Building national eco-cultural protection areas and the Xiangxi practice in Hunan Province

doi:10.1007/s11442-020-1828-2

Abstract

Abstract:

Since 2007, the Chinese government has initiated the building of national eco-cultural protection areas (NECPAs), thereby embarking on a signi?cant transformation of the model of intangible cultural heritage (ICH) protection in China. To understand the origin and outputs of this policy, this paper demonstrates the context of China’s NECPAs. It proposes a conceptual NECPA framework that mainly features regional overall ICH protection. This is followed by an examination of the case of Xiangxi in Western Hunan as a pilot zone for China’s eco-cultural protection. Xiangxi has performed much related work to promote NECPAs and made great progress in regional overall ICH protection. This insight suggests that there are bene?ts and costs associated with promotion of China’s NECPAs and regional overall ICH protection. Despite the advantages of institutional innovation, the unexpected side effects actually undermine the success of plan implementation.

Key words: national eco-cultural protection area, intangible cultural heritage, regional overall protection, Xiangxi, China

LIU Chunla, WU Liping, XU Mei, ZENG Fanchao, JIAO Lipeng. Building national eco-cultural protection areas and the Xiangxi practice in Hunan Province[J].Journal of Geographical Sciences, 2020, 30(12): 2076-2092.

Figures/Tables 11

Figure 1

Figure 2

Table 1

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

References 36

[1]	Ahmad Y, 2006. The scope and definitions of heritage: From tangible to intangible. International Journal of Heritage Studies, 12(3):292-300. doi: 10.1080/13527250600604639
[2]	Arizpe L, 2004. Intangible cultural heritage, diversity and coherence. Museum International-Oxford, 56(1):130-136.
[3]	Arizpe L, 2015. How to reconceptualize intangible cultural heritage. In: Culture, Diversity and Heritage: Major Studies. Springer International Publishing.
[4]	Bai X M, Shi P J, Liu Y S, 2014. Realizing China’s urban dream. Nature, 509(1799):158-160.
[5]	Bille M, 2012. Assembling heritage: Investigating the UNESCO proclamation of Bedouin intangible heritage in Jordan. International Journal of Heritage Studies, 18(2):107-123.
[6]	Chen J, Xiao R, Zhang Z L et al., 2019. Protection and development strategy of intangible cultural heritage in Xiangxi based on regional brand. New West, (36):44-47. (in Chinese)
[7]	Chen M X, Gong Y H, Lu D D et al., 2019. Build a people-oriented urbanization: China’s new-type urbanization dream and Anhui model. Land Use Policy, 80:1-9.
[8]	Chen M X, Lu D D, Liu W D, 2016. Challenges and the way forward in China’s new-type urbanization. Land Use Policy, 55:334-339.
[9]	Chen M X, Ye C, 2014. Differences in pattern and driving forces between urban and rural settlements in the coastal region of Ningbo, China. Sustainability, 6(4):1848-1867.
[10]	Cominelli F, Greffe X, 2012. Intangible cultural heritage: Safeguarding for creativity. City Culture & Society, 3(4):245-250.
[11]	Cozzani G, Pozzi F, Dagnino F M, 2017. Innovative technologies for intangible cultural heritage education and preservation: The case of i-Treasures. Personal & Ubiquitous Computing, 21(2):1-13.
[12]	Dans E P, González P A, 2018. The Altamira controversy: Assessing the economic impact of a world heritage site for planning and tourism management. Journal of Cultural Heritage, 30:180-189.
[13]	Del Barrio M J, Devesa M, Herrero L C, 2012. Evaluating intangible cultural heritage: The case of cultural festivals. City, Culture and Society, 3(4):235-244.
[14]	Demotte R, 2004. National policies concerning intangible cultural heritage: The example of Belgium's French community. Museum International, 56(1/2):174-179.
[15]	Elliott M A, Schmutz V, 2012. World heritage: Constructing a universal cultural order. Poetics, 40(3):256-277.
[16]	Giudici E, Melis C, Dessì S, 2013. Is intangible cultural heritage able to promote sustainability in tourism? International Journal of Quality & Service Sciences, 5(1):101-114.
[17]	Greenwood D, 1989. Culture by the pound: An anthropological perspective on tourism as culture commoditizing. Hosts and Guests: The Anthropology of Tourism, (2):99-110.
[18]	Han J H, Park K B, 2009. A study on preservation of regional inheritances and utilization method based on the concept of eco-museum-focusing on Cheonan. Journal of the Korean Institute of Rural Architecture, 11(1):67-74.
[19]	Harrison X A, Tregenza T O M, Inger R et al., 2010. Cultural inheritance drives site fidelity and migratory connectivity in a long distance migrant. Molecular Ecology, 19(24):5484-5496. pmid: 21083633
