Beijing has a central axis that runs through the north and south of the city. The southern end of this central axis is Yongding Gate, and the northern end is the bell tower, with a total length of 7.8 kilometers. Li Jianping, honorary president of the Beijing History Research Association, did not expect that the buildings, scenery, culture, and people along the 7.8 kilometers had allowed him to study for 20 years. Recently, in an exclusive interview with reporters, he said with deep feeling that the central axis of Beijing is a rich mine, and the deeper you dig, the more you study, the more flavorful it becomes.
The new book popularizes 15 heritage sites on the central axis
Li Jianping's new book "The Central Axis of Beijing" was recently published by the Chinese Publishing House. The book starts from the trajectory of the formation of the central axis and the rich history of the accumulation of the central axis of Beijing in the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, and introduces 15 heritage points on the central axis of Beijing one by one: Yongding Gate, Temple of Heaven, Xiannongtan, the remains of the central road in the southern section, Zhengyangmen Gate (arrow tower, city tower), Tiananmen Square complex (Chairman Mao Memorial Hall, Monument to the People's Heroes, National Museum, The Great Hall of the People), Waijinshui Bridge, Tiananmen Square, Taimiao, Shejitan, Duanmen, Forbidden City, Jingshan, Wanning Bridge, Drum and Bell Tower, as well as the symmetrical aesthetic culture on the central axis of Beijing, the five elements of yin and yang, the ancient celestial culture, the auspicious beast culture, the enclosed space culture, the Jiumen Palace culture, the bridge water system culture, etc. Through the analysis of these architectural and cultural phenomena, Li Jianping enables readers to have a deeper understanding of their historical changes and cultural connotations.
Li Jianping is well aware of the spatial layout, urban fabric, historical buildings, ancient and famous trees, rivers and lakes on the Beijing axis. As an art teacher, he also drew 37 vivid and interesting diagrams for the book "Beijing's Central Axis". He said: "The central axis of Beijing is the backbone and soul of Beijing, and if you have time to take a walk and have a look, you can not only see the cultural heritage of the old Beijing, but also see the development and vision of the new Beijing." ”
The Zhengyang swift and the drum tower pigeon whistle were written into the book
Li Jianping's relationship with the Beijing Central Axis began in 2004. In 2001, Beijing's bid for the Olympic Games was successful, and in the atmosphere of Olympic fever, Li Jianping, who was a researcher at the Beijing Social Science Planning Office, devoted himself to the study of the Humanities Olympics.
"At that time, I often went to the site to investigate the planning and construction of the Olympic Park, and later found that it was connected to the central axis of the old city of Beijing. Li Jianping said that he had the idea of writing a book on Beijing's central axis in conjunction with the construction of the Olympic Park.
After field investigation and theoretical research, Li Jianping's "Charming Beijing Central Axis" was published in 2008, and he also attracted attention from the outside world. In the same year, he gave a lecture on the theme of "Charming Beijing City, Rhythmic Central Axis" at CCTV's "Hundred Lectures". After the end of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, Beijing shifted from the Humanistic Olympics to the construction of Humanistic Beijing, and combined with the Beijing Central Axis to apply for World Heritage Status, "The Charming Beijing Central Axis" was revised and republished in 2012.
Time passed, and in 2022, Li Jianping received an invitation from the publishing house to write about the central axis of Beijing. Li Jianping readily agreed, and it took more than a year to reorganize and complete the manuscript.
"To polish the golden business card of Beijing's central axis, it is necessary to let the people understand it and know it. Li Jianping said that the reason why he spent a lot of effort to write the book was also because he saw that there were inaccuracies in the books on the central axis of Beijing on the market, such as some mistakenly painted the Yongding Gate as the red city wall, some mistakenly painted the top of the spire on both sides of the noon gate, and some mistakenly painted the seven bays of the Tai Sui Hall of the Xiannongtan as the nine bays. He said that popularizing the knowledge of the history and culture of the central axis is an arduous task that requires sustained perseverance, and it can be said that there is a long way to go.
The new book "The Central Axis of Beijing" adds a lot of new content and knowledge. Li Jianping said: The central axis is not only the axis of history, but also the axis of living and development. The book adds new achievements in the protection of living culture in recent years, such as Zhengyang swifts, drum tower pigeon whistles, etc., and also lists a chapter for the Temple of Heaven, Xiannong Altar, Taimiao, Sheji Altar, Forbidden City, and Jingshan Ancient Trees and Famous Trees. "These revitalized legacies continue to grow along the central axis, and their vitality is extremely tenacious. In addition, Li Jianping also talked about the colors on the central axis in the book, and proposed for the first time that the central axis contains five colors: red, yellow, blue, white, and black.
The course "Walking the Central Axis" is offered all year round
Li Jianping, 70 years old this year, is a native of Beijing, lived in Zuojia Hutong outside Andingmen as a child, often went to Andingmen to climb the city tower, and also liked to go to the Confucian Temple and Guozijian to play. However, Li Jianping said that it was only after he studied the central axis of Beijing that he really understood and loved Beijing.
Li Jianping is a distinguished professor at Beijing Union University, and has general education courses on the central axis of Beijing at Beijing Union University, Beijing Institute of Graphic Communication, and Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture. His research has been deepened and refined with the passage of time, and he not only talks about the history, architecture and culture of the central axis, but also about the time-honored brands, ancient trees and various characters on the central axis, which stimulates the enthusiasm of young students to explore the history and culture of Beijing. "The central axis is like a rich mine, we have just dug to the first layer, and the more we dig, the more we feel that the charm of Chinese culture is broad and profound. Li Jianping said.
Over the years, Li Jianping has lost count of how many times he has walked on the central axis, he took the students to appreciate the ancient charm and new appearance of Beijing, and talked while walking, and he could walk the 6 miles of the southern section in one go, and the young people could not keep up with his footsteps. He said, "In winter, when I stand in the Wanchun Pavilion and look at the Forbidden City, all the roofs are covered with snow, covered in snow. At two or three o'clock in the afternoon in winter, when the sun hits the roof of the Forbidden City, it is golden and bright, and the roof of each palace is like a lying dragon's back.
Li Jianping not only walks the central axis, but also participates in TV program recording, cultural consultant and many other work. In October 2020, the national orchestral suite "Central Axis" premiered in the Concert Hall of the National Centre for the Performing Arts, Li Jianping as a cultural consultant for the music director Ye Xiaogang to give advice, he proposed to enter Zhengyangmen, where the market, archway, arrow tower, city tower, is the first climax of music rendering, to the Forbidden City Taihe Palace, is the tall city tower, palace, temple, suite to enter the real climax. In fact, these experiences also brought him a new perspective on the central axis of Beijing, and he has a new understanding of the rhythmic beauty of the central axis, "If you are a music lover, you will find that the central axis is a song of undulating music. This movement is far and near, light and heavy, thick and light, not only a prologue, but also a climax and aftersound. ”