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Conservation of Ancient Sites on the Silk Road

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Conservation of Ancient Sites on the Silk Road PA R T T W O Policy and Principles PROOF 1 2 3 4 5 6 74 PROOF 1 2 3 4 5 6 The Content and Theoretical Significance of the Principles for the Conservation of Heritage Sites in China Jin Hongkui Abstract: In October 2000, at the city of Chengde, Hebei prov- Chinese conservation practice. The China Principles consist ince, the Principles for the Conservation of Heritage Sites in of thirty-eight articles addressing a range of conservation China (the China Principles), which includes Commentary on issues, Commentary on the Articles, and an English-Chinese the Principles, was approved by China ICOMOS. This paper glossary of conservation terms.1 presents the main content of the China Principles and the theoretical significance the document has for the conserva- Key Articles of the China Principles tion of China’s cultural heritage sites. It provides a synopsis of and defines the scope of the document’s thirty-eight articles, Article 1 states: “Heritage sites are the immovable physical which address a range of conservation issues, and reviews the remains that were created during the history of human- evolution of heritage preservation in China from the 1930s kind and that have significance; they include archaeolog- onward, including the roles of significant historical figures ical sites and ruins, tombs, traditional architecture, cave such as Liang Sicheng and Qi Yingtao. In addition, this paper temples, stone carvings, sculpture, inscriptions, stele, and discusses the relationship of the China Principles to the Law of petroglyphs, as well as modern and contemporary places and the People’s Republic of China on Protection of Cultural Relics commemorative buildings, and those historic precincts (vil- and to international practice and conventions, including the lages or towns), together with their original heritage compo- Venice Charter and the UNESCO Convention Concerning nents, that are officially declared protected sites.” the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage Article 24 states: “Natural and cultural landscapes that (1972). It concludes that the China Principles, along with their form part of a site’s setting contribute to its significance and Commentary, present an organized, systematic compilation of should be integrated with its conservation.” Chinese experience and draws on domestic and international Article 36 states: “These Principles may also be drawn success to provide operational guidelines. It is believed that upon for conservation of the historic condition and setting such guidelines are highly significant for the development of of commemorative places where important historic events an urgently needed theoretical base to guide practice in the took place.” conservation of China’s immovable heritage. In the Management Regulations for Memorial Sites, Ancient Buildings, and Rock Grottoes, issued in 1986 by the The Principles for the Conservation of Heritage Sites in China Ministry of Culture, the objects of protection were expanded (the China Principles) was published at Chengde, Hebei from ancient buildings to all immovable heritage. This province, in October 2000. In the afterword, Zhang Bai, dep- accorded with the actual situation of China’s cultural heri- uty director-general of the State Administration of Cultural tage protection. In recent years, great efforts have been made Heritage, details the reasons for and the process of draft- to preserve, by means of advanced technology, the historic ing the document. This paper summarizes the main con- sites, particularly those of large scale: ancient tombs, ancient tents and the theoretical significance of this document for villages, and historic streets, some of which are key state 75 PROOF 1 2 3 4 5 6 76 Jin Hongkui projects. The expansion also reflects the developing concept protection work as a logical process is one of the unique and that although the heritage objects are diverse in form and important innovations of the document. scale, they should be preserved in accordance with common principles once they have been designated as heritage. Assessment of Significance Article 5 states that in the entire process of cultural heritage protection, assessment of the values of a site is the top prior- Purpose and Objectives of the China Principles ity. Article 12 states that the result of the values assessment Article 2 states that the purpose of the China Principles is is the basis for determining the level of classification as an to ensure preservation, through good conservation practice, officially protected entity, and article 13 states that the assess- of the authenticity of sites and their information and values. ment result is also the basis for formulating the site’s conser- The objectives are to remedy damage done by natural and vation master plan. Chapter 8 of the Commentary elaborates human forces and to prevent further damage, by both tech- the main contents of the values assessment. nical means and managerial measures. This is, significantly, the first time in China that the purpose of cultural heritage Stages of Conservation protection has been defined from the perspective of preserv- Articles 13 through 16 elaborate the three stages in developing ing and sustaining authenticity and historic information. and implementing a site’s conservation master plan: formu- Realization of this point constitutes the core of protection lation, execution, and review. Chapter 9 of the Commentary work and is the very basis of the China Principles. states, “All heritage conservation organizations should draw up a conservation master plan” and explains the types of The Threefold Value of Cultural Heritage Sites master plans and the main contents of each type. Article 3 states that the value of a heritage site is threefold: historic, artistic, and scientific. Chapter 2 of the Commentary Use of Heritage Sites analyzes in detail these values and concludes that cultural Article 4 states that cultural sites should be used in a rational heritage must retain its historic authenticity. Based on this manner, that this use is for social benefit, and that no dam- concept, article 2 states, “All conservation measures must age to the site’s values shall be inflicted for short-term gain. observe the principle of not altering the historic condition.” The Law of the People’s Republic of China on Protection of This article is in accord with the Law of the People’s Republic Cultural Relics, as revised in 2002, decrees that “protection of China on Protection of Cultural Relics, which decrees that is the purpose, remedy of the damage is of top priority, [and] “the restoration, maintenance and relocation of immovable reasonable use and efficient management are fundamental.” heritage shall be carried out in such a way that the original This means that the three tasks of heritage preservation— look of the relics be maintained.”2 namely, conservation, use, and management—are of similar Articles 18 through 27 set forth the technical require- importance and that none shall be neglected. Of the three, ments to ensure that the original condition of a site is kept conservation is the basis for deciding use, which is second- intact. ary and must be guided by the requirements of conservation. Management involves the whole process and should therefore Heritage Conservation as a Systematic Process be promoted. The China Principles also proposes standards Article 2 states, “Conservation refers to all measures car- for reasonable use of sites. Chapter 4 of the Commentary ried out to preserve the physical remains of sites and their elaborates the relationship between the social benefit and the historic settings.” This means that conservation not only financial benefit derived from use of a site. involves construction work or refurbishing and restoration of ancient buildings in the common sense of the words, but is Conservation Interventions also guided by principles that are unique in this field. Article Articles 28 through 35 state that conservation includes all 5 further points out, “Conservation needs to be carried out technical measures taken to repair a cultural site and improve according to a sequential process,” the phases of which are the surrounding environment. They define the concepts elaborated in articles 9 through 17 and in chapter 5 of the and technical measures for conservation work according to Commentary. The China Principles also relates conservation six types: daily maintenance, prevention and stabilization, to daily management. Defining the technical phases of the improvement of present condition, focused remedy of seri- PROOF 1 2 3 4 5 6 Significance of the Principles for the Conservation of Heritage Sites in China 77 ously damaged condition, restoration of the whole site, and historical construction that exists today, once its historic environmental management. Chapters 11 through 16 of the and artistic values are confirmed, is to be protected with the Commentary recommend technical measures to be taken greatest possible effort.” and problems that may occur in the work. Since the 1960s the values of cultural property have been legally recognized as “historic, artistic, and scientific.” The purpose of preserving ancient buildings was defined as Theoretical Significance of the China Principles “making the past serve the present”; that is, ancient relics are As analyzed above, the China Principles constitute a doc- to be used as a means to educate people about the history of ument rich in content and logically coherent among its China and to cultivate their aesthetic awareness.
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