Now to the Asia and the Pacific region! This is really challenging because we have countries like India, China, Iran, Myanmar, and Indonesia to name a few. On a personal level, I wanted to begin with the country I know best in this region. In other words, starting with the smaller countries first. I think its tough to argue Korea has much to offer in this discussion of Top 50 Missing for Asia and the Pacific. I have researched and considered my own travels in the country, and I believe there are 3 proposals that may warrant consideration.

Unless we decide otherwise, Top Missing sites for the Asia and the Pacific region can be submitted/discussed here between now and May 2nd. I look forward to reading your proposals!

Full Name of Site: Stone Buddhas and Pagodas at Hwasun Unjusa Temple
Country: Republic of Korea
TWHS? YES (linked in title)
Short description of site: Within the temple area, there are many stone Buddhist statues and pagodas. In addition, several non-Buddhist astronomical monuments such as 'chilseong-am' (Seven Rocks of the Great Bear) are scattered around the ridge and the valley. It is a rare example of spatial construction, and morphology in East Asia. It is likely that the monuments were built one at a time during the early and mid Goryeo dynasty by powerful local families. In contrast to other temples, there are significant influences of Esoteric Buddhism and Taoism. Furthermore, there are vestiges of quarries within the precincts of the temple, which are also exceptional. On the western slope of the mountain, there are stone discs that are 2~4 meters in diameter placed in the shape of the Big Dipper. The thickness of the stone discs were designed differently according to the differences of the brightness of stars constituting the Big Dipper. This is the oldest astronomical data of the class of the stars in the world and is a world class astronomical cultural heritage site.

Resources:
- [TV ZONE] The Wonders of a Thousand Buddhas and a Thousand Pagodas, Unjusa Temple Site in Hwasun
- [KOREAN HERITAGE WEBZINE] Unjusa Temple and Its Striking Array of Buddhist Statues and Pagodas (www.koreanheritage.kr/feature/view.jsp?articleNo=19)

Criteria: Cultural
Outstanding universal value / comparative analysis: Gyeongju Historic Areas (Korea), Mogao Caves (China)

Full Name of Site: Jeong-dong: Old Legation Quarter
Country: Republic of Korea
TWHS? NO
Short description of site: Around the time of the declaration of the Korean Empire (1897), the neighborhood surrounding the imperial palace of Deoksugung, known as Chong Dong at the time and as Jeong-dong today, emerged as a new center in Seoul when a series of Western institutions were installed there. - Text by Ahn Chang-mo, Professor of Architecture, Kyonggi University

The birth of modern Korea can be traced to efforts in Jeong-dong by Emperor Gojong to begin the modernization of the country. This urban district, includes foreign legations of major world powers such as the United States, Great Britain, and Russia. In addition, Western schools and churches are within close proximity of the Late Joseon primary seat of power, Deoksugug Palace. This palace is unique in that it preserved both traditional stone-made architectures and western-style ones.

Resources:
- [TV ZONE] Seokjojeon Hall, Daehan Empire History Museum
- [KOREAN HERITAGE WEBZINE] Jeong-dong, A Newly Discovered Center of Early Modern Korea (www.koreanheritage.kr/visit/view.jsp?articleNo=74)
- [KOREAN HERITAGE WEBZINE] Western Buildings in the Korean Palace of Deoksugung (www.koreanheritage.kr/feature/view.jsp?articleNo=58)
- [FLICKR ALBUM] Jeong-dong: Old Legation Quarter

Criteria: Cultural
Outstanding universal value / comparative analysis: The Victorian Gothic & Art Deco Ensemble of Mumbai (India), Kulangsu: A historic international settlement (China)

