World Heritage Identification Number: 1508
World Heritage since: 2016
Category: Cultural Heritage
WHE Type: Archaeological Sites
Transboundary Heritage: No
Endangered Heritage: No
Country: 🇨🇳 China
Continent: Asia
UNESCO World Region: Asia and the Pacific
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Exploring the Zuojiang Huashan Rock Art Cultural Landscape: A Window into Ancient Chinese Culture
The Zuojiang Huashan Rock Art Cultural Landscape, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2016, offers a unique glimpse into the rich cultural history of ancient China. Situated along the steep cliffs bordering southwestern China, this site consists of 38 locations adorned with rock art that dates back to the 5th century BCE and extends up to the 2nd century CE. These remarkable paintings provide valuable insights into the lives, rituals, and beliefs of the Luoyue people, who were once prevalent across southern China.
More to come…UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site
Located on the steep cliffs in the border regions of southwest China, these 38 sites of rock art illustrate the life and rituals of the Luoyue people. They date from the period around the 5th century BCE to the 2nd century CE. In a surrounding landscape of karst, rivers and plateaux, they depict ceremonies that have been interpreted as portraying the bronze drum culture once prevalent across southern China. This cultural landscape is the only remains of this culture today.
UNESCO Justification of the World Heritage Site
Criterion (iii): The Zuojiang Huashan Rock Art Cultural Landscape, with its special combination of landscape and rock art, vividly conveys the vigorous spiritual and social life of the Luoyue people who lived along the Zuojiang River from the 5th century BCE to the 2nd century CE. It is now the only witness to the tradition.
Criterion (vi): The images of Zuojiang Huashan depicting drums and related elements are symbolic records directly associated with the bronze drum culture once widespread in the region. Today bronze drums are still respected as symbols of power in southern China.
Encyclopedia Record: Zuojiang Huashan Rock Art
The Zuojiang Huashan Rock Art Cultural Landscape is an extensive assembly of historical rock art that was painted on limestone cliff faces in Guangxi, southern China. The paintings are located on the west bank of the Ming River which is a tributary of the Zuo River. The area of the paintings is part of the Nonggang Nature Reserve and belongs to Ningming County. On July 15, 2016, Zuojiang Huashan Rock Art Cultural Landscape was listed as the 49th UNESCO World Heritage Site in China.Additional Site Details
Area: 6,621.6 hectares
Number of Components: 3
(vi) — Directly associated with events or living traditions
Coordinates: 22.2555555556 , 107.0230555556
