Since there is quite a bit of discussion on China in this forum. Perhaps it is time for China WHS to have its own topic. A bit of research on upcoming China nominations have revealed some "priority" candidates. Indeed, it is interesting to see that to get in the China inscription "queue", there is a great deal of competition. Quite a few articles in Chinese indicate no less than 10 nominations vying for 2016! These 6 listed here are the probable sites named.

2015 (Official)
• Tusi Chieftain Sites: Laosicheng Site, Hailongtun Site, Tang Ya Tusi Site and Rongmei Tusi Site

2016 (Official Selection NOT Confirmed)
• Kulangsu
• Ancient Tea Plantations of Jingmai Mountain in Pu'er
• Xinjiang Altai Mountains [Extension]
- pushed to 2017?
• Liangzhu Archaeological Site
• Lingqu Canal
• The Rock Painting of the Mountain Huashan

2018
• Sites of Hongshan Culture: The Niuheliang Archaeological Site, the Hongshanhou Archaeological Site, and Weijiawopu Archaeological Site

2020
• City Walls of the Ming and Qing Dynasties
*expanded from (4) city walls to (8)
- The City Wall in Xingcheng, Nanjing, Jingzhou, Xi'an
- The City Wall in Zhengding, Tingzhou, Kaifeng, Zhaoqing

(2016) http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/m/fujian/2014-06/23/content_17609725.htm ; http://www.mnwww.com/315/news/20140624/217636.html

(2018) http://liaoning.lnd.com.cn/htm/2014-06/23/content_4048428.htm

(2020) http://cul.sohu.com/20140711/n402099147.shtml ; http://jiangsu.sina.com.cn/news/m/2014-07-10/0730106974.html

Interesting that many sites are non-Han Chinese!

BBC is currently running a 3 part TV series on the "Art of China". I know that access to BBC iPlayer is problematical for non UK residents but here is the link http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04ck50x/episodes/guide

Episode 1 has broadcast and covered, inter alia, WHS at Anyang/Xin Yu, Xian and Mogao.

However the most interesting aspect for me was the introduction it provided to the Bronze Age Shu culture with its type site at Sanxingdui. This was an aspect of early Chinese culture which had never really impinged on my consciousness - though I think I have seen photos of some of the art work (which is stunning!).

I was not aware of this site being on China's T List but I have tracked it down as an element of this lengthily named site added in 2013 - "Archaeological Sites of the Ancient Shu State: Site at Jinsha and Joint Tombs of Boat- shaped Coffins in Chengdu City, Sichuan Province; Site of Sanxingdui in Guanghan City, Sichuan Province 29C.BC-5C.BC". So lengthy in fact that Els's Web description never reaches the Sanxingdui element of the full title, which partly explains why I wasn't aware of it!!

If I make it again to Sichuan I will certainly be wanting to visit the site (though how much there is actually to see there isn't clear - the WMF has had to help with preservation. No one has yet reviewed it on this Web site) and its museum (looks to be supurb!). Here are some links for any Forum members who might like to follow up on it
Basic Wiki - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanxingdui#cite_note-9
Museum Brochure on Bronzes - http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=O0UlsHXmv9IC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_sum mary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false

I wasn't aware of Sanxingdui being on the T-List either. Nevertheless, I visited the site in 2007 (see report in Dutch here: http://www.worldheritagesite.org/china/reisverslag.php#3). Maybe I will add an English review to the site too. Excellent museum indeed.

Just to say I thoroughly enjoyed this episode and introduced some of the basics as well as more off piste aspects of early Chinese art to us. The Sanxingdui finds were rather impressive.

Others may be interested to know that the presenter Andrew Graham Dixon has also done some other series that are pretty WHS heavy that include:
The Art of Spain
The Art of Russia
The Art of Germany
The High Art of the Low Countries (Belgium and Netherlands)
as well as some interesting travelogues around Italy.

I would thoroughly recommend all of them and not wanting to circumvent British licence fee funding people may well be able to find them online somewhere, not sure where though.

Story about Gulangyu, up for nomination in 2016 IF it beats 9 other candidates:

http://www.whatsonxiamen.com/news37494.html

http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/article_xinhua.aspx?id=258438

Miao Nationality Villages in Southeast Guizhou Province (China T-list)
- About 60 of the well-preserved buildings were burnt down

Kekexili Nature Reserve - planned inclusion on tentative list in 2015. This reserve is massive and its located in a remote region in Tibet/Qinghai.
http://europe.chinadaily.com.cn/culture/2015-01/26/content_19406085.htm

HUANGGUOSHU WATERFALLS which was rejected in 1992 may be making a 2nd attempt as a mixed serial nomination. URL

http://www.worldheritagesite.org/sites/t641.html

Hello everyone, I'll make a trip to China in February, is expected to visit the Great Wall with the restored section of Juyongguan. I have a question: will I officialy visit this World Heritage Site?
On the following link, it seems that only three strictly defined sections are included: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/438/multiple=1&unique_number=508
Fortunately, I am sure to see the Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, the terracotta army and a part of the Silk Road (the small wild goose pagoda).

No one can be absolutely sure! There is probably a difference between what China/UNESCO officially say now and what they may say in years to come. I can't see China wanting to give up WHS aspects it would have regarded as having been inscribed - on the other hand it wouldn't want to be criticised by UNESCO for not properly looking after sections of the Wall which, currently, are not well looked after! No doubt there are locations - like the Juyong Pass which it could add now -but perhaps it doesn't want to disturb a sleeping dog. As far as it and the general World are concerned the "Whole" of "the Wall" is inscribed - whatever that means!

See our earlier discussions on this - I don't know of anything which has significantly changed
http://www.worldheritagesite.org/forums/index.php?action=vthread&forum=8&topic=1487&p age=0

Thank you.

The Four Chinese Famous Love Stories and World Heritage Connection!

The 4 Chinese famous loves stories are
- The Weaver Girl and the Cowherd;
- Legend of the White Snake;
- Lady Meng Jiang; and
- Butterfly Lovers

I found a very interesting connection that 3 out of 4 stories have WHS connection. In the Legend of White Snake, the story has strong link with the West Lake in Hangzhou, the couple first met at the Broken Bridge, and the story end at Leifeng Pagoda.

Also West Lake is the story of Butterfly Lovers, the couple first met and studied for years at Wansong Academy, part of West Lake WHS.

The story of Lady Meng Jiang is all about the Great Wall. According to wiki, the section of the Great Wall that was toppled in the legend is in today's Zibo City, Shandong Province.

China's Glass Bridge

The bridge looks stunning! But it will be in Wulingyuan NP (Zhangjiajie part) which is WHS! Don't know why IUCN or WHC not comment about this!

http://www.businessinsider.com/zhangjiajie-grand-canyon-glass-bridge-set-to-open-in-c hina-2015-5