Beijing Central Axis Competition

The Beijing Central Axis application for the World Cultural Heritage Site Project was officially launched in 2011 and now the application has entered the ‘sprint stage’. In order to support the application for Beijing Central Axis to become a World Heritage Site, 26 Harrow Beijing students have participated in the ‘Young Cultural Ambassador for the Beijing Central Axis’ competition.

Check out this compilation of all the amazing Beijing Central Axis videos that were created by our students!

Over 50,000 teachers and students from more than 200 primary and middle schools in Beijing participated in the selection.

Many of our students have achieved outstanding success in this competition：

Nina Zh, Nick X, Summer Y, Franklin Ch, Aibhlin B, Lorcan B and Shennan Ch won the honorary titles of ‘Young Cultural Ambassador for the Beijing Central Axis’ and the ‘Harrow Beijing Young Cultural Ambassador for the Beijing Central Axis’.

Ingrid N, Jessica L, Ella Zh, Iris Zh, Tiana J, Alivia D, Iris I, Ruby I, Teddy I, Marina G, Annie T, Kamar D and Alexander L won the finalists Award of the ‘Young Cultural Ambassador for the Beijing Central Axis’ selection as well as the title of the ‘Harrow Beijing Young Cultural Ambassador for the Beijing Central Axis’. 

Dudu W, Zoey L, Alaric M, Zoey L,Alex L and Mizy L have been awarded the title of the ‘Harrow Beijing Young Cultural Ambassador for the Beijing Central Axis’. 

To support the application of the Beijing Central Axis to become a World Heritage Site, Tiana J created a painting named ‘Invigorating the Central Axis’. 

Shennan Ch expressed his love of Chinese culture and his best wishes for the application of the Beijing Central Axis to be included as a World Heritage Site in an English poem. The poem is as follows:

The Stories I See  观之悟

诗/Shennan Ch  译/白志伟

This morning, when I was looking down from a glass and steel tower,  

玉壶西坠，晨曦斟满，独登琉璃与钢铁之塔，极目苍穹， 

I notice a beautiful falcon soaring above the centre of the city. 

雄鹰振翅笑傲于京都长空。 

I wondered what she must see — maybe she and I can see the same. 

或许我见即她见，只因灵犀相通。 

When I look around Beijing, I see the centre of history. 

放眼北京，千年的历史沧海之变从这里蒸腾。 

The rafters of the ancient buildings tell me stories of beauty, 

琼楼玉宇之椽诉说着千年旖旎的故事与绮梦， 

Of flowers and fruits, of birds and insects, of blue water,  

百木葳蕤，万物生灵，天水一色，生机荣荣， 

Of misty mountains and green fields. 

云岚遮远黛，翠甸绽青红。 

The ancient buildings remind me of the importance of pride and heritage. 

引吭高歌，只为名胜古迹闪耀着华夏璀璨繁荣。 

When I look down the centre of the city, I also rising from the ancient, the ultra modern. 

当我鸟瞰帝都的沧桑与巨变，若冯虚御风，醉卧九天虹。 

Buildings that tell me stories of hope and prosperity. 

广厦婉诉希望与昌盛。 

Buildings that look forward to shared growth and strength in innovation and collaboration. 

在创新与合作中同享力量与生长。 

Beauty in glass and steel — rising straight from the green parks  

琉璃与钢铁之美崛起于翠苑之中 

Growing from the ancient walls — reaching for the sky 

长于故垒，直入天穹。 

East and west, old and new, national and international — all blending across the central axis 

中西合璧之融，古今峥嵘之变，国内与国际之事，正穿过这中轴线。 

This morning, I watched a falcon soar above the highest buildings, 

幕帘慢卷，金乌初醒，鹏举抟风啸青天， 

Looking down on this perfect balance — and I realized what she must see. 

万物谐和，吾见她见。