The Forbidden City, which lies along Beijing's Central Axis Photo: VCG

The final round of selection of winning photographs focusing on the Beijing Central Axis that have been collected from the public started on Wednesday in Beijing. It is part of the 2022 Competition for the Transmission and Promotion of the Beijing Central Axis, which has attracted submissions from thousands of shutterbugs.

The first 50 photography works in the final round are from young people aged 6 to 17 years old, according to the organizing committee, and the evaluators finally selected 30 photos.

The Beijing Central Axis, seen as one of the most important representations of Chinese civilization, refers to the core area of the ancient capital city that stretches for 7.8 kilometers from the Yongding Gate in the south to the Bell Tower and Drum Tower in the north. This area tells the stories of the emperors from the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368) to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), as well as recording the lives of both popular figures and common people. 

Through promotional activities and forums, more Chinese people have developed an interest in learning and better understanding the history and culture of the Beijing Central Axis.

Beijing student Yang Tianlin, 16, is one example. The organizers of the competition told the Global Times that Yang built an astronomical club at his high school in September 2022 and he was inspired by the Beijing Central Axis to organize his members to film the starry sky on the central axis.

Yang held four photography activities to film the stars along the central axis and when waiting to shoot the star trail that usually needs more than two hours, Yang rode along the central axis with his friends to appreciate the scenery of the ancient capital.

Zhou Bo, a well-known photographer focusing on stars and a member of the China Star Vision Alliance, commented that the photos showing the starry sky on the central axis not only reflect the natural beauty of the cultural heritage but also demonstrate that Beijing's air condition and environment have been improved as capturing a starry sky relies on the ecological environment.

Following the photography event, diverse activities such as selection of ambassadors for the central axis and developing cultural creative products will be launched consecutively, and the events will gather more domestic and overseas people from all walks of life and at different ages.