My UNESCO World Heritage Postcards: China 60

Showing posts with label China 60. Show all posts

China - Xixia Imperial Tombs (2025)

"The Tangut civilization, an ethnic minority civilization, prospering in an agricultural-husbandry area in Northwest China, shows its excellent adaptability and outstanding cultural diversity. The general layout of the Tombs imitates the imperial mausoleum construction of the Northern Song Dynasty. In terms of site selection, layout, burial ways, building techniques and arts, the builders not only learned the experience from the ritual system and cultural achievements of the Northern Song Dynasty but also combined their own ethnic customs such as mountain worship, belief in necromancy and aesthetic orientations, reflecting the strong characteristics of the Tangut civilization’s inclusiveness and cultural fusion. As the site of the large tomb group for the Western Xia emperors, the Tombs bear special witness to the long vanishedTangut civilization."

Source: UNESCO World Heritage

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I bought this postcard in China.

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Xixia Imperial Tombs of Yinchuan, Ningxia is inscribed in 2025 as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Thanks to Qian of Suzhou, China.

China - Beijing Central Axis: A Building Ensemble Exhibiting the Ideal Order of the Chinese Capital

"Running north to south through the heart of historical Beijing, the Central Axis consists of former imperial palaces and gardens, sacrificial structures, and ceremonial and public buildings. Together they bears testimony to the evolution of the city and exhibits evidence of the imperial dynastic system and urban planning traditions of China. The location, layout, urban pattern, roads and design showcase the ideal capital city as prescribed in the Kaogongji, an ancient text known as the Book of Diverse Crafts. The area, between two parallel rivers, has been settled for about 3,000 years, but the Central Axis itself originated during the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) that established its capital, Dadu, in the northern part. The property also features later historical structures built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and improved during the Qing Dynasty (1636-1912)."

Source: UNESCO World Heritage

I bought these Beijing postcards in China. Showing the North South Central Axis from view of Jinshan of Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven.

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The Central Axis of Beijing, China is now a UNESCO World Heritage. Thanks to Klaus of China for mailing from Beijing.

China - Badain Jaran Desert - Towers of Sand and Lakes

Located in the Alashan Plateau in the hyper-arid and temperate desert region of northwestern China, the Badain Jaran Desert is a meeting point for three sandy regions of China and is the country’s third largest desert and second largest drifting desert. The property stands out with its high density of mega-dunes, intersected with inter-dunal lakes. It displays spectacular ongoing geological and geomorphic features of desert landscapes and landforms which may well be unparalleled. Noteworthy features, among others, include the world’s tallest, stabilized sand mega-dune (relative relief of 460 m); the highest concentration of inter-dunal lakes; and the largest expanse of so-called singing sands (describing the resonance caused for example by wind moving dry and loose sand) and wind-eroded landforms. The varied landscape also results in a high level of habitat diversity, and hence of biodiversity.

The high sand dunes of Badain Jaram Desert which is part of Alexa Desert, China is a newly inscribed UNESCO World Heritage in 2024. Thanks to Johnson for mailing from Hong Kong.

China - Cultural Landscape of Old Tea Forests of the Jingmai Mountain in Pu’er

"Located on Jingmai Mountain in southwestern China, this cultural landscape was developed over a thousand years by the Blang and Dai peoples following practices that began in the 10th century. The property is a tea production area comprised of traditional villages within old tea groves surrounded by forests and tea plantations. The traditional understorey cultivation of old tea trees is a method that responds to the specific conditions of the mountain’s ecosystem and subtropical monsoon climate, combined with a governance system maintained by the local Indigenous communities. Traditional ceremonies and festivities relate to the Tea Ancestor belief that spirits live in the tea plantations and in the local fauna and flora, a belief that is at the core of this cultural tradition."

Source: UNESCO World Heritage Site

Old Tea Forests of Jingma Mountain in Pu'er, Yunnan, China. Thanks to Johnson of Hong Kong. Mailed from Hong Kong, China with UNESCO WHS themed HK stamps.