Full name of site: Baekdudaegan Range: Mt. Geumgang and Mt. Seorak [DMZ International Peace Zone]
Country: Korea (Joint nomination)
TWHS? YES (two links below)
- Mt. Kumgang and the Historic Relics in and around the Mountain (DPRK)
- Mt. Soraksan Nature Reserve (ROK)
Short description of site: Over 2,000 animal species live in Seoraksan, including the Korea goral and Musk deer. There are also more than 1,400 rare plant species, such as the Edelweiss. Including its main peak, Daecheongbong. Seoraksan has a total of 30 imposing peaks spread across its territory such as Hwachaebong, Hangyeryeong, and Madeungryeong. Mount Kumgang is a forest-oriented ecosystem linked to coastal, agricultural and freshwater ecosystems. It is home to many endemic and rare species of global significance. The coastal area and natural lakes form the habitats of migratory birds that use the East Asia-Australasian Migratory Pathway. Taebong city in the DMZ is an important historical resource that served as the capital of [Later] Goguryeo for 18 years. The city has high historical and cultural value. The Gangwon Eco-Peace Biosphere Reserve borders the DMZ and would link the protected reserves in the DPRK and ROK. The significance of the DMZ in both natural and cultural values is exceptional, with habitats, ecosystems, and archeological sites undisturbed for nearly 70 years. There are eighty-two identified endangered species within the DMZ, such as the red-crowned crane and the Amur leopard. *Note - This could be extended to include the entirety of the DMZ or focused solely on linking Mt. Kumgang and Mt. Soraksan through the Central/Eastern terminus of the DMZ.

Resources:
- [Address by President Moon Jae-in] "The path we must take: DMZ as an International Peace Zone"
- [TV ZONE] The Way Which Mountain Goats Live in the DMZ
- [TV ZONE] 12 Seonnyeotang, a beautifully secret garden in Seoraksan Mountain

Criteria: Mixed
Outstanding universal value / comparative analysis: Great Smoky Mountains National Park (USA) and Vertical Vegetation Landscape and Volcanic Landscape in Changbai Mountain (China), Surtsey Island (Iceland)

I will certainly be making additional proposals for the Asia and the Pacific region, but I wanted to begin here. I am also curious what sites in Taiwan might be considered for Top 50 Missing?

This is a very useful resources into researching proposals for world heritage sites in Taiwan.

Potential World Heritage Sites in Taiwan

I have visited two of the 18 nominations, but I need to research more before I make any proposals.
- Shuei-Jin-Jiou Mining Sites
- Taroko National Park

Disagree. Seoul should have been one site. But now at 5+ sites, I don't see any room for adding new ones.


Seconded. Seoraksan should be included. And combined with NK this would be a unique addition.

Name: DMZ
Country: Koreas (Joint nomination)
Rationale: Panmunjon is just a site to behold. The whole DMZ existing for 60+ years is such a massive inference in nature... Should be added.

Name: Classical Gardens of Japan (Kanazawa)
Country: Japan
Rationale: See previous discussion re gardens in Japan. Kanazawa is considered the best (pre Edo?) garden.

Name. Colonial Shanghai
Country: China
Rationale: Most impressive Art Deco Skyline in the world. Huge.

Name: Imperial Xi'an
Country: China
Rationale: Xi'an was the historic center of China. There are many historic sites tying Xi'an to different parts of Chine, e.g. Silk Roads. Apart from the already Silk Road,s the City Walls and the Bell Tower are the most recognizable sites.

Name: Hutongs of Beijing
Country: China
Rationale: Beijing should have been one site. Same as Seoul. The Hutongs are special to China and should be on the list.

Name: Great Walks of New Zealand
Country: New Zealand
Link: https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/things-to-do/walking-and-tramping/great-walks/
Rationale: Some of the most iconic trails in New Zealand. There are already two WHS tied to this, but I feel this could deserve a separate site.

Name. Tea Plantations of Kerala and Tamil Nadu
Country: India
Rationale: It's just impressive to see how the Western Ghats (separate WHS) are used for tea plantations.

Name. Backwaters Kerala
Country: India
Rationale: A very popular tourist sites. Essentially a huge tropical canal area in Kerala.

Ah -- this should be an interesting region for submissions; there are a lot of options!

I'll second the Stone Buddhas and Pagodas at Hwasun Unjusa Temple and the Jeong-dong: Old Legation Quarter. Until relations between North and South Korea change (and by that, I would see reunification with the fall of the Kim regime in the North as the best option), I am not certain that the DMZ, as idealistic as it seems, is a wise idea to pursue.

