An exhibition of photographs and digital video images of world heritage sites by Zhou Jiansheng, a special photographer with the PPS News Agency and World Culture Photo Service, is being held at Tsinghua University's Academy of Art and Design exhibition hall from December 7 to 10.

Zhou Jiansheng began his ten-year exploration of world heritage in 1994. He visited 77 countries on five continents, ranging from the Arctic Circle in the north to the Cape of Good Hope in the south. The total distance he covered was equivalent to 30 circuits of the planet.

Hundreds of people visited the exhibition in opening day. Zhou's photographs line the walls of the exhibition hall, while the DV images and interview segments appear on two video monitors in the center of the room.

Zhou was on no luxury cruise as he traipsed around the world capturing these images. He became so seriously ill in Africa that at one point he doubted that he would see the sun rise the next morning. But Zhou is a firm believer in quality over quantity, even when it comes to life: "If I had died then, I believe my wife would have held the exhibitions of my photographs and my daughter would have been proud of me."

The most memorable parts of his long trek were not the dangers, but the immensely powerful impact of the heritage sites. Visiting the Rock-hewn Churches of Lalibela in Ethiopia, he couldn't believe his own eyes when he first saw the 11 stone churches, all carved by the hands of 20,000 workers over a 24-year period in the 13th century. This was done as a demonstration of their faith and to make their dream a reality, thought Zhou; shooting these marvels was an expression of his own beliefs and dreams.

Zhou has held several solo exhibitions of his photographs in recent months, including one in Suzhou this past summer during the 28th session of the World Heritage Committee. But Zhou's DV works are being displayed publicly for the first time at the ongoing show.

DV was originally simply a tool to record the process of taking photographs, Zhou explained. But in reviewing the discs, he came to believe that they had more than simply technical value. The video images offer dynamic, animated views of the world's natural and cultural heritage.

Since September 2003, Zhou Jiansheng has been focusing his camera on China's heritage sites. So far he has shot 12 of the country's 30 sites, and plans to finish the remaining before May of next year. Having introduced the world's heritage to China, says Zhou, now he wants to introduce China's heritage to the world.

China's list of sites pending application for recognition as world heritage now has more than 300 entries. Zhou, proud of the treasures left by the ancestors of his nation, believes that one day China will have the largest collection of heritage sites in the world.

Zhou appeals to all people to protect our heritage, which has been left by our ancient ancestors to us and to those who follow us. The sites are protected by laws, but all laws have loopholes and flaws and without the will of the people they cannot be effective. "What I did and am doing are just to raise the consciousness and pride of the people, which will lead them to protect our precious heritage spontaneously."

Exhibition visitor Zou Shunhua, a student at Beijing Renwen University, said, "Zhou Jiansheng shot the world heritage from his special angle. He doesn't merely record: it's a kind of art, like poetry."

More Details:

Date: December 7–10, 2004

Venue: Academy of Art and Design Exhibition Hall, Tsinghua University, Haidian District, Beijing

Admission Price: Free

More information: 6238 5051/52/53/54

(China.org.cn by Chen Lin December 8, 2004)