1 . World Heritage sites in China

Now, China has 56 sites inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Let’s take a look at some of them.

Ancient City of Ping Yao

Built more than 2,700 years ago, the Ancient City of Ping Yao is the best preserved ancient Han Chinese city. It gives insight into the ancient prosperous business pioneers, who established the first banks in China during Ming and Qing dynasties (14th-20th centuries).

The city was listed as a World Natural Heritage Site by UNESCO on December 3, 1997.

Classical Gardens of Suzhou

Suzhou, a city in East China’s Jiangsu province, is famous for its classical gardens. Built between the Northern Song Dynasty and the late Qing Dynasty (11-19th century), the classical gardens of Suzhou feature miniature rocks, hills and elegant pavilions set amidst murmuring waters. The classical gardens of Suzhou were added onto the list on December 4, 1997.

Ancient Villages in southern Anhui—Xidi and Hongcun

Located in southern Anhui, Xidi and Hongcun belong to the category of architectural complexes, with a high historical and artistic value.

The villages represent the architectural features of the Huizhou-style residential houses in the period of the Ming and Qing dynasties.

Xidi and Hongcun were added onto the list on November 30, 2000.

Fujian Tulou

Located in East China’s Fujian province, the 46 multi-storey earthen houses were built on a base of stone for defense purposes. The architectural arts of the Fujian Tulou can be traced back nearly 1,000 years, and their design incorporates the tradition of feng shui. Tulou was added onto the list on July 6, 2008.

For more information about the world heritage sites in China, please click the link below.

1. Which of the following sites was first listed as a World Heritage Site?

A．Ancient City of Ping Yao.	B．Classical Gardens of Suzhou.
C．Xidi and Hongcun.	D．Fujian Tulou.

2. According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE?

A．Fujian Tulou was built with the intention of defending.

B．Ancient City of Ping Yao was the best preserved Chinese city.

C．Classical Gardens of Suzhou were built for the ancient emperors.

D．Xidi and Hongcun represent the architectural features of northern Anhui.

3. Where can the text most probably be taken from?

A．A textbook.	B．A website.
C．A magazine.	D．A travel booklet.