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Tourism, Residents Agent Practice and Traditional Residential Landscapes at a Cultural Heritage Site: The Case Study of Hongcun Village, China

Author

Listed:
  • Di Zuo

    (The Center for Modern Chinese City Studies, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China)

  • Changrong Li

    (The Center for Modern Chinese City Studies, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China
    Department of Management, Taiyuan Normal University, Jinzhong 030619, China)

  • Mingliang Lin

    (The Center for Modern Chinese City Studies, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China)

  • Pinyu Chen

    (The Center for Modern Chinese City Studies, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China)

  • Xiang Kong

    (The Center for Modern Chinese City Studies, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China)

Abstract

The contradiction between tourism development and sustainable heritage is a topic of academic debate. Taking Hongcun village, a UNESCO World Heritage site in China, as a case study, this paper focuses on the role of resident spatial practice and provides the possibility of balance between capital-driven and sustainable development and local culture, which has important implications for the sustainable development of cultural heritage. The study used archival research, non-participatory observations, and semi-structured interviews, following Pierre Bourdieu’s theory of practice to analyze the practical logic of local residents who transform their dwellings to achieve the aim of landscape sustainability. This study found that in the development of Hongcun tourism, the residential landscape has been adaptively transformed at both the material and non-material levels, due to residents’ habitus and the capital brought in by tourism. This material transformation was mainly manifested in the change of residential function, the courtyard structure, and the alienation of residential space. The non-material transformation was mainly manifested in the relationships between residents and other actors. Residents who tended to conduct protection actions positively were more likely to achieve a sustainable livelihood that contributes to a sustainable cultural landscape. This paper argues that the sustainable development of heritage requires that attention be paid to the positive role of grassroots agents and practices. Bottom-up agency is the key to realizing the adaptation of living heritage to external changes.

Suggested Citation

  • Di Zuo & Changrong Li & Mingliang Lin & Pinyu Chen & Xiang Kong, 2022. "Tourism, Residents Agent Practice and Traditional Residential Landscapes at a Cultural Heritage Site: The Case Study of Hongcun Village, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-21, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:8:p:4423-:d:789298
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Sharon Macdonald, 2009. "Reassembling Nuremberg, Reassembling Heritage," Journal of Cultural Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 2(1-2), pages 117-134, July.
    2. Su, Baoren, 2011. "Rural tourism in China," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 32(6), pages 1438-1441.
    3. Zhifen Cheng & Shangyi Zhou & Baoxiu Zhang, 2018. "The Spatial Factors of Cultural Identity: A Case Study of the Courtyards in a Historical Residential Area in Beijing," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-16, July.
    4. Asmaa AL-Mohannadi & Raffaello Furlan & Mark David Major, 2020. "A Cultural Heritage Framework for Preserving Qatari Vernacular Domestic Architecture," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-26, September.
    5. Ken Taylor, 2016. "The Historic Urban Landscape paradigm and cities as cultural landscapes. Challenging orthodoxy in urban conservation," Landscape Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 41(4), pages 471-480, May.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Xinqu Liu & Yaowu Li & Yongfa Wu & Chaoran Li, 2022. "The Spatial Pedigree in Traditional Villages under the Perspective of Urban Regeneration—Taking 728 Villages in Jiangnan Region, China as Cases," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-36, September.
    2. Denis Dirin & Elena Rasputina & Maria Kuklina & Natalia Krasnoshtanova & Andrey Trufanov & Eduard Batosirenov & Galina Lysanova, 2023. "Potential for Tourism and Recreation in the Todzhinsky Kozhuun (District), Republic of Tyva, RF," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-21, July.
    3. Yuqing Geng & Hongwei Zhu & Renjun Zhu, 2022. "Coupling Coordination between Cultural Heritage Protection and Tourism Development: The Case of China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-22, November.
    4. Han Zou & Yang Liu & Baihao Li & Wenjing Luo, 2022. "Sustainable Development Efficiency of Cultural Landscape Heritage in Urban Fringe Based on GIS-DEA-MI, a Case Study of Wuhan, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(20), pages 1-16, October.
    5. Chong Wu & Mengling Yang & Hang Zhang & Yafang Yu, 2023. "Spatial Structure and Evolution of Territorial Function of Rural Areas at Cultural Heritage Sites from the Perspective of Social Space," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-22, May.
    6. Jiawang Zhang & Jianguo Wang & Jingmei Tao & Siqi Tang & Wutao Zhao, 2022. "Integrated Zoning Protection of Urban Remains from Perspective of Sustainable Development—A Case Study of Changchun," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-20, May.

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