Heritage with Related Tags
Yogyakarta's Cosmic Axis and Its Historical Landmarks
The central axis of Yogyakarta was defined by Sultan Hamengkubuwono I in the 18th century and has been one of the centers of government and Javanese cultural tradition ever since. The six-kilometer-long north-south axis, centered on the Kraton (Royal Palace), connects Mount Merapi to the Indian Ocean and features several important cultural sites along the way. The axis embodies core Javanese beliefs related to the universe, including the understanding of the cycle of life.
Bell and Drum Tower
As a landmark building at the north end of Beijing's central axis, the Bell and Drum Tower is located in the commercial district of Beijing's old city. Together with the court area formed by Tiananmen, Duanmen, and the Forbidden City, it forms the capital planning paradigm of "facing the market behind" as recorded in "Kaogongji". The building is magnificent and is an important landscape viewpoint of Beijing's central axis, forming a sharp contrast with the surrounding flat and open residential buildings with blue bricks and gray tiles. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the Bell and Drum Tower assumed the function of city timekeeping and time reporting. It was an important urban management facility and witnessed the traditional lifestyle of ancient China using bells and drums to tell time.
Wanning Bridge
Wanning Bridge is located in the middle of Di'anmenwai Street and the east bank of Shichahai Lake, crossing the Yuhe River. Its position has not changed since the Yuan Dynasty. Wanning Bridge is a single-arch stone bridge, consisting of a bridge body, swallow wings, water-controlling beasts, and Chengqing Upper Gate. There are 16 balusters on each side of the bridge deck, 1.6 meters high. The lower part of the baluster is a square stone column, and the upper part is a pomegranate-shaped capital. There are stone railings between the balusters. The river bank is a stone embankment, and there is a water-controlling beast on the embankment, which is the nine sons of the dragon, lying on the water level. Since its construction in the Yuan Dynasty, Wanning Bridge has always assumed the important function of north-south transportation. It is the intersection of Beijing's central axis and the Yuhe section of the Grand Canal. It is an important gateway for the Yuhe River system to enter Shichahai Lake, and it is also an important bridge connecting the city's north-south transportation. During the Yuan Dynasty (1264-1294), Wanning Bridge was built on the east bank of Jishuitan (now Shichahai Lake). It was originally made of wood, but later it was changed to stone. A clarification gate was set up on the west side of the bridge to adjust the water level for ships to pass. In 1924, the longitudinal slope of the Wanning Bridge deck was lowered. In 1952, the main body of Wanning Bridge was buried underground. In 2000, the bridge body and stone revetment of Wanning Bridge were repaired in conjunction with the archaeological excavation of Yuhe River, the restoration of the bank protection and the dredging of the river. To this day, Wanning Bridge is still an important north-south traffic artery on the central axis of Beijing.
Xiannongtan
The symmetrical layout of the Temple of Agriculture and the Temple of Heaven reflects the respect and emphasis on etiquette in traditional Chinese capital planning. As the largest existing royal place for worshipping the god of agriculture in ancient China, the Temple of Agriculture demonstrates the respect for farming culture in traditional Chinese society and carries the ritual tradition of worshipping the god of agriculture in the Ming and Qing dynasties. The Book of Rites: Sacrifice records: "The emperor personally ploughed in the southern suburbs to provide for the prosperity of the country." The Temple of Agriculture is located in the southwest corner of the outer city of Beijing's old city. Its location follows the tradition of personally ploughing in the southern suburbs. The Temple of Agriculture and the Temple of Heaven are symmetrically arranged from east to west along the central axis of Beijing. The Temple of Agriculture is divided into the inner and outer altars. The inner altar is located to the south and west of the outer altar and is a rectangular courtyard. The Taisui Hall complex located on the central axis of the inner altar, and the Temple of Agriculture, Jingtian and Guangengtai to the south are the main places for worship. The inner altar also has three groups of facilities serving sacrificial activities, namely the Shencang complex to