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date: 19 February 2019

Abstract and Keywords

Government, tourism developers, and communities appreciate the cultural significance of historic sites from varied viewpoints. This chapter aims to provide an effective lens through which to view the development trajectory of China’s cultural heritage tourism. A central thread is the relationship between cultural heritage tourism and the shaping of the public view of history, examined using the case study of Chengde, a World Heritage Site in China. The study provides insight into the contested use of the space by different parties through analysis of Chengde’s symbolic value in promoting ethnic diversity and enhancing national unity. Although the focus on the site’s cultural significance has resulted in a variety of public programs, interpretation of the site reflects values consistent with government objectives and commercial interests. The ability of the site to incorporate multiple perspectives in heritage interpretation is limited by underdeveloped community consultation and participation in the heritage management process.

Keywords: UNESCO, World Heritage Site, heritage interpretation, ethnic diversity, China, China Principles, Chengde, public history

Jonathan Sweet

Jonathan Sweet is a teacher and researcher in museology and heritage studies at Deakin University, Geelong, Australia. He has participated as a chief investigator on several Australian Research Council grants. Among his publications are contributions to the journal South East Asia Research, the Handbook of Research on Development and Religion, and the book Battlefield Events: Landscape, Commemoration and Heritage.

Fengqi Qian

Fengqi Qian lectures in Chinese Studies at Faculty of Arts, Deakin University. Her research interests are in heritage, history, and collective memory, with a focus on China. She has participated in a number of projects funded by the Australian Government on the interpretation and management of historic cities and sites in China and Australia as well as the “difficult heritage” in Asia and the Pacific, and published journals and academic books in this fields. Currently she is working on China’s memorialization and public memory of World War II, as well as the cultural tradition and heritage of Shanghai.

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