Altar

People participate in an event on a square near Beijing's Bell Tower and Drum Tower on Saturday to celebrate the inclusion of the Beijing Central Axis on UNESCO's World Heritage List. (WANG JING/ TASTE ALL CHINA ) A centuries-old example of Chinese urban planning and architecture has received global recognition. The 46th session of the World Heritage Committee in New Delhi, India, announced on Saturday that the Beijing Central Axis — "A Building Ensemble Exhibiting the Ideal Order of the Chinese Capital" — has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, becoming China's 59th World Heritage Site. The Central Axis in Beijing is an ensemble of palaces, public buildings, and gardens that governs the overall layout of the old city area of the Chinese capital. Stretching 7.8 kilometers north to south through the heart of Beijing, the newly inscribed World Heritage Site comprises 15 components. At the northern end of the axis are the Bell Tower and Drum Tower. It then runs south through Wanning Bridge, Jingshan Hill, the Forbidden City, the Upright Gate, the Tian'anmen Gate, the Outer Jinshui Bridges, the Tian'anmen Square Complex, the Zhengyangmen Gate, the Southern Section Road Archaeological Sites, before terminating at the Yongdingmen…

Bird's-eye view of Hainan Yuchang Palace Yuchang Palace is located at the foot of Wenbi Peak in Ding'an County, Hainan Province, which is the final retreat of Bai Yuchan, the actual founder of the Southern Sect of Daoism and the Fifth Patriarch of the Southern Sect. Yuchang Palace is the only legal temple of Daoism in Hainan, revered by Daoists as the "Altar of the Southern Sect." It boasts the world's largest cluster of Daoist buildings, consisting of nearly 20 halls including the Cihang Hall for prayers for peace, the Yue Lao Hall for marriage blessings, the Yuanchen Hall for guidance on destiny, the Wenchang Pavilion for enlightenment, the Medicine King Hall for health and longevity, and the Wealth God Hall for prosperity. The architecture is complete and distinctive, vividly showcasing the thematic characteristics of Daoist culture. The halls are beautifully decorated with exquisite carvings, a testament to the remarkable skills and artistic creativity of ancient laborers. Yuchang Pavilion of Hainan Yuchang Palace Yuchang Pavilion: This hall enshrines the Fifth Patriarch of the Southern Sect, Bai Yuchan. The Fifth Patriarch of the Southern Sect, Bai Yuchan, is celebrated for his exceptional talent in promoting the teachings and founding civilization, benefiting…