Misplaced Pages

Tusi Sites

UNESCO World Heritage Site
Ruins of Hailongtun fortress
Location	China
Criteria	Cultural: (ii), (iii)
Reference	1474
Inscription	2015 (39th Session)
Area	781.28 ha (1,930.6 acres)
Buffer zone	3,125.33 ha (7,722.9 acres)
Coordinates	28°59′55″N 109°58′1″E / 28.99861°N 109.96694°E / 28.99861; 109.96694
Location of Tusi Sites in China

The Tusi Sites (Chinese: 土司遗址; pinyin: Tǔsī Yízhǐ) refer to the three ancient Tusi sites in China that were designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site on July 3, 2015. It is the 48th World Heritage Site in China. These sites are located in the mountains of Southwest China and exemplify the unique tusi governance system that survived the 13th through the 20th centuries.

Background

The tusi were hereditary tribal leaders that were appointed as officials by the imperial government in China during the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. It was a political system adopted by Chinese emperors to govern ethnic minority regions in south-central and southwest China, and the granted many ethnic groups in China some degree of political autonomy. The tusi system was used for a thousand years.

Description

The world heritage site is composed of three separate sites that combine to represent the tusi system:

• Laosicheng was the capital of the Peng Tusi from 1135 to 1724, and is the largest and best-preserved of the ancient Tusi cities. The Peng Tusi governed an area of mainly Tujia people and were in the upper ranks of the Tusi system, governing a large territory.
• The Hailongtun Fortress was established during the Song dynasty in 1257 and was a stronghold of the Chiefdom of Bozhou before it was surrendered in 1601. Similar to the Peng Tusi in Laosicheng, the Chiefdom of Bozhou were high-ranking tusi and governed a large territory, where Gelao people and Miao people lived.
• Tangya was the capital of the Qin Tusi, which ruled over 600 square kilometers for four centuries. It was built in 1355 and abandoned in 1735. In contrast to the other two sites, Tangya is relatively small, indicating that the Qin Tusi were much less prestigious than the rulers at the other two sites.

World Heritage Site

On July 3, 2015, the three Tusi sites were added to the World Cultural Heritage List during the 39th session of the World Heritage Committee in Bonn, Germany. The committee said the Tusi system aimed at unifying national administration while simultaneously allowing ethnic minorities to retain their customs and way of life.

References

1. "China: Ancient Tusi tribal sites added to World Heritage List". International Business Times. 4 July 2015. Retrieved 4 July 2015.
2. "Tusi Sites". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. Retrieved 17 Apr 2021.
3. "Chinese Tusi heritage sites make it to UNESCO list". CCTV. 4 July 2015. Retrieved 4 July 2015.
4. "China's Tusi sites listed as world heritage". Xinhua. 4 July 2015. Archived from the original on July 7, 2015. Retrieved 4 July 2015.
5. ^ International Council on Monuments and Sites. Tusi Sites (People's Republic of China) Advisory Report (Report). Retrieved 17 Apr 2021.
6. "China Focus: UNESCO recognition of Tusi sites cheered". Xinhua News Agency. 4 July 2015. Retrieved 4 July 2015.
7. "China's Tusi Sites Listed as World Heritage". Xinhua News Agency. 4 July 2015. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved 4 July 2015.

v t e World Heritage Sites in China
East	Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City Classical Gardens of Suzhou Fujian tulou Lushan Huangshan Migratory Bird Sanctuaries along the Coast of Yellow Sea–Bohai Sea of China (Phase I) Mount Sanqing Mount Tai Wuyi Mountains Temple and Cemetery of Confucius and Kong Family Mansion in Qufu Xidi, and Hongcun West Lake Kulangsu
South Central	Ancient Building Complex in the Wudang Mountains Historic Centre of Macau Shennongjia Kaiping Diaolou and Villages Longmen Grottoes Historic Monuments of Dengfeng, including the Shaolin Monastery and Gaocheng Observatory Zuojiang Huashan Rock Art Wulingyuan Yinxu
Southwestern	Chengjiang Fossil Site Dazu Rock Carvings Fanjingshan Honghe Hani Rice Terraces Huanglong Jiuzhaigou Lijiang Mount Emei and Leshan Giant Buddha Mount Qingcheng and Dujiangyan Potala Palace, including the Jokhang and Norbulingka Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries Three Parallel Rivers
North	Mount Wutai Chengde Mountain Resort, including Putuo Zongcheng Temple, Xumi Fushou Temple and Puning Temple Forbidden City Zhoukoudian Ancient City of Pingyao Summer Palace Temple of Heaven Xanadu Yungang Grottoes Beijing Central Axis
Northeast	Koguryo sites Mukden Palace
Northwestern	Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor Mogao Caves Xinjiang Tianshan Qinghai Hoh Xil
Multiple regions	Great Wall China Danxia Imperial Tombs of the Ming and Qing Dynasties South China Karst Grand Canal Silk Roads Tusi Sites Migratory Bird Sanctuaries along the Coast of Yellow Sea–Bohai Sea of China (Phase II) Badain Jaran Desert

• World Heritage Sites in China