the east of the Taisui Hall, the Shenchu complex to the west, and the Jufu Hall to the south. The outer altar wall was historically in the shape of a circle in the north and a south in the south, similar to the Temple of Heaven. The outer altar also has the altar of gods on the south side of the inner altar and the Qingcheng Palace on the east side of the inner altar. The main altars in the Xiannong Altar are all square in plan, which contrasts with the circular planes of the Circular Mound Altar and the Altar of Prayer for Good Harvests in the Temple of Heaven, forming two groups of national sacrificial buildings that are symmetrically arranged along the central axis of Beijing and contrast in architectural form. The inner altar of the Xiannong Altar is a ritual space for worshiping Tai Sui and Xiannong, and it is also the place where the emperor personally ploughs. The outer altar includes the altar of gods for worshiping gods of heaven and earth and the Qingcheng Palace used as a fasting palace. The worship of Xiannong is an important part of traditional Chinese national rituals, showing the importance that ancient Chinese society attached to agricultural activities and farming culture. In the Ming and Qing dynasties, the core objects of worship in the Xiannong Altar were the God of Agriculture (Emperor Yan Shennong) and Tai Sui Sui Jiang (the god of the year and the god of guarding the twelve months). According to legend, Shennong was the first person to teach Chinese ancestors how to cultivate land and grow grains. To thank him, his descendants worshipped him as a god and prayed for agricultural abundance. During the sacrifice to Shennong, the emperor not only had to worship Shennong, but also had to plow the land himself, promote the spirit of valuing agriculture and encouraging farming, and watch the princes and ministers plowing the land. The sacrificial activities at the Xiannong Temple continued until 1911. Today, the Xiannong Temple is open to the public as a museum, displaying ancient Chinese architecture and the sacrificial traditions of the Xiannong Temple. The Xiannong Temple was first built in the 18th year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty (1420). When it was first established, the altar had core ritual spaces such as the Xiannong Temple, the Taisui Hall, the Worship Hall, and the Fentian. In the second year of the Tianshun reign of the Ming Dynasty (1458), the Zhai Palace (now the Qingcheng Palace) was added. In the 10th year of the Jiajing reign (1531), the altars of the gods of heaven and earth were built on the south side of the Xiannong Temple, and a wooden viewing platform was built to the north of the Fentian for the emperor to watch plowing. In the 18th year of Emperor Qianlong's reign in the Qing Dynasty (1753), the altar of Xiannongtan was rebuilt, and the wooden viewing platform was replaced with a brick one. In 1915, the north side of the outer altar of Xiannongtan was opened to the public as a park, and was renamed Chengnan Park in 1918. In 1991, the Beijing Ancient Architecture Museum was established in Xiannongtan.
Yongding Gate
Yongdingmen was once the south gate of the outer city of Beijing's old city in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. It is the highest-regulated of the seven gates in Beijing's outer city. It shows the important position of the building on the central axis of Beijing and witnesses the traditional urban management methods of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The original Yongdingmen was demolished in the 1950s. The existing Yongdingmen is a landmark building that was rebuilt in 2005 in strict accordance with the principles of Chinese cultural relics protection. The image of the Yongdingmen tower marks the location of the southern end of the Beijing central axis, showing the traditional form and craftsmanship of ancient Chinese tower buildings, and has become an important landscape viewpoint for overlooking the southern section of the Beijing central axis. Yongdingmen is a historical symbol of the southern end of the Beijing central axis. It faces Zhengyangmen from north to south and is an important landscape node in the southern section of the central axis. The historical site of Yongdingmen consists of the rebuilt tower building and the ground sign of the south side of the city wall. The Yongdingmen tower was rebuilt on the Yongdingmen for the purpose of display according to the original form. Because the city wall will no longer be restored, the original location of the city wall is marked on the ground on the south side of the tower. At the same