世界遗产视野下的“洞天福地”价值再认识

Re-evaluating the Value of "Grotto-Heavens and Blissful Lands" from the Perspective of WorldHeritage

关键词:  风景园林  洞天福地  世界遗产  突出普遍价值(OUV)  文化景观  网络化神圣空间

Key words:  landscape architecture  Grotto-Heavens and Blissful Lands  world heritage  outstanding universal value (OUV)  cultural landscape  networked sacred space

摘要:

洞天福地作为中国道教文化体系中独有的空间概念，是东方“天人合一”理念的具象化呈现。在世界文化遗产保护视野向文化景观维度深化的保护体 系下，重估洞天福地的遗产价值具有非常重要的意义。通过梳理洞天福地从早期隐修、制度化演进到景观化变迁的历史脉络，系统对接世界遗产“突出普遍价 值”(outstanding universal value，OUV)评价体系，论证洞天福地在东方景观范式的跨域辐射及道教文明演变的物质载体、天人合一思想的空间表达等方面的 突出价值；其通过“壶天”等空间范式，实现了自然景观与精神本体的深度融合；对比西方圣山遗产，明确了洞天福地内在神圣化与分布式网络的差异化优势，并 对东亚园林营造产生深远影响；提出采取洞天福地系列的申遗路径、申报模式建议，旨在为促进洞天福地纳入全球遗产保护体系提供理论支撑

Abstract:

"Grotto-Heavens and Blissful Lands" represent a unique and sophisticated sacred spatial paradigm within the Chinese Taoist cultural system. Utilizing natural mountains and waters as their physical carriers, they integrate religious beliefs, philosophical doctrines, landscape construction, and humanistic practices. They serve as a paramount material manifestation of the Oriental philosophy of the "Unity of Man and Nature". As the discourse of World Cultural Heritage protection increasingly emphasizes Cultural Landscapes and Living Heritage, this research re-evaluates the heritage value of "Grotto-Heavens and Blissful Lands" through the lens of international heritage standards. The article first traces the comprehensive historical trajectory of Grotto-Heavens and Blissful Lands, covering their embryonic stage in the pre-Qin period, their formalization during the Wei and Jin dynasties, their institutionalization in the Tang and Song dynasties, and their eventual landscapization and secularization in the Ming and Qing dynasties. This chronological review clarifies the evolutionary characteristics of these sites - moving from metaphysical "immortal's realms" to tangible physical landscapes, and from discrete sites of individual cultivation to a highly organized, nationwide systematic network. Based on the criteria for Outstanding Universal Value (OUV), the study demonstrates that "Grotto-Heavens and Blissful Lands" fulfill core requirements under criteria (ii), (iii), and (vi). Under Criterion (ii), they represent a micro-cosmic landscape paradigm. The "Hutian" (Jar- Heaven) spatial structure has exerted a profound cross-regional influence on the garden design of China and wider East Asia, including Japan and Korea, reflecting a cross-cultural radiation of landscape aesthetics. Under Criterion (iii), the extant ruins of temples, grottoes, and extensive epigraphic remains (stele and cliff inscriptions) provide a complete and exceptional testimony to the civilizational evolution of Taoism, marking the transition from early folk reclusion to a formalized, institutionalized temple system. Under Criterion (vi), through living traditions such as liturgical ceremonies and spiritual practices that persist today, these sites tangibly express the core Taoist philosophies of "Following the Way of Nature" and the sanctity of life. This spiritual value is further bolstered by traditional ecological wisdom, forming a sustainable model of human-nature harmony. A significant contribution of this paper is the comparative analysis between Grotto-Heavens and Western "Sacred Mountains" already on the World Heritage List. It argues that Grotto-Heavens possess distinct Oriental characteristics: first, the "internal sacralization" achieved through meditation and internal vision, where the natural ontology is transformed into a sacred internal space; second, the "Hutian" paradigm which allows for an infinite spiritual universe within a finite physical boundary; and third, the "distributed network" structure, which contrasts with the isolated singularity of many Western sacred sites. In light of current nomination challenges, the paper proposes several strategic paths: 1)Adopting a "Serial Property" nomination model to scientifically resolve the spatial overlap with existing World Heritage mountains (such as Mount Tai or Mount Wuyi). 2)Establishing a cross-provincial collaborative framework for interpretation and management to safeguard the integrity of the network's value. 3)Integrating traditional landscape wisdom with modern digital monitoring technologies to achieve dynamic conservation. In conclusion, this research provides a robust theoretical foundation and a strategic roadmap for incorporating Grotto-Heavens and Blissful Lands into the global heritage system, ensuring that this ancient Chinese spatial wisdom gains the international recognition it deserves as a significant contributor to human civilization.