Here's my proposal for the Pacific, with the assumption that territories/states are best nominated in the regions within which they reside. If the decision is made otherwise, I understand that this might need to be moved.

Full Name of Site: Heritage of the Hawaiian Kingdom
Country: United States
TWHS? NO
Short description of site: The Kingdom of Hawaii existed in its unified form for almost 100 years, from the late 18th century until the late 19th century. The kingdom was recognized by European powers, putting it on equal footing with other free societies in the world. Additionally, for a time the kingdom was among the most educated societies in the world, with over a 90% literacy rate. This nomination would recognize sites associated with Hawaiian heritage in the 19th century. Recommended properties include the royal residences of ʻIolani Palace in Honolulu, Hānaiakamalama (Queen Emma Summer Palace) in Nuʻuanu, Mokuʻula -- the archeological site of King Kamehameha III's Royal Residential Complex in Lahiana, and Huliheʻe Palace in Kailua-Kona; the former seat of government at Aliʻiōlani Hale; Kawaiahaʻo Church, known as the Hawaiian Westminster Abbey; Mauna ʻAla, the Royal Mausoleum of Hawaii; and the Hawaiian Mission Houses Historic Site and Archives, which explores the first production of newspapers and printed materials in the Hawaiian language in the 19th century.

Criteria: Cultural
Outstanding universal value / comparative analysis: Chief Roi Mata's Domain, Royal Palaces of Abomey

Would you have preferred London's WHS being compacted into one world heritage site?

Asia is going to produce a lot of proposals. Here are my first missing sites – I'm sorry that at the moment I don't have time to make detailed summaries of these.

Chor-Bakr (T) Uzbekistan
- Chor-Bakr (Wikipedia)
- Chor-Bakr (Google Image Search)

Bahoutdin Architectural Complex (T) Uzbekistan
- Bahoutdin Architectural Complex (Wikipedia)

Ancient Termiz (T) Uzbekistan
- Termez (Wikipedia)
- Termez (Google Image Search)

Desert Castles of Ancient Khorezm (T) Uzbekistan
- Desert Castles of Ancient Khorezm (Google Image Search)

Dinosaurs and Caves of Koytendag (T) Turkmenistan

The Historical-Cultural Axis of Fin, Sialk, Kashan (T) Iran
- Kashan (Wikipedia) | Tepe Sialk (Wikipedia)
- Kashan (Google Image Search)

Nasqsh-e Rostam and Naqsh-e Rajab (T) Iran
- Naqsh-e Rostam (Wikipedia) | Naqsh-e Rajab (Wikipedia)
- Naqsh-e Rostam (Google Image Search)
- Naqsh-e Rajab (Google Image Search)

City of Herat (T) Afghanistan
- Herat (Wikipedia)
- Herat (Google Image Search)

Shrine of Hazrat Ali, Mazar-i-Sharif Afghanistan
- Blue Mosque (Mazar-i-Sharif) (Wikipedia)
- Blue Mosque (Mazar-i-Sharif) (Google Image Search)

Oy -- so many sites to look up! At least some I can second without too much further research: Classical Gardens of Japan (Kanazawa), Colonial Shanghai (I assume you specifically mean The Bund), City of Herat, and the Shrine of Hazrat Ali in Mazar-i-Sharif.

In regard to the Classical Gardens of Japan, would that only include Kanazawa, or also the others in the Three Great Gardens of Japan? And for the Hutongs of Beijing, I like the idea, since that is a historic architecture unique to China. Do you have a particular neighborhood in mind that should be nominated?

The Central Axis of Beijing (including Beihai) (China)
- Important elements include: Yongding Gate, Temple of Heaven, Temple of Agriculture, Tian'anmen Square complex, Imperial Ancestral Temple, Altar of the Land and Grain, the Forbidden City, Jingshan Hill, Bell Tower, Drum Tower, Nanluoguxiang, Yandai Bystreet historic area, and the Beihai water system.

This may be the closest we get to the Beijing Hutongs (at least partially) being recognized. The Beijing city governments action (over decades) to demolish the hutongs are pretty well documented at this point.

