Yang Guohua and the World Heritage in China Project

YANG Guohua is the Minister of the Cultural Department for UK China Culture Association.  He has worked as a lecturer, an editor, in publishing and in Government administration.

In 2004, he gained a Master of Arts degree in Public Archaeology at University College London (UCL). Now his area of research is in the management, conservation, development and use of world heritage sites.  He has written a book of Chinese poetry, The End of the Century Shepherd, published by International Culture Press in June 1996.  In the same year, his art work photograph won the ‘International Outstanding Work of Art’ prize.  He has coordinated and edited the publication of two standard works on Chinese historical archaeology, which they are The Discoveries and Researches of Guo State Tombs Sites, July 2000, which is in the library of SOAS, University of London, and The Sanmenxia Archaeology Collected Works, March 2001, which together contain nearly one million words.  In September 1995, one of his special paintings, “Harvest”, is in the collection of China Art Gallery in Beijing. 

The Harvest - painting by YANG

To date, he has published in a variety of media, including news, literary reviews, poetry, prose, photography, painting and calligraphy.  He has produced nearly two hundred artworks, of which over thirty pieces have won national prizes.  A biographical sketch of his work and achievements was reported in the magazines China Scholars Abroad (No.11, 2004), page 38-39, and Overseas Chinese in the World (No.6, 2004), page 16-17.  A biographical sketch of his name and achievements has been listed in The Great Dictionary of the World Excellent Talents (China unit), The Dictionary of China Young Artists, Who's Who in the World, The Great Dictionary of China’s Excellent Characters and The Dictionary of Chinese Outstanding People.

WORLD HERITAGE IN CHINA

My book describes the thirty one World Heritage Sites designated by UNESCO World Heritage Committee in China and has two further chapters on Intangible Cultural Heritage, which discusses the Kunqu Opera and the Art of Guquin Music. 

In 1996, 1997, 2000 and 2005 I visited and photographed twenty of the sites, completed paintings of all thirty one sites and carried out the research which forms the basis of this book.  The original draft of the book was in the Mandarin language, but I have also prepared an English language text, based upon, but not translated directly from the original Mandarin text.  This book draws on the history of some four thousand years of continuous development of Chinese civilisation, through many dynasties, beginning with the Xia, from the twenty first to the sixteenth centuries BC, until the Qing Dynasty, which came to an end in 1911.  I have included a brief history of the origins of Chinese civilisation, from Palaeolithic times and the development of the Chinese dynasties.  Aspects of political development, culture, religion, philosophy, aesthetics, archaeology, botany, zoology and geography are touched upon in the book. 

There are six main chapters, as follows: Chapter 1 is China, Her Ancient Civilisation and History, amounting to 44 pages.  Chapter 2 is Cultural Heritage, including 22 Cultural Heritage Sites, amounting to 369 pages.  Chapter 3 is Natural Heritage, including 4 Natural Heritage Sites, amounting to 95 pages.  Chapter 4 is Cultural and Natural Heritage Sites, including 4 mixed sites, amounting to 50 pages.  Chapter 5 is Cultural Landscape, covering only one site, amounting to 14 pages.  Chapter 6 is Intangible Cultural Heritage – the Kunqu Opera and the Art of Guqin Music, amounting to 21 pages. 

 
The Great Wall - photography by YANG

Thus, the book contains more than 600 pages in A4.  All the paintings, photographs and the Mandarin text are my own work and I have worked with my English friend Mr Geach in preparing the English language text.  China acceded to the Convention on World Heritage Sites in 1985 and began to submit heritage sites to the World Heritage List in 1987.  Of the 812 World Heritage Sites listed by UNESCO in July 2005 in 137 countries China has 31, ranking it third in the World.   There are more than 100 Chinese sites waiting to be considered by UNESCO, so China will, in due course, have more than any other country.  The development of Chinese civilisation has led to the creation of beautiful scenic landscapes and historic sites, which still exist after more than 2,000 years.  They include magnificent ancient architectural complexes and numerous historical relics, which together provide an important basis for the study of the development of China’s ancient culture and history.  My oil paintings and the numerous photographs I have taken in China should give a flavour of the drama and beauty of the Chinese World Heritage Sites. 

I trust that the book will give pleasure to all who read it and that it may encourage some readers to visit China and see its beauty for themselves.  I believe I am the first person and that this is the first book to introduce all the World Heritage Sites in China to Western people.