This Day, That Year: Dec 3

Editor's note: This year marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of New China.

On Dec 3, 1997, the ancient city of Pingyao in Shanxi province was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list, as seen in this item from China Daily.

Founded in the 14th century, Pingyao has well-preserved buildings, including ancient walls, streets and lanes, shops, dwellings and temples. Its layout reflects developments in architectural style and urban planning over more than five centuries.

Since China ratified The Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage in 1985, it has been one of the countries with the fastest-growing number of such sites.

The country's first sites listed in 1987 were the Great Wall, Mount Tai, the Peking Man Site at Zhoukoudian, Imperial Palace of the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1368-1911), the Mogao Caves and the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor.

It now has 55 entries on the World Heritage list, the most in the world. They include 37 cultural sites.

The Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list in July during the 43rd session of the World Heritage Committee in Baku, Azerbaijan. Dating back 5,300 years, the ruins, whose core area covers 14.3 square kilometers in the northwest of Hangzhou, is considered an important representation of early urban civilization, with rice-cultivating agriculture as the economic foundation.

The heritage site includes city ruins with palace remains, 11 early-stage dams, and cemetery sites.

The Neolithic civilization lasted about 1,000 years until 4,300 years ago, according to archaeologists' research.

Next year, the 44th session of the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO will be held in Fuzhou, Fujian province.

Vice-Minister of Education Tian Xuejun has been elected as chairman of the 44th session of the committee.