China - Kazakhstan - Kyrgyzstan - Silk Roads - the Routes Network of Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor

"Silk Roads: the Routes Network of Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor is a 5,000 kilometre section of the extensive Silk Roads network, stretching from Chang’an/Luoyang, the central capital of China in the Han and Tang Dynasties, to the Zhetysu Region of Central Asia. It took shape between the 2nd century BC and 1st century AD and remained in use until the 16th century, linking multiple civilizations, and facilitating far-reaching exchanges of activities in trade, religious beliefs, scientific knowledge, technological innovation, cultural practices and the arts. The 33 components included in the routes network include capital cities and palace complexes of various empires and Khan kingdoms, trading settlements, Buddhist cave temples, ancient paths, posthouses, passes, beacon towers, sections of The Great Wall, fortifications, tombs and religious buildings.

There are a total of 33 sites listed which are 25 archaelogical sites; 3 historical buildings; 1 tomb; 4 cave temples. Plus two which are already inscribed UNESCO World Heritage (Longmen grottoes and Magao Caves).

CHINA - CENTRAL CHINA
- Luoyang City, Eastern Han-Northern Wei Dynasty (1st – 6th AD) (Luoyang, Henan)
- Dingding Gate, Luoyang City, Sui -Tang Dynasties (Luoyang, Hena)
- Longmen grottoes (already inscribed on the World Heritage list) - have postcard
- Han’gu pass (Henan)
- Shihao section of Xiaohan route (Henan)
- Weiyang Palace, Chang’an City, Western Han Dynasty (2nd BC – 1st AD) (Xian)
- Daming Palace, Chang’an City, Tang Dynasty (7th -10th AD) (Xian)
- Great Wild Goose Pagoda (Xian)
- Small Wild Goose Pagoda (Xian)
- Xingjiaosi Pagodas (Xian)
- Bin county cave temple (Shaanxi)
- Zhang Qian tomb (Shaanxi)
- Maijishan cave temple complex - have postcard

CHINA - HOSI CORRIDOR
- Bingling cave temple complex (Gansu)
- Xuanquan posthouse (Gansu)
- Suoyang city (Gansu)
- Mogao caves (already inscribed on the World Heritage List) - have postcard
- Yumen pass (Gansu)

CHINA - NORTH, SOUTH TIANSHAN MOUNTAINS
- Qocho City (Turpan, Xinjiang)
- Yar City Site of Bashbaliq City (Turpan, Xinjiang)
- Kizil cave temple (Jimshar, Xinjiang) - have postcard
- Subash Buddhist temple (Kuqa, Xinjiang)
- Kizilgaha Beacon tower (Kuqa, Xinjiang)
- Bachbaliq city (Kuqa, Xinjiang)

KAZAKHSTAN - ZHETYSU REGION
- Kayalyk (Almaty Province)
- Talgar (Almaty Province)
- Karamergen (Almaty Province)
- Aktobe (Jambyl Province)
- Kulan (Jambyl Province)
- Ornek (Jambyl Province)
- Kostobe (Jambyl Province)
- Akyrtas (Jambyl Province)

KYRGZSTAN - ZHETSYU REGION
- Suyab (Site of Ak-Beshim) (Chuy Province)
- City of Balasagun (Site of Burana) - have postcard
- City of Nevaket (Site of Krasnaya Rechka) (Chuy Province)

Source: UNESCO World Heritage

KYRGYZSTAN - BURANA

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Burana Tower, a surviving remnant of ancient city of Balasagun, on a clear day with majestic view of Kyrgyz Alatau mountains. Thanks to DAO of United Kingdom who visited Kyrgzstan.

CHINA - YUMEN PASS, GANSU

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Yumen Pass in Gansu. Nice Silk Road stamps with special cancellation. Thanks to Wu of China.

CHINA - MAJISHAN CAVE TEMPLE COMPLEX, GANSU

Majishan Cave Temple Complex, Gansu, China. I bought these two Maji-shan postcards in Shanghai in November 2011.

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Postcard 2B

CHINA - LONGMEN GROTTOES, HENAN

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The first postcard is from the postcard set of World Heritages of China that I bought in Beijing - Longmen Grottoes.

