The Chinese capital of Beijing has designed a comprehensive plan for the preservation of historical sites and cultural relics dating back to several ancient dynasties.

"The Protection Layout for Beijing as a Noted Historical and Cultural City" was issued recently as a joint effort by the Beijing municipal government, experts and scholars in various fields.

The Protection Layout of Beijing, one of the country's six ancient capitals along with Xi'an, Nanjing, Luoyang, Kaifeng, and Hangzhou, is the most important cultural preservation document in the city's history.

To preserve the city as a whole, the layout gives detailed requirements on 10 aspects, including the ancient city water system, the traditional city axis, the prestigious imperial palace, the world-famous "Hutong" or alleys, and ancient trees.

Forty historical and cultural sites were selected and sorted out for special protection. They cover a total area of 2,617 hectares (6,467 acres), or 42 percent of the ancient city's main area.

The 6.8-sq-km Forbidden City, the imperial residence of emperors during the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368--1911 AD), will be the main focus of the preservation plan.

The municipal government of Beijing hopes to have the Forbidden City listed on the United Nations World Cultural Heritage after giving it a thorough facelift.

The layout also focuses on the protection of rivers and lakes in and around Beijing municipality and on restoring them to their ancient magnificence.

These rivers and lakes are deeply entwined in the city's evolution, according to experts.

The layout also sets ceilings on the height of buildings to be built or rebuilt in the old city area, requiring a traditional cyan-and-gray color and sloping-roofs for all types of architecture.

Moreover, the names of traditional streets and alleys will be protected and must not be changed arbitrarily, the layout added.

(Xinhua News Agency September 21, 2002)