The Beijing Central Axis, a building ensemble that runs through the core area of the Chinese capital, has been officially added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

The Central Axis originated in the 13th century during the Yuan Dynasty when the capital, Dadu, was established. It was during that time that the Venetian merchant Marco Polo visited China. He was amazed by the orderly, chessboard-like city planning of Dadu, and later wrote down his experience in The Travels of Marco Polo.

But how has the Central Axis evolved over the past centuries? How does it embody the philosophical and aesthetic values of ancient China? What role does it play in modern days?

Host Zhao Ying is joined by David Moser, Sinologist, Associate Professor at Capital Normal University, China; Qu Qiang, Fellow of the Belt and Road Research Center at Minzu University of China; Mario Cavolo, Founder and CEO of M Communications Group.