A group of rock paintings dating back over 2,000 years in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region was included into UNESCO's world heritage list on Friday.
The Zuojiang Huashan site, covering over 6,621 hectares, is home to more than 1,900 well-preserved drawings on the face of the Huashan mountains along the Zuojiang River, Chongzuo.
The brownish red paintings depict the sacrifices of the Luoyue people, ancestors of today's Zhuang ethnic minority, during the Warring States Period (475-221 BC) and East Han Dynasty (25-220).
Liang Tingwang of Beijing's Minzu University of China said the major images of the paintings are frog-shaped people -- a totem of the Zhuang ethnic group -- and the Zhuang people's invention of artificial cultivation of rice.
Lan Riyong of Guangxi world heritage application office said the paintings are the sole record of the vanished Luoyue people.
It remains a mystery how the Luoyue managed to paint on the rocks at a height ranging from 10 to 130 meters above the surface of the river, he said.
Chongzuo residents gathered to celebrate the inclusion with dancing and music. Lyu Xiaofang said, "We are so proud as ethnic Zhuang people. The inclusion of the heritage list is the world's recognition of China's ethnic minority culture."
Lyu is also looking forward to economic benefits brought about by more tourists in the future.
Chongzuo officials said they will strengthen protection of the site and work to build a high level tourist destination.
The listing of the paintings was announced during the 40th session of the World Heritage Committee in Istanbul.
A total of 27 applicants for listing are being reviewed by the committee, including another Chinese site -- Shennongjia Forestry District in central China's Hubei Province. Enditem
