Silk Roads: the Routes Network of Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor

countries. China, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan
year of inscription. 2014

criteria. Cultural

This multinational WHS is a 5,000km section of the extensive Silk Roads network, a 35,000km web of trading routes linking East, Central, South, and West Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. This section consists of the part that linked Chang’an (modern-day Luoyang, Henan, China) in central ancient China, across the Tianshan mountains, and to the Zhetysu region of Central Asia. It was developed between the 2nd century BCE and 1st century CE, remaining in use until the 16th century. Alongside trade, religious beliefs, cultural practices, scientific and technological knowledge, and the arts were also exchanged between civilisations along the Silk Roads. The thirty-three component sites in this WHS include capital cities and palace complexes, trading settlements, Buddhist cave temples and other places of worship, ancient paths, posthouses, passes and beacon towers, sections of the Great Wall and other fortifications, as well as tombs.

In 2010, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan agreed to make a joint application for WHS status for their parts of the Silk Roads. This follows an earlier WHS tentative listing of Silk Roads sites made by China in 2008, which included sites on both the overland and maritime Silk Roads. Individually, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan also variously submitted Silk Roads sites to the WHS tentative list. In 2011, UNESCO proposed that the various sections of the Silk Roads be submitted for listing separately. Consequently, in 2014, the Chang’an-Tianshan section of China, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan was listed as a multinational WHS.

The thirty-three sites are categorized into four regions:

1. Central China: sites in ancient Chinese imperial capitals

• Luoyang City of the Eastern Han to Northern Wei Dynasty, Luoyang, Henan Province
• Dingding Gate, Luoyang City of the Sui and Tang Dynasty, Luoyang, Henan Province
• Hangu Pass, Xin'an County, Henan Province
• Shihao section of Xiaohan Route, Sanmenxia, Henan Province
• Weiyang Palace, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province
• Daming Palace, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province
• Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province
• Small Wild Goose Pagoda, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province
• Xingjiao Temple, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province
• Bin County Cave Temple, Bin County, Shaanxi Province
• Tomb of Zhang Qian, Chenggu County, Shaanxi Province
• Maijishan Cave Temple Complex, Tianshui, Gansu Province

2. Hexi Corridor in Gansu Province, China

• Bingling Temple Grottoes, Yongjing County, Gansu Province
• Yumen Pass, Dunhuang, Gansu Province
• Xuanquanzhi Posthouse, Dunhuang, Gansu Province
• Suoyang City Ruins, Guazhou, Gansu Province

3. North and south of Tianshan Mountains in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, China

• Qocho (Gaochang) City Ruins, Turpan, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region
• Jiaohe Ruins, Turpan, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region
• Beshbalik (Beiting) City Ruins, Jimsar County, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region
• Kizil Gaha Beacon Tower, Kuqa, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region
• Kizil Caves, Kuqa, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region
• Subash Buddhist Temple Ruins, Kuqa, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region

4. Zhetysu Region of the Ili and Talas Valleys of Kazakhstan and the Chüy Valley of Kyrgyzstan

• Site of Kayalyk, Almaty Region, Kazakhstan
• Karamergen, Almaty Region, Kazakhstan
• Talgar, Almaty Region, Kazakhstan
• Aktobe, Jambyl Region, Kazakhstan
• Kulan, Jambyl Region, Kazakhstan
• Akyrtas, Jambyl Region, Kazakhstan
• Ornek, Jambyl Region, Kazakhstan
• Kostobe, Jambyl Region, Kazakhstan
• City of Suyab (Site of Ak-Beshim), Chüy Region, Kyrgyzstan
• City of Balasagun (Site of Burana), Chüy Region, Kyrgyzstan
• City of Nevaket (Site of Krasnaya Rechka), Chüy Region, Kyrgyzstan

Included in this WHS are the Mogao Caves at Dunhuang, Gansu Province, China and Longmen Grottoes, Luoyang, Henan Province, China, which are listed UNESCO WHS individually.

what. WHS visited (March 2016)

Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China

[Samsung Galaxy Note 5, 15 March 2016]

what. stamp (China, 1994)