[20]	Huang Q S, Chen H, 2018. Record of the construction of eco-cultural protection area of Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture. Hunan Daily, 12-24. (in Chinese)
[21]	Hudečková H, Ševčíková A, 2007. The renewal of the rural cultural heritage of the Czech Republic with the support of regional policy. Agricultural Economics-Czech, 53(11):505-512.
[22]	Liu Y S, Li Y H, 2017. Revitalize the world’s countryside. Nature News, 548(7667):275.
[23]	Liu Y S, Long H L, Chen Y F, 2016. Progress of research on urban-rural transformation and rural development in China in the past decade and future prospects. Journal of Geographical Sciences, 26(8):1117-1132.
[24]	Lixinski L, 2013. Intangible Cultural Heritage in International Law. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
[25]	Long H L, 2014. Land consolidation: An indispensable way of spatial restructuring in rural China. Journal of Geographical Sciences, 24(2):211-225.
[26]	Long H L, Ge D Z, Zhang Y N et al., 2018. Changing man-land interrelations in China’s farming area under urbanization and its implications for food security. Journal of Environmental Management, 209:440-451. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2017.12.047 pmid: 29309967
[27]	Long H L, Tu S S, Ge D Z, 2016. The allocation and management of critical resources in rural China under restructuring: Problems and prospects. Journal of Rural Studies, 47:392-412. doi: 10.1016/j.jrurstud.2016.03.011
[28]	Long H L, Woods M, 2011. Rural restructuring under globalization in eastern coastal China: What can be learned from Wales? Journal of Rural and Community Development, 6(1):70-94.
[29]	Pan S Y, 2008. Museums and the protection of cultural intangible heritage. Museum International, 60(1/2):12-19.
[30]	Rees H, 2018. Intangible cultural heritage in contemporary China: The participation of local communities. International Journal of Heritage Studies, 24(5):570-572. doi: 10.1080/13527258.2017.1413683
[31]	Smith L, Morgan A, Van der Meer A, 2003. Community-driven research in cultural heritage management: The Waanyi women’s history project. International Journal of Heritage Studies, 9(1):65-80.
[32]	Stanik N, Aalders I, Miller D, 2018. Towards an indicator-based assessment of cultural heritage as a cultural ecosystem service: A case study of Scottish landscapes. Ecological Indicators, 95:288-297.
[33]	Tengberg A, Fredholm S, Eliasson I et al., 2012. Cultural ecosystem services provided by landscapes: Assessment of heritage values and identity. Ecosystem Services, 2:14-26.
[34]	Varnum M E, Grossmann I, 2017. Cultural change: The how and the why. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 12(6):956-972. doi: 10.1177/1745691617699971 pmid: 28915361
[35]	Xu B C, Pan J H, 2019. Analysis of structural characteristics and spatial distribution of the national intangible cultural heritage in China and its policy implications. Sciences in Cold and Arid Regions, 11(5):389-406.
[36]	Zhou Y, Sun J, Huang Y, 2019. The digital preservation of intangible cultural heritage in China: A survey. Preservation, Digital Technology & Culture, 48(2):95-103.

Year	Major policies
2004	Approving “Convention for the Safeguarding of the ICH”; implementing the project of protecting Chinese national folk culture.
2005	Strengthening the protection of China’s ICH; establishing the national ICH list assessment committee; appointing the first national class of ICH representatives; conducting a census of ICH.
2006	Devising various measures for the protection and management of national ICH and the special funds; establishing the national committee of experts on the protection of ICH.
2007	Publishing management measures for the marking of China’s ICH; declaring “Representative Works of Human ICH”; strengthening the protection of time-honored brand ICH.
2008	Formulating provisional measures for the recognition and management of representative inheritors of national ICH projects.
2009	Delivering the third batch of representative successors of national ICH projects.
2010	Aim to protect ICH; building NECPAs.
2011	Issuing “ICH protection law.”
2012	Strengthening productive protection of ICH; promulgating measures for the management of national special funds for the protection of ICH.
2014	Publishing the list of the fourth national class of ICH representational projects.
2016	Establishing “Cultural and Natural Heritage Day.”
2017	Implementing the project of inheritance and development of Chinese excellent traditional culture; implementing the revitalization plan for Chinese traditional crafts.
2018	Publishing management measures for NECPAs; supporting the establishment of ICH poverty alleviation and employment workshops.