Wenzhou Shuomen Ancient Port Site

Wenzhou Alum Mine Relics

Taishun Beijian Covered Bridge

Recently, the National Cultural Heritage Administration has approved the “World Cultural Heritage Tentative List in China”. In the list, the Wenzhou Shuomen Ancient Port Site is recognized as a vital component of the Maritime Silk Road (Zhejiang section); Wenzhou Alum Mine Relics and its cultural landscape is recognized as China’s modern industrial heritage; and the Taishun Covered Bridges, representatives of its kind in Fujian and Zhejiang provinces, are also included. This not only showcases the rich cultural heritage of Wenzhou but also lays a solid foundation for its application for World Cultural Heritage.

The Shuomen Ancient Port Site is located in the eastern section of East Wangjiang Road in Lucheng District, adjacent to the ancient city in the south and the Oujiang River in the north. It faces the twin towers, one of the world’s ancient navigational beacons, on the Jiangxin Islet across the river. With a total area of 200,000 square meters and an excavated area of approximately 9,000 square meters, it is a large-scale site featuring a complete system of city, port, waterway and navigational beacon. At the site, we found many important relics, such as the gate of Shuomen, the gate of Feng’en, Shuimentou steep gate, urn city, city walls, 10 docks, and 3 sunken ships. Additionally, there were more than 5000 pieces of porcelain, lacquerware, copper coins, glass ware, as well as over 20 tons of porcelain fragments. Moreover, there were rich animal and plant remains as well. The excavation has filled the gap in China’s application system for the port-related World Heritage on the Maritime Silk Road, and it is hailed as one of the most important archaeological discoveries of its kind both domestically and internationally. In March 2023, this site won the title as one of the top ten new archaeological discoveries in China; and in June 2024, its protection and utilization was selected as a case for the high-quality development of the national cultural heritage protection and utilization. Experts believe that the site has the most complete structure and the clearest chronology discovered in China to date. Both its remains and unearthed relics have demonstrated that Wenzhou has played an important role on the ancient Maritime Silk Road and that the ancient Maritime Silk Road reached its heyday during the Song (960-1279) and Yuan (1279-1368) Dynasties. All these have guiding significance for the research on the history and culture of the Maritime Silk Road.

The history of the Wenzhou Alum Mine Relics date back to the 15th century, making it one of the oldest alum mining sites in China and even East Asia. It holds immense value for the study of ancient geological structures and volcanic activities. The relic site encompasses a blend of natural landscapes, integration of humanity and nature, and artificial cultural relics and historic sites. It comprehensively demonstrates the entire “mining-refining-transportation-marketing” process of alum mining and stands as an exemplary representation showing the alum mining culture. Since 2010, it has embarked on its journey to apply for World Heritage. Over the past fifteen years, it has established a research promotion association for world heritage and garnered numerous recognitions, including the Asia-Pacific Award for Cultural Heritage Conservation by UNESCO, National Industrial Heritage, National Key Cultural Protection Unit, and National Geopark. While making conservation efforts, the site has successfully undergone transformation with the support of the government and the public. Venues such as the Wenzhou Alum Mine Museum and the Alum Museum of World Alum Capital have been established and recognized as “National Research and Practice Education Bases for Primary and Secondary School Students”. What’s more, it was selected as a model at the provincial conference on high-quality development of industrial tourism and as the only typical case of the city for the protection and utilization of industrial heritage under the “Imprint of the Republic”. At the same time, Fudewan Village, where Wenzhou Alum Mine locates, has received numerous awards, including “Chinese Traditional Village”, “Famous Historical and Cultural Village”, “Key National Rural Tourism Village”. Additionally, Fanshan Town has been successfully established as a “5A Scenic Area Town in Zhejiang Province”.

The covered arch wooden bridges in Fujian and Zhejiang provinces, which employ the mortise and tenon joint technique to weave small wooden components into large-span wooden arched bridges, are hailed as the world’s only “living fossil” unique to China in the history of bridges. Statistics reveal that over 100 such bridges still stand, with the oldest dating back to the Tang(618-907) and Song (960–1279) dynasties. Notably, Taishun boasts 32 covered arch wooden bridges, becoming one of the most concentrated and distinctive regions in China for such bridges. Among these, 15 are designated as major historical and cultural sites protected at the national level, while 4 at provincial level. According to official responses, the recent China’s Tentative List for World Cultural Heritage includes the Xidong, Beijian, Santiao, and Wenxing bridges in Taishun. These bridges not only exemplify the exquisite craftsmanship of ancient Chinese bridges but also bear rich historical and cultural significance, serving as vital physical materials for research into local history, folk customs, and culture. In recent years, Taishun has taken many measures to protect and preserve its bridges. For instance, it has developed and implemented a supervision and protection platform for cultural heritage (specifically covered bridges), enabling intelligent monitoring of these structures. Additionally, it has formulated China’s first specialized legislation for the protection of covered bridges, the Wenzhou Taishun Covered Bridge Protection Regulations, providing a legal framework for their preservation. What’s more, Taishun has also actively engaged various sectors of society in the protection and restoration of the covered bridges, achieving commendable results. What is worth mentioning is that “Chinese Traditional Construction Techniques of Wooden Arch Bridges” was officially removed from UNESCO’s “List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding” and added to the “Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity” at the end of 2024, marking a significant milestone in the recognition and preservation of this unique heritage.

Next, we will intensify our communication with higher-level authorities. We will invite professional application bodies and experts to Wenzhou to provide firsthand guidance, ensuring continuous tracking and speeding up the process of application for the Shuomen Ancient Port Site, the Wenzhou Alum Mine Relics, and the Taishun Covered Bridges. Meanwhile, we will adhere to the standards set by the world cultural heritage application, focusing on heritage preservation, exhibition, monitoring, and environmental treatment. Specifically, we will endeavor to refine, highlight, and promote the outstanding universal value of our cultural heritage. All these will mark the commencement of a new chapter in Wenzhou’s pursuit for world cultural heritage.