China has applied to have its imperial tombs dating back to the dynasties of Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) included on UNESCO's World Heritage List.

The application has been approved by the State Administration of Cultural Heritage and China's National Commission for UNESCO ( United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization).

There are many imperial tombs of the last two dynasties of China's feudal society scattered throughout Beijing and provinces of Hebei, Jiangsu, Anhui, Liaoning and Hubei. A dozen of them are famous tourist sites under state protection.

The first group named in the application includes Ming tombs in central China's Hubei and two tomb groups in Hebei in the north.

Most of the tombs are well preserved and feature typical ancient Chinese tomb architecture with majestic structure and delicate design, according to cultural experts.

Since China joined UNESCO in protecting world culture and natural heritage 14 years ago, some 23 cultural and natural sites have been included on the World Heritage List. They include the Great Wall, the Palace Museum, the terra cotta warriors of the First Emperor of the Qin Dynasty, and Huangshan Mountain.