Developmental Sustainability through Heritage Preservation: Two Chinese Case Studies
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-2020
Abstract
Cultural heritage is a vital part of a society's existence. This role has particular relevance for China, with arguably one of the largest stocks of cultural assets, tangible and intangible, in the world. Recognizing the tension between cultural preservation and economic development as a general context, this paper examines the specific additional challenges China faces in its rush towards economic development. In providing both generic and China-specific contexts, this paper has as its objective to understand how Chinese policy-makers, both central and local, attempt to resolve the contest between cultural preservation and economic development, specifically rural rejuvenation. Through two case studies-of Lijiang in Yunnan province and Rizhao in Shandong province-this paper shows contrasting strategies to leverage local intangible cultural assets. Comparing these strategies reveals both the advantages and challenges inherent in each. A successful strategy captures the benefits of cultural tourism while minimizing its costs. © 2020 by the authors.
Keywords
rural revitalization, rural tourism, heritage preservation
Divisions
FacultyofEconomicsAdministration
Funders
Doctoral Foundation of Shandong Technology and Business University (BS201928),National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 41571166 and 41971220)
Publication Title
Sustainability
Volume
12
Issue
9
Publisher
MDPI