Fair enough -- if that is the best opportunity to protect this architecture, I'd be in favor of this nomination. I would be even more in favor if it rolled up The Temple of Heaven and the Forbidden City to make this sensibly just one site, but would this ever happen? Probably not, but one can wish.

Some of this has already happened with the Imperial Palaces of the Ming and Qing Dynasties WHS, which combines the "Forbidden City" or Imperial Palace with the Shenyang Palace. I understand the inclination, but it's particularly tough to create historic centers in East Asia (in the same fashion) with Europe, considering the history of the last 100 years. Cultural Revolution, Colonialism, preference for modern luxury/connected to status, plus restrictions on urban development! China and Korea in particular also had long-lasting dynasties (Qing: 1644 to 1912) and (Joseon: 1392 - 1910) of which their respective origins are certainly quite different from the urban planning structures enacted in Enlightenment Europe or Industrialized Europe.

With the Central Axis in Beijing nomination, this is the closest Beijing can get to a Historic Center as we have come to recognize UNESCO designated cities. Seoul on the hand, would be even more difficult. Sure, Changdeokgung and Jongmyo are adjacent to each other. Namhansanseong is about 20km away from central Seoul. The Royal Tombs are scattered throughout Gyeonggi-do Province, with only a couple in Seoul proper, one is even located in Gangwon-do Province. The cultural sites are spread out considerably, instead the only path would be creating a serial nomination of inter-connected sites under an umbrella title like: Dynastic Sites of the Ming and Qing Dynasties in Beijing. In Korea, Hanyang: Capital Sites of the Joseon Dynasty. I am not sure this is very satisfying? It can also be quite confusing to the general public.

Thank you for reminder. I had a wrong map. I will remove these. I'm not really an expert on these formalities.

The City Wall of Xi'an is part of this nomination City Walls of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. As the name indicates, the wall is primarily a Ming fortification (when the capital of China was moved to Peking (Beijing).

Many of the other Xi'an sites are inscribed under the Silk Road WHS. For example, Site of Weiyang Palace in Chang'an City of the Western Han Dynasty, Great Wild Goose Pagoda, Daming Palace in Chang'an City of Tang Dynasty (7th -10th C AD), and the Small Wild Goose Pagoda.

Therefore, should this proposal be an [Extension]? If so, which additional sites would you propose? As far as I understand the Bell Tower is not inscribed, so that could be added. A historic center could be the focus here, but I am afraid it would include a whole lot of new construction because even within the city walls, the sites are disjointed by modern buildings and recent construction.

In the tentative nomination "The Chinese Section of the Silk Roads", which remain on China's Tentative list, there are additions to the already inscribed Xi'an sites.
- Xi'an Mosque
- Daqin Monastery Pagoda
- Dagoba of Kumarajiva

I would like to suggest :

Full Name of Site: Gyantse: Palcho Monastery and Gyantse Dzong
Country: Tibet/China
TWHS? No
Short description of site:
Palcho Monastery, also called Palkhor Monastery is a typical combined building with stupa and temple, and quite different from other Tibetan monasteries in many aspects. By housing three sects of Sakyapa, Kadampa and Gelugpa together, it has a hard-won lenient tolerance among the Tibetan sects to balance them well. Therefore, the design and layout of Palhor Monastery is a synthesis of the three sects to combine different structural Zhacangs (room for monks), enshrined deities and more integrated Tibetan Buddhist Culture.What's more, the Myriad Buddha Stupa (or Palcho Kumbum) as a powerful Buddhist symbol and a calling card, making Palcho Monastery becomes more attractive and special.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palcho_Monastery
https://www.tibetdiscovery.com/what-to-see/palkor-monastery
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3O82zNuPt90

Criteria: Cultural
Outstanding universal value / comparative analysis Dating from the 15th century, and earlier, the unique aspects of these structures include the 9-storey Kumbum Stupa, the walled compound of the Monastery, and the impressive mountaintop location of the Dzong.

I second this, Tibet is a treasure trove of places that should be considered for world heritage status.

Will revise and edit my proposals...