Star trails over the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests.

Editor's Note:

On July 27, 2024, the "Beijing Central Axis: A Building Ensemble Exhibiting the Ideal Order of the Chinese Capital" was officially inscribed on the World Heritage List at the 46th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee held in New Delhi, India, becoming China's 59th World Heritage Site.

The Central Axis is an ensemble of palaces, public buildings, and gardens that governs the overall layout of the old city area of the Chinese capital. Stretching from Yongdingmen Gate in the south to the Bell and Drum Towers in the north, the axis links iconic landmarks such as the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven and Jingshan Park.

Carrying the genes of Chinese civilization, this axis through time and space represents not only the culmination of architectural art but also a grand panorama of Eastern wisdom.

On the first anniversary of its successful inclusion in the World Heritage List, we specially invited Jing Weidong, winner of the China Photography Golden Statue Award, to share his visual poetry dedicated to the Central Axis. As a seasoned photographer deeply involved in World Heritage themes, Jing Weidong, with his unique perspective and profound cultural insights, transforms ecological beauty and humanistic elements into a visual language that transcends time and space. His works not only capture the beauty of the heritage but also imbue traditional photography with new vitality. Through his lens, we can feel the pulse of Chinese civilization and witness a new chapter in cultural inheritance!

Born and raised near Jishuitan, and having worked as a photographer at Liubukou in Beijing, my life has always been woven closely with the Central Axis that runs north-south through the city. From Yongdingmen Gate to the Bell and Drum Towers, this 7.8-kilometer axis is not only the geographical coordinate of Beijing but also the spiritual backbone of Chinese civilization. Over the past decade, I have traced its contours and textures through my lens, seeking to capture the eternal beauty etched in its bricks and tiles, where history and reality overlap.

On the night of the Winter Solstice in 2020, I stood in front of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests at the Temple of Heaven during the live broadcast of "600-Year-Old Temple of Heaven: A Celestial Dialogue Through Time." As my wide-angle lens framed the gilded triple-eaved roof against the blue hour, star trails swept gracefully past the upturned eaves, their luminous paths echoing across centuries the intricate spiral paintings crafted by Ming Dynasty (1368–1644) artisans.