sustainability Article Chinese Destinations Related to Martial Arts Tourism from the UNESCO Perspective Stefania Skowron-Markowska 1 and Marta Nowakowska 2,* 1 Faculty of Letters, University of Wrocław, 50-140 Wrocław, Poland;
[email protected] 2 Faculty of Security Studies, General Tadeusz Ko´sciuszkoMilitary University of Land Forces, 51-147 Wrocław, Poland * Correspondence:
[email protected]; Tel.: +48-60-733-7631 Abstract: The aim of this article is to investigate the authenticity of Shaolin Temple and Chenjiagou Village in the context of intensified martial arts tourism and UNESCO documents. Desk research, structured interviews and participant observation were used to investigate the issue. The issue of cultural and natural heritage has become part of the modern image of a powerful new China. They particularly use these resources in cultural tourism, where boasting of heritage listed on UNESCO’s tangible and intangible heritage list is certainly an appropriate impression. The UNESCO intangible and tangible heritage list also includes objects related to martial arts tourism (Shaolin Temple, Chenjiagou Village). The article presents how Western (American, European) preferences and expectations are visible in the way of preserving and using these objects with an attempt to maintain UNESCO standards. It has been noticed that the added objects/events/shows are accepted by the Chinese as increasing the attractiveness of the place, even if they are not thematically and Citation: Skowron-Markowska, S.; historically related to it. The authors checked whether a certain cultural compromise is possible Nowakowska, M. Chinese or whether these places are a completely Westernized product, taking the form of theme parks or Destinations Related to Martial Arts ethnoparks.