Ebook: Cultural Heritage Politics in China

​This volume explores China’s cultural heritage ideology and policies from three interrelated perspectives: the State and World Heritage tourism; cultural heritage tourism at undesignated sites, and the cultural politics of museums and collections. Something of a cultural heritage designation craze is happening in China. This is new within even the last five to ten years. Officials at many levels now see heritage preservation as a means for commoditizing their regions. They are devoting new resources and attention to national and international heritage designations. Thus, addressing cultural heritage politics in a nation dedicated to designation is an important project, particularly in the context of a rapidly growing economy. This volume is also important because it addresses a very wide range of cultural heritage, providing an excellent sample of case studies: historic vernacular urban environments, ethnic tourism, scenic tourism, pilgrimage as tourism, tourism and economic development, museums, border heritage, underwater remains, and the actual governance and management of the sites. This volume is an outstanding introduction to cultural heritage issues in China while contributing to Chinese studies for those with greater knowledge of the area.

This volume explores China’s cultural heritage ideology and policies from three interrelated perspectives: the State and World Heritage tourism; cultural heritage tourism at sites not designated through an international system; and the cultural politics of museums and collections . It also considers the broader implications of China as a heritage power as the nation mobilizes routes beyond its borders as essential components of its own patrimony. The volume is timely because a cultural heritage designation craze is underway in China. Officials at many levels now see heritage preservation as a means for commoditizing and developing their regions. They are devoting new resources and attention to national and international heritage designations, but contradictions and complications in the actual practices of designating and protecting heritage abound . Thus, addressing cultural heritage politics in a nation dedicated to designation is an important project, particularly in the context of a rapidly growing economy increasingly interested in asserting its cultural power beyond its borders.

Cultural Heritage Politics in China addresses a wide range of cultural heritage issues, providing an excellent mix of interdisciplinary case studies: historic vernacular urban environments, ethnic tourism, scenic tourism, pilgrimage as tourism, museums, border heritage, underwater remains, and the actual governance and management of the sites[TB4] . Moreover, the volume draws from an impressive range of contributors, including scholars from China, Hong Kong, Australia, Europe, and the United States, who have both scholarly and applied experience in the fields of heritage tourism and museum studies. In addition to their extensive field research, many contributors have served as consultants for UNESCO, helped China develop applications for World Heritage sites, and consulted with museums. With its extensive case studies from experienced heritage experts, Cultural Heritage Politics in China provides an outstanding introduction to current cultural heritage issues in China and contributes to Chinese studies for those with greater knowledge of the area.