Another example can be found in Fujian province, where tulou are traditional multifamily, communal living structures of mainly the Hakka people that are built in a circular or square pattern designed for defense purposes. In the past, many young people who lived in tulou migrated to other places to earn a living.

　　In 2000, when Xi was governor of the province, he coordinated the application work and suggested using the term “Fujian Tulou“ in the application process.

　　Fujian Tulou became a World Heritage site in 2008. After that, local people who had moved away found that they could earn more from local tourism, so they returned home.

　　“This not only increased their income, but also solved social problems like left-behind children, showing the remarkable influence of the sites in tourism,“ Zheng said.

　　In July, the Xixia Imperial Tombs in Yinchuan, the capital of Northwest China's Ningxia Hui autonomous region — currently the most intact archaeological site of the Xixia Dynasty (1038-1227) — became China's newest entry on the World Heritage List, signifying the nation's continued efforts in applying for World Heritage status for its numerous legacies of various ethnic groups.

　　Cultural dialogue

　　Through decades of practice, Chinese professionals have explored effective ways to prepare materials for seeking World Heritage status, enabling the value of China's sites to be understood by experts from other cultural backgrounds, according to Chen Tongbin, honorary director of the Institute of Architectural History affiliated with the China Architecture Design and Research Group.

　　Chen has participated in World Heritage application for more than two decades. She said that each inscribed site represents an aspect of Chinese civilization, and by piecing them together, the world can gradually get a comprehensive view of China.