time, the positions of the original horse path and the city wall are marked with white punctuation on the south facade, north facade, and east and west ends of the city platform. The marked positions and sizes truly reflect historical information. As the south gate of Beijing's outer city, Yongdingmen is an important part of the city's defense system and urban management facilities in the Ming and Qing dynasties, and is part of the national etiquette tradition. With the rise of commerce in Beijing's outer city, the population living in Yongdingmen has continued to increase, handicrafts and commerce have developed, and Yongdingmen has also become an important channel for merchants to travel. Today, the rebuilt Yongdingmen tower and the ground pavement of the city wall clearly mark the position of the southern end point of Beijing's central axis, accurately showing the historical form and traditional craftsmanship of Yongdingmen. Yongdingmen was first built in the 32nd year of Jiajing in the Ming Dynasty (1553). In order to strengthen the defense of Beijing, the Ming Dynasty built an outer city with 7 city gates, of which Yongdingmen had the highest regulation level and the largest volume. In the 43rd year of the reign of Emperor Jiajing (1564), the Facheng was built on the south side of the Yongdingmen Tower, and in the 15th year of the reign of Emperor Qianlong (1750), the Facheng Arrow Tower was built. In the 1950s, in order to ease the traffic pressure in the Yongdingmen area, the Yongdingmen Tower and the Jie Tower were demolished, and the moat was straightened and dredged to widen the roads in the Yongdingmen area. In 2003, the Beijing Institute of Cultural Relics conducted archaeological exploration of the Yongdingmen site, and a total of 7 trenches of varying lengths were excavated to determine the boundaries of the site. In 2004, the reconstruction of Yongdingmen began and was completed in 2005. The project was strictly based on the research results of archaeological and historical data. The reconstructed Yongdingmen marks the location of the southern end point of the Beijing Central Axis.
Monument to the People's Heroes
The Monument to the People's Heroes was built to commemorate the people's heroes who died in the People's Liberation War and the People's Revolution. It is the first monumental building in the Tiananmen Square complex to be located on the central axis of Beijing. The foundation stone was laid in 1949 and the construction was completed between 1952 and 1958. The Monument to the People's Heroes adopts the traditional Chinese stele form. The body of the monument faces south and north, facing Tiananmen Square, and is made of granite and white marble. The lower level of the monument is inlaid with eight huge white marble reliefs on all four sides of the waist part of the Xumi pedestal. The 172 carefully designed figures reflect the revolutionary history of the Chinese people's anti-imperialism and anti-feudalism from the Opium War to the War of Liberation. From pattern design to carving technology, it represents the highest level of Chinese sculpture in the mid-20th century. The most eye-catching part of the front of the monument is inlaid with giant granite, on which are engraved eight large gold-plated characters written by Mao Zedong: "The people's heroes will live forever." The back of the monument is engraved with a gold-plated inscription drafted by Chairman Mao Zedong and inscribed by Premier Zhou Enlai. The top of the stele adopts the classical architectural style of a small hipped roof with cirrus clouds above and heavy curtains below, and its shape is solemn and dignified.
National Museum of China
The National Museum of China is the world's largest museum with a single building area. It was completed in 1959 and expanded in 2007. It is the highest institution on behalf of the country to collect, study, display and interpret representative material evidence that can fully reflect China's excellent traditional culture, revolutionary culture and advanced socialist culture. It is the country's highest historical, cultural and artistic palace and cultural living room. The National Museum of China is located on the east side of Tiananmen Square, and forms an east-west symmetrical layout with the Great Hall of the People on the central axis of Beijing. The old museum was designed with an inner courtyard layout based on the "目" shape, and an empty corridor was arranged at the west entrance, forming a "one virtual and one real" volume contrast with the Great Hall of the People to ensure the symmetry of the facade scale, form and technique.
