UNESCO designated one of Beijing's most historic neighborhoods as a World Heritage Site on July 27. The committee responsible made the decision at UNESCO's 46th session in New Delhi, India.

Beijing is now the city with the most World Heritage Sites in the world. Originating in the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), the north-south line of the Beijing Central Axis stretches 7.8 kilometers. It's home to all kinds of historic Chinese stories, from those of emperors of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) to the lives of ordinary Chinese people.

Lyu Zhou, director of the National Heritage Center at Tsinghua University, said in recent years, World Heritage projects have become increasingly comprehensive. "The Beijing Central Axis, in particular, is an excellent medium for telling the story of China. It reflects Chinese people's long-term pursuit of constructing order, and behind it lies traditional Chinese philosophical thought and cultural concepts."