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CHINA - MOGAO CAVES. GANSU

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Mogao Caves of Dunhuang, Gansu is one of China's UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Beautiful cave paintings. Very nice island and butterfly stamps used. Postage was surface mail. Thanks so much to Xingshan of Zhongshan, China.

Postcard 4B

Postcard of Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes which was bought in Beijing, China.

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Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang, Gansu. I bought this postcard in China.

Postcard 5 - Big Wild Goose Pagoda, Xian

Big Wild Goose Pagoda in Xian. I climbed the stairs to the top of the tower when I visited Xian. Thanks to aeronest of China.

Postcard 6 - Small Wild Goose Pagoda, Xian

Small Wild Goose Pagoda in Xian, China. Thanks to JC Li of China. Xie xie.

Postard 7 - Kizil Thousand Buddha Caves, China

Kizil Thousand Buddhave Caves. Thanks to Jarod of China.

Postard 8 - Bingling Cave-Temple Complex, China

Bingling Temple Grottoes in Gansu, China is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Thanks to Fu Ping of Beijing, China. Received on June 7, 2022.

China - Quanzhou: Emporium of the World in Song-Yuan China

“Historic Monuments and Sites of Ancient Quanzhou (Zayton)” is a serial nomination of the representative monuments and sites of Quanzhou (Zayton) - an important port city in China in the prosperous period of the Maritime Silk Roads. A total of 16 monuments and sites are nominated, categorised into “historical sites and relics of navigation and trade”, “historical sites and relics of multiculture” and “historical sites and relics of urban construction and land transport”, representing the prosperity of Quanzhou in the Song (960-1279 AD) and Yuan (1271-1368 AD) dynasties as an important hub of the Maritime Silk Roads from multiple perspectives."

Source: UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List

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Quanzhou was once the largest maritime post in China before the Ming Dynasty. Thanks to Phoebe of Hong Kong.

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Twin Pagodas of Kaiyuan Temple in Quanzhou, China. I bought this postcard in China.

China - Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas

"Consisting of eight geographical clusters of protected areas within the boundaries of the Three Parallel Rivers National Park, in the mountainous north-west of Yunnan Province, the 1.7 million hectare site features sections of the upper reaches of three of the great rivers of Asia: the Yangtze (Jinsha), Mekong and Salween run roughly parallel, north to south, through steep gorges which, in places, are 3,000 m deep and are bordered by glaciated peaks more than 6,000 m high. The site is an epicentre of Chinese biodiversity. It is also one of the richest temperate regions of the world in terms of biodiversity."

Source: UNESCO World Heritage

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The endemic black snubbed nose monkeys or golden monkeys found along the temperate forests of this Yunnan region. Nice stamps including Year of Tiger stamp and Beijing Olympics stamp. Thanks to Huang of China.

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From my postcard set of World Heritages in China - Three Parallel Rivers of Nujiang, Lancang and Jinsha.

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Maxicard of Yangtze River. Thanks to Aeronest of China.

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First bend of Yangtze River in Yunnan, China. Thanks to Danbo of Sichuan, China.

China - Longmen Grottoes

"The grottoes and niches of Longmen contain the largest and most impressive collection of Chinese art of the late Northern Wei and Tang Dynasties (316-907). These works, entirely devoted to the Buddhist religion, represent the high point of Chinese stone carving."

Source: UNESCO World Heritage

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From the postcard set of World Heritages of China that I bought in Beijing - Longmen Grottoes.

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View of Longment Grottoes from the river. Thanks to Huilan of Chongqing, China. Nice stamps used. Received in November 2019.

China - Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area

"A spectacular area stretching over more than 26,000 ha in China's Hunan Province, the site is dominated by more than 3,000 narrow sandstone pillars and peaks, many over 200 m high. Between the peaks lie ravines and gorges with streams, pools and waterfalls, some 40 caves, and two large natural bridges. In addition to the striking beauty of the landscape, the region is also noted for the fact that it is home to a number of endangered plant and animal species."

Source: UNESCO World Heritage

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Fauna and flora of Wulingyuan. Thanks to Xu of China.