Zhengyang Gate
Zhengyangmen is a group of city gate buildings with both defense and city management functions during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. As the south gate of Beijing's inner city in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, Zhengyangmen is the largest and most advanced city gate building among the inner and outer city gates of Beijing. It witnessed China's traditional city management methods and is an important viewpoint for overlooking Tiananmen Square, the buildings and the southern section of Beijing's central axis. Zhengyangmen is located at the southern end of Tiananmen Square. It consists of two tall buildings, the city tower and the arrow tower, which are arranged in a north-south column. The city tower is located in the north and the arrow tower is located in the south. As the south gate of the inner city in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, Zhengyangmen has a very high national etiquette symbolic significance. Its building scale and form level are higher than other city gates. It is a landmark building of the city wall structure of the old city of Beijing. From the city tower to the north, you can overlook Tiananmen Square. From the arrow tower to the south, you can overlook Qianmen Street and the Yongdingmen city tower in the distance. As the south gate of Beijing's inner city, Zhengyangmen integrates defense, city management and etiquette. The imperial road under Zhengyangmen was specially used for the emperor to worship in the southern suburbs and hunt in the Nanyuan. On weekdays, the gates of the arrow towers were closed, and residents entered and exited from the side doors under the gatehouses on the east and west sides. The curfew system was implemented in the Ming and Qing dynasties, and the city gates opened and closed according to the time of the bell and drum tower to achieve urban management. In the early 20th century, the transformation of the Zhengyangmen area witnessed the process of publicization of Beijing's central axis. Today, Zhengyangmen is open to the public as a museum. Zhengyangmen was first built in the 17th year of Yongle in the Ming Dynasty (1419). At first, there was only a city gate. From the first year of Zhengtong in the Ming Dynasty (1436) to the fourth year of Zhengtong (1439), the tower, the city wall, the arrow tower, and the east and west gatehouses were added, and the Zhengyang Bridge and the archway were built to the south of the arrow tower. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, Zhengyangmen was repeatedly damaged to varying degrees and rebuilt. With the completion of Zhengyangmen West Station of the Beijing-Han Railway and Zhengyangmen East Station of the Beijing-Qin Railway, the Zhengyangmen area became the hub of Beijing's external transportation in modern times, and the traffic flow in the surrounding areas increased dramatically. From 1914 to 1915, the Kyoto Municipal Office renovated the Zhengyangmen area, which is an important witness to the publicization process of Beijing's central axis. In 1990 and 1991, the Zhengyangmen Arrow Tower and the City Tower were opened to the public as museums.
Tiananmen Square
Tiananmen was the main gate of the imperial city during the Ming and Qing dynasties. It was a leading ceremonial building sequence and part of the court space for entering and exiting the palace city, reflecting the adherence to the ideal capital city planning paradigm of "facing the back market" recorded in "Kaogongji". Tiananmen was also the place where imperial edicts were issued during the Ming and Qing dynasties and major state events were held in modern times. It is the carrier of national etiquette and witnessed the end of more than 2,000 years of dynasty rule and the establishment of the People's Republic of China. Tiananmen is located on the central axis of Beijing, south of Duanmen, surrounded by the Outer Jinshui River on the south side, facing Tiananmen Square. Its city platform is connected to the imperial city wall, together forming the southern boundary of the imperial city. Tiananmen is mainly composed of a tower. On the south and north sides of the tower, the Outer Jinshui Bridge and stone lions and huabiao are built symmetrically on the left and right sides of the tower along the central axis of Beijing. Tiananmen faces south and consists of two parts: the tower and the tower. There are five arch gates under the tower, and the size of the arch gates symmetrically decreases from the center to the sides. The tower is built on a white marble pedestal, surrounded by white marble railings. It is nine bays wide and five bays deep, reflecting the "Nine Fives System". It has a double-eaved hip roof and is covered with yellow glazed tiles. Tiananmen was the main gate of the imperial city of the Ming and Qing dynasties, and ordinary people were not allowed to enter. Tiananmen also has important ceremonial functions, and is the venue for ceremonial activities such as the Golden Phoenix Edict and the Golden Hall Announcing the Imperial Ceremony. On October 1, 1949, the founding ceremony of the People's Republic of China was held in Tiananmen, marking the birth of the People's Republic of China. To this day, Tiananmen is still the venue for major national celebrations. Tiananmen was built in the 15th year of Yongle in the Ming Dynasty (1417) and has undergone several repairs. In 1949, the founding ceremony of the People's Republic of China was held here. The Tiananmen Tower was opened to the public after 1988.
