Classical Gardens of Suzhou win UNESCO recognition for heritage safeguarding

At the recently concluded 48th session of UNESCO's World Heritage Committee, "The Classical Gardens of Suzhou and associated skills and techniques" was selected for "Tangible-Intangible Synergies in East Asia: Case Studies and Emerging Insights for Integrated Heritage Safeguarding." The Suzhou case stood out among those from five East Asian countries and was featured as the first case in the collection. It has also been added to UNESCO's Digital Library.

The case highlights Suzhou's practice to jointly preserve its classical gardens and Suzhou-style penjing, or miniature landscape. The city's Bureau of Garden and Landscaping has been promoting the co-development of heritage and traditional crafts through masterclasses, apprentice programs, skill competitions, national exhibitions and industrial bases. In particular, its people-centered approach has elevated heritage conservation into a broader, integrated strategy.

UNESCO highly praised the case, saying that "the Classical Gardens of Suzhou illustrate how the conservation of a heritage place depends on the continued practice of traditional craftsmanship."The Classical Gardens of Suzhou, several of which have been recognized as UNESCO's World Heritage sites, embody a number of intangible cultural heritage traditions, with Suzhou-style miniature landscape serving as a living expression of their aesthetic philosophy. Since being added to China's national intangible cultural heritage list in 2011, Suzhou-style miniature landscape has become increasingly popular across the globe. It was prominently featured in a UNESCO youth exchange program in 2024 and the 32nd APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting this year.

In recent years, Suzhou has made great efforts to strengthen heritage conservation and bring its classical gardens onto the international stage in a bid to raise the global profile of its cultural heritage.
Source: Suzhou Municipal Bureau of Garden and Landscaping