周公测景台与登封观星台等等。这些建筑物历经九个朝代修建而成,它们不仅以不同的方式展示了天地之中的概念,还体现了嵩山作为虔诚的宗教中心的力量。登封历史建筑群是古代建筑中用于祭祀、科学、技术及教育活动的最佳典范之一。

source: UNESCO/CPE
Description is available under license CC-BY-SA IGO 3.0

Исторические памятники Деньфень в «Центре Неба и Земли»

Расположенная в провинции Хэнань, Соншань считается главной священной горой Китая. У подножия этой горы высотой 1500 метров, недалеко от города Деньфень на 40 квадратных километрах расположены восемь памятников: двери Ке Хань - остатки самых древних религиозных сооружений Китая, храмы, площадка солнечных часов в Цзугоне и обсерватория в Деньфене. Строившиеся на протяжении девяти династий, каждое из этих сооружений по-своему отражает представление о центре неба и земли и о силе гор как центра религиозного поклонения. Исторические памятники Деньфеня считаются одними из самых ярких образцов древних сооружений, созданных для проведения ритуальных актов, а также для занятий наукой, техникой и образованием.

source: UNESCO/CPE
Description is available under license CC-BY-SA IGO 3.0

Monumentos históricos de Dengfeng en el “centro del cielo y la tierra”

En la provincia de Henan, cerca de la ciudad de Dengfeng, se yergue a 1.500 metros de altura el Monte Songshang, considerado el más sagrado de China. A sus pies se extienden, diseminados en una superficie de 40 km2, ocho conjuntos de edificaciones que comprenden: las tres puertas Que Han, vestigios de los edificios religiosos más antiguos del Estado chino; varios templos; la plataforma del reloj de sol de Zhougong; y el observatorio de Dengfeng. Estas edificaciones, construidas a lo largo de nueve dinastías, expresan de distintos modos la percepción del centro del cielo y de la tierra, así como el poder de la montaña en cuanto centro de devoción religiosa. Los monumentos históricos de Dengfeng constituyen algunos de los mejores ejemplos de edificios antiguos dedicados a actividades de carácter ritual, científico, tecnológico y educativo.

source: UNESCO/CPE
Description is available under license CC-BY-SA IGO 3.0

河南登封の文化財“天地之中”
嵩山は、中国の聖山の中心と考えられている。標高1500mのこの山の山麓にある河南省登封市の周辺約40k㎡の範囲に8つの建造物群及び遺跡群が点在している。この遺産の中には、嵩山三闕銘(中国で最も古い宗教建造物)や寺院、周公廊の日時計台、登封天文台なども含まれる。歴代9つの王朝にわたって建設されたこれらの建築物には、天地の中心であるという思想や、信仰の中心となる山の力などが、それぞれの建造物に異なる形で反映されており、儀礼、科学、技術、教育のための建築として古代中国建築の代表例とされるものが含まれている。

source: NFUAJ

Historische monumenten van Dengfeng in 'het Centrum van Hemel en Aarde'

Dengfeng ligt in het hart van het land en werd wel de ziel van China genoemd. In de buurt ligt de 1.500 meter hoge berg Songshan, die beschouwd wordt als de belangrijkste heilige berg in China. Aan de voet staan acht clusters van gebouwen en terreinen, inclusief de drie Han Que poorten – overblijfselen van de oudste religieuze gebouwen in China – tempels, het Zhougong zonnewijzerplatform en de Dengfeng sterrenwacht. De gebouwen werden in de loop van negen dynastieën gebouwd. Ze weerspiegelen de verschillende manieren waarop men het centrum van hemel en aarde waarnam en hoe de berg Songshan het centrum was van religieuze toewijding.

Source: unesco.nl

Outstanding Universal Value

Brief synthesis

For many centuries Dengfeng, one of the early capitals of China whose precise location is unknown, but whose name is now associated with an area to the south of Mount Shaoshi and Mount Taishi, two peaks of Mount Songshan, came to be associated with the concept of the centre of heaven and earth – the only point where astronomical observations were considered to be accurate. The natural attribute of the centre of heaven and earth was seen to be Mount Songshan and worship of Mount Songshan was used by the Emperors as a way of reinforcing their power.

The three ideas do therefore converge to some extent: the centre of heaven and earth in astronomical terms is used as a propitious place for a capital of terrestrial power, and Mount Songshan as the natural symbol of the centre of heaven and earth is used as the focus for sacred rituals that reinforce that earthly power. The buildings that clustered around Dengfeng were of the highest architectural standards when built and many were commissioned by Emperors. They thus reinforced the influence of the Dengfeng area.

Some of the sites in the nominated area relate closely to the mountain (Zhongyue Temple, Taishi Que and Shaoshi Que); the Observatory is very clearly associated with the astronomical observations made at the centre of heaven and earth, while the remainder of the buildings were built in the area perceived to be the centre of heaven and earth – for the status that this conferred.

Criterion (iii): The astronomical idea of the centre of heaven and earth is strongly linked with the idea of imperial power, with the propitiousness of establishing capitals at the centre of heaven and earth, and with its natural attribute, Mount Songshan and the ceremonies and ritual associated with it. The serial property reflects the significance of the area in terms of prestige and patronage.

Criterion (vi): The concentration of sacred and secular structures in the Dengfeng area reflects the strong and persistent tradition of the centre of heaven and earth linked to the sacred mountain which sustained imperial sacrifices and patronage over 1500 years and became of outstanding significance in Chinese culture. The Buddhist structures came to have a symbiotic relationship with the sacred mountain.

Integrity and authenticity

The attributes necessary to represent Outstanding Universal Value are present within the boundaries although the area associated with the concept of heaven and earth is considerably larger than the nominated property and a full justification for the choice of sites within that larger area has not been provided. Within each individual site, sufficient attributes remain to reflect their original layout, even though in most sites many of the individual buildings have been subject to several periods of re-building.

Individually, there is no concern over the authenticity of the attributes in terms of their materials, religious associations, and spatial layout. Overall although some of the sites are related to the physical attributes of the concept of heaven and earth– the mountain and its associated religious practices - the series as a whole does not readily convey the concept in an obvious way and the links need to be strengthened.

Protection and management requirements

The majority of the monuments are protected as national monuments by the National Government. Only the Kernel compound of Shaolin Temple is protected at provincial level.

The Master Plan (Regulations for the Conservation and Management of Historic monuments of Mount Songshan in Zhengzhou City), approved in 2007, documents policies for protection and management of the nominated sites as well as directions for visitor capacity, circulation, facilities and the ongoing needs of the religious communities.

It is the responsibility of the Zhengzhou Municipal People’s Government to lead the conservation and management of the property while the Dengfeng Municipal People’s Government is fully responsible for implementing conservation and management work. In 2007 the Zhengzhou Municipal People’s Government established the Zhengzhou Municipal Preservation and Management Office for the Historic Monuments of Mount Songshan. The Dengfeng Municipal Administration of Cultural Heritage was established in 1990 to open to public and protect the historic monuments. Beneath the administration are preservation offices for each of the monuments.

The nominated area lies within the Mount Songshan National Park and it is recommended that this becomes the buffer zone, absorbing the individual buffer zones proposed for the individual sites. The National Park has a Master Plan (2009-2025) to regulate its activities which are to protect both scenic and natural resources. Within the National Park, in addition to the provisions for individually protected monuments, there are construction control areas. The ‘natural environment’ within the Park provides the context and setting for the monuments and there is a need to ensure that this is adequately classified and protected in order to avoid adverse development.

top