Imperial Ancestral Temple
The Imperial Ancestral Temple is located in the southeast of the Forbidden City, and is symmetrically arranged with the Altar of Land and Grain along the central axis of Beijing. This layout emphasizes the importance of ritual traditions in the planning of the capital and strengthens the orderly urban landscape. The Imperial Ancestral Temple complex faces south and is in a regular rectangular courtyard, surrounded by the inner wall and the outer wall to form a double-ring courtyard. The main sacrificial buildings are all located in the inner wall, symmetrically distributed in the center. The sacrifice site is set up in the southeast of the outer wall. There are ancient cypresses planted in the outer wall, with 714 existing trees, creating a solemn atmosphere. The core sacrificial buildings of the Imperial Ancestral Temple are distributed in the inner wall area, from south to north, they are the Glazed Gate, the Golden Water Bridge, the Ji Gate, the Imperial Ancestral Temple Hall, the Sleeping Hall and the Peach Temple. The east and west side halls, the well pavilion, the kitchen and the storehouse are symmetrically arranged on both sides. The Hall of Sacrifice, located on a three-story Xumi pedestal, is particularly majestic and grand. As a place for the royal family of the Ming and Qing dynasties to worship their ancestors, the Imperial Ancestral Temple not only reflects the cultural tradition of "ruling the world with filial piety", but also symbolizes the legitimacy of the dynasty's ruling power being passed on within the family. It became the highest-level ancestral temple sacrificial building in China during the Ming and Qing dynasties. The construction of the three core buildings of the Imperial Ancestral Temple is closely related to the ancestral temple system. The Hall of Enjoyment is the place where the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties held ancestral worship ceremonies. The side halls on the east side are used to enshrine the tablets of the meritorious royal family, and the side halls on the west side are used to enshrine the tablets of meritorious officials. The Sleeping Hall is where the tablets of ancestors are placed on weekdays; the Tao Temple is the place where the tablets of the emperor's distant ancestors are enshrined. Today, the Imperial Ancestral Temple is open to the public as the Cultural Palace of the Working People, and cultural activities such as garden tours, performances, training, and exhibitions are held for the public. The Imperial Ancestral Temple was first built in the 18th year of Yongle in the Ming Dynasty (1420). When it was first built, the Hall of Enjoyment and the Sleeping Hall were built in the inner wall. In the fourth year of Hongzhi in the Ming Dynasty (1491), the Tao Temple was built to the north of the Sleeping Hall. Later, due to the change of the national sacrificial system during the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty, the Imperial Ancestral Temple was newly built on the east and west sides of the inner wall of the Imperial Ancestral Temple in the 15th year of Jiajing (1536). It was later burned down by thunder and fire, and rebuilt in the 24th year of Jiajing (1545), restoring the original "same hall, different rooms" system. The planning pattern of the Imperial Ancestral Temple of the Ming Dynasty was used in the Qing Dynasty. After 1925, the Imperial Ancestral Temple was managed by the Forbidden City Museum. After the 1950s, the Imperial Ancestral Temple was opened to the public as the Beijing Working People's Cultural Palace, and cultural activities such as garden tours, performances, training, and exhibitions were held for the public and have been used to this day.
