Beijing's urban layout, notably its Central Axis, embodies the ancient Chinese ideological principles of cultural diversity, inclusivity, and exchange, according to a researcher from China's Capital Museum.

Stretching 7.8 kilometers long, the Central Axis of the long-serving capital city runs through its heart from north to south, bisecting the city and defining its layout.

In a recent interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN), Gao Hongqing, a researcher from the Exhibition Department of the Capital Museum, shared his interpretation of this meridian and explained how it reflects ancient Chinese understanding of temporal and spatial dimensions.

"Beijing's Central Axis is handed down from the Ming Dynasty. It’s a role model for capital planning in Asia. Many ideological and cultural concepts influenced its design. First, modeling Heaven and Earth. The shape of the Central Axis comes from an ancient instrument to measure time and space. Second, obeying the guidelines laid down in the book of the Artificers’ Record in the Rites of Zhou. Third, considering the characteristics of traditional Chinese civil engineering," said Gao.

Cultural relics from this area now displayed in the museum also help illustrate how cultural exchanges and integration shaped China's history, he added.

"Different religions were followed by different dynasties. Yuan Dynasty put forward Tibetan Buddhism. In the following Ming Dynasty, both Taoism and Buddhism were promoted. Lastly, in the Qing Dynasty, we see a mixture of Confucianism, Tibetan Buddhism and Shamanism. Indeed, different eras have left their own marks on the Central Axis, which makes Beijing an integrated and inclusive city," the historian said.

In line with the ancient Chinese ideology of cultural exchange and inclusivity, China proposed the Global Civilization Initiative one year ago, which called for respecting the diversity of various civilizations, advocating the common values of humanity, valuing the inheritance from and innovation of civilizations, and enhancing people-to-people exchanges.

In recent years, the Capital Museum has also cooperated with museums in Peru, Poland, Italy and other Belt and Road member countries to bring wondrous exhibits to Beijing, allowing local audiences to grow closer to world cultures. These exhibitions are also true examples of the Global Civilization Initiative -- which aims to celebrate civilizational diversity and enhance cultural connectivity.