Altar of the Land and Grain
The Sheji Altar is located in the southwest of the Forbidden City, close to the central axis and symmetrical with the Imperial Ancestral Temple. The building complex is a rectangular building complex that is slightly longer from north to south, and is surrounded by two inner and outer walls to form a ring-shaped courtyard. The inner altar is a ritual and sacrificial space, surrounded by a square inner wall in the center, with a door on each of the four sides of the inner altar wall and the inner wall, and the altar in the center. The God Storehouse and God Kitchen are located in the southwest corner of the inner altar, and the slaughter pavilion building complex is located outside the west wall. 612 ancient trees are planted in the outer altar, creating a quiet atmosphere of the royal altar. In addition, the outer altar area also creates a garden landscape with a strong Chinese traditional interest. There are two rockery in the west, and a free-form pond in the southwest. There are waterside pavilions, Tanghuawu and other buildings around the pond. The Sheji Altar is the most complete ceremonial building complex for the royal sacrifice to Taishe and Taiji in ancient China. The outer altar, inner altar, and inner triple altar walls create a sacred sacrificial atmosphere with rich levels of change. The inner altar is the core of the sacrificial space. From south to north, along the central axis of the inner altar, there are Nantanmen, Nanxingmen, Shejitan altar, Beilingxingmen, Baidian, Jimen, Beitanmen and other buildings. After entering the inner altar, you can see the inner wall. The center of the inner wall is the Shejitan altar. The north of the inner wall is the Baidian. Jimen is located directly north of the Baidian and is slightly lower than the Baidian. Beitanmen was the entrance to the ritual sacrificial route during the Ming and Qing dynasties, so it is taller than the South Gate. Shejitan was a place for worshiping She (land) and (grains) during the Ming and Qing dynasties. The significance of worshiping Sheji and Ji is not limited to the worship of land and grains themselves, but it shows the importance of the country's territory, and has the extended meaning of praying for the country's solid foundation, prosperity, and integrity of the territory. The worship of Sheji emphasizes the influence of land and grains on the country and society, thus closely linking the national and social order with the relationship between people and land. Shetan became a park in modern times. It is the earliest royal temple in Beijing to be transformed into an urban park, and it is still open to the public as a park. The Altar of Land and Grain was first built in the 18th year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty (1420). Initially, there was only an altar in the inner altar. In the Ming Dynasty, the slaughter pavilion, the god's storehouse and god's kitchen, the worship hall and the gate were successively built. The resulting structure has been preserved to this day. Only the main buildings were repaired in the Qing Dynasty. On October 10, 1914, the Altar of Land and Grain was opened to the public as the Central Park. It was the first royal temple in Beijing to be transformed into an urban park, and witnessed the process of the publicization of the central axis of Beijing. In 1928, the Central Park was renamed Zhongshan Park and is still open to the public today.
Outer Jinshui Bridge
The location of the Waijinshui Bridge is in strict correspondence with the five arch gates of the Tiananmen Tower and the south gate of the Imperial Ancestral Temple and the Altar of Land and Grain. The layout of the bridge, the width of the bridge deck, the form of the capital and the decorative details all reflect the principle of "selecting the middle". As the leading area to the imperial city of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the Waijinshui Bridge was the only way from the imperial city to the southern suburbs for sacrifice in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. It is also the ceremonial space for major national celebrations today, and it has always assumed an important ceremonial function. The Waijinshui Bridge is located on the Waijinshui River on the south side of Tiananmen. The bridge body is located opposite to the arch gate of the tower, and the distance between the bridges is basically the same. They are symmetrically distributed along the central axis of Beijing. The Waijinshui Bridge is shaped like a jade belt, and it is combined with the Tiananmen Tower to form a symbolic ceremonial space and form. The five bridges of the Waijinshui Bridge are basically the same in shape. They are all three-arch arch-style white marble bridges. The plane is in the shape of a "工" character with a narrow middle and wide ends. The shape is unique, but the scale and decorative details are different. The architectural level decreases from the middle to the sides. The Outer Golden Water Bridge corresponds to the Inner Golden Water Bridge in front of the Taihe Gate of the Forbidden City. It has played an important ceremonial function since the Ming Dynasty. The bridge in the middle is called the Imperial Road Bridge, which was used exclusively by the emperor during the Ming and Qing dynasties. The left and right sides of the Imperial Road Bridge are the Prince Bridges, which are used by the princes of the imperial clan. The two ends are the Grade Bridges, which are used by civil and military officials above the third grade. The bridges corresponding to the Imperial Ancestral Temple and the Altar of Land and Grain are called the Gongsheng Bridges. Today, the Outer Golden Water Bridge is still the main passage connecting the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square. The Outer Golden Water Bridge was first built in the 15th year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty (1417). There were only three bridges at first. After the reconstruction in the first year of the Chenghua reign of the Ming Dynasty (1465), the number increased to seven. The existing bridge was rebuilt in the 29th year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1690).
Beijing Olympic Park
Beijing Olympic Park is located in Chaoyang District, Beijing, at the northern end of the central axis of Beijing. It extends to the south bank of Qinghe River in the north, Beitucheng Road in the south, Anli Road and Beichen East Road in the east, and Lincui Road and Beichen West Road in the west. The Olympic Park covers a total area of 11.59 square kilometers and is divided into three areas. The northern part is the forest park, covering an area of 6.8 square kilometers; the central part is the main venues and supporting facilities, covering an area of 3.15 square kilometers; the southern part is the built venue area and reserved land, covering an area of 1.64 square kilometers. The Olympic Park is an extension of the traditional central axis of the city, implying the continuation of China's thousand-year history and culture. It embodies the three major concepts of "technology, green, and humanities". It is a new urban area that integrates multiple functions such as office, business, hotel, culture, sports, conference, and residence. The area has a complete energy base and a well-connected transportation network. The Olympic Park presents a unique cultural landscape to audiences around the world, including a dragon-shaped water system running through the north and south, a dazzling array of sculptures, various carefully designed floral patterns, landscape lamp posts, etc. The sunken garden, located 9 meters underground, combines traditional Chinese elements such as courtyards and city gates with modern architecture to create a space-time artistic conception of the blending of ancient and modern times. The Olympic Park has the best of the best: Asia's largest urban artificial water system, Asia's largest urban green landscape, the world's most open pedestrian square, Asia's longest underground traffic corridor, and the park also has the largest celebration square. The Olympic Park focuses on the long-term development of the city and the needs of citizens' material and cultural life, making it a public activity center for citizens that relies on the Asian Games venues and various supporting facilities, integrates sports competitions, conferences and exhibitions, cultural entertainment and leisure shopping, and has open space, green space, beautiful environment, and can provide multi-functional services. The Olympic Park is the heart of Beijing's 2008 Olympic Games, accommodating 44% of the Olympic venues and most of the facilities serving the Olympic Games. These venues and facilities include: 10 competition venues, 15 events; the Olympic Village covering an area of 80 hectares, which can accommodate 16,000 athletes, coaches and their entourage. In this 12 square kilometer area, during the 2008 Olympic Games, there were 10 Olympic competition venues, including the Bird's Nest, the Water Cube, the National Stadium, the National Convention Center Fencing Hall, the Olympic Sports Center Stadium, the Olympic Sports Center Gymnasium, the Yingdong Swimming Pool, the Olympic Park Archery Range, the Olympic Park Tennis Court, and the Olympic Park Hockey Field. In addition, there are 7 non-competition venues, including the Olympic Main Press Center (MPC), the International Broadcasting Center (IBC), the Olympic Reception Center, and the Olympic Village (Paralympic Village). Tree arrays, waterfalls, and fountains form a beautiful Chinese painting. The open external space, hollow tile walls, reflecting pools, and standing tile paving inject new expressions into the traditional space. The drum wall, bell tower, panpipe, harp curtain, and green bamboo benches form a beautiful plot of oriental ritual music. The 7 courtyards with unique Chinese characteristics in the Olympic Park Sunken Garden perfectly interpret the "Open Forbidden City". The sunken garden is located 9 meters underground in the center of the Olympic Park. On both sides are the entrances and exits of large shopping malls and subways. The 700-meter-long space is connected by 7 courtyards. From south to north, they are the Imperial Palace Gate, the Ancient Wood Flower Hall, the Liyue Gate, the Crossing Yingzhou, the Harmonious Courtyard, and the Watermark Sky. The 7 courtyards are highlighted by Chinese elements, fully demonstrating the cultural heritage of Chinese history and modernity.