Global-local Relationships in World Heritage: Mount Taishan, China by Yixiao Xiang A thesis presented to the University of Waterloo in fulfillment of the thesis requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Geography Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, 2009 © Yixiao Xiang 2009 Library and Archives Bibliothèque et Canada Archives Canada Published Heritage Direction du Branch Patrimoine de l’édition 395 Wellington Street 395, rue Wellington Ottawa ON K1A 0N4 Ottawa ON K1A 0N4 Canada Canada Your file Votre référence ISBN: 978-0-494-56179-9 Our file Notre référence ISBN: 978-0-494-56179-9 NOTICE: AVIS: The author has granted a non- L’auteur a accordé une licence non exclusive exclusive license allowing Library and permettant à la Bibliothèque et Archives Archives Canada to reproduce, Canada de reproduire, publier, archiver, publish, archive, preserve, conserve, sauvegarder, conserver, transmettre au public communicate to the public by par télécommunication ou par l’Internet, prêter, telecommunication or on the Internet, distribuer et vendre des thèses partout dans le loan, distribute and sell theses monde, à des fins commerciales ou autres, sur worldwide, for commercial or non- support microforme, papier, électronique et/ou commercial purposes, in microform, autres formats. paper, electronic and/or any other formats. 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This is a true copy of the thesis, including any required final revisions, as accepted by my examiners. I understand that my thesis may be made electronically available to the public. ii Abstract The concept of heritage is full of conflicts and contestations. The UNESCO‘s intervention in the form of the ―World Heritage Convention‖ enriches the meaning of heritage but may exacerbate the intrinsic tensions in heritage while expanding its economic significance through tourism. Heritage tourism is an effective means to realize the economic potential of heritage. This is a major reason why developing countries like China apply for UNESCO world heritage designation. However, some stakeholders take more benefits while others bear more costs in the interplay of heritage conservation and tourism. Achievement of a balance among resource conservation, tourism development, and local community well-being is a pressing challenge for planning and management of World Heritage Sites. This research examines the implications of World Heritage designation for conservation of the world heritage and, particularly, for the lives of local people living in and around the site. It is argued that such people often bear the most costs while often being ignored or disadvantaged in terms of benefits. Sustainability of local life is interdependent with sustainability of heritage conservation and tourism. A key goal of heritage planning should be to mitigate heritage contestation and dissonance, and to sustain local people‘s livelihoods and enhance their life quality. This would be conducive to the overall sustainability of the heritage resource. Using Mount Taishan, a UNESCO world heritage site in China, as a case study, employing a plan and implementation evaluation approach, and taking a community perspective, this thesis evaluates the plans for the world heritage site and their implementation from three perspectives: resource conservation, visitor experience and local well-being (particularly local involvement in, and benefit from tourism). A mixture of quantitative and qualitative research methods is used and the transferability and applicability of western heritage planning and evaluation methods to China is examined implicitly. It is shown that much attention has been placed on resource conservation on this iii world heritage site, although the desire for economic returns underpins the conservation. The resource integrity of the heritage mountain has been marred by the construction of several cable cars for tourism. The number of visitors keeps growing. However, visitor experiences are generally positive except for crowding during the high seasons and length of stay has decreased. Local involvement in decision making relating to heritage operations is low. Local involvement in the provision of tourism services is high but uneven, and usually under the organization of the village committees. Faced with land loss, displacement, and livelihood change, villagers are very positive toward and very much dependent on tourism as the major or sole means of making a living. The power-relations that are reflected in the heritage nexus are a key issue. As the most powerful stakeholder, the local government‘s intervention produces high efficiency and also inequity. Short-term goals are sought, reflecting the short tenure of officials. Within this context, western heritage planning ideas, including the advocacy of community involvement and public participation, have met many challenges in China, although this could change with socio-political developments in China. iv Acknowledgements So many people come to mind when I am about to write the acknowledgements. First, I would like to thank my committee members, Dr. Susan Wismer, Dr. Robert Shipley, and Dr. Luna Khirfan. I would thank Luna for the comments and references she suggested on my defense which helped revising my thesis, and I would particularly thank Susan and Robert for their great insight and valuable feedbacks during the process of my writing the thesis, and for the enduring patience, support, and confidence they have given me. My deep gratitude goes to my advisor, Dr. Geoff Wall. I would thank him for his great advising work --- for his insightful suggestions on every step I made in my study and research toward the completion of my dissertation, for his conscientious input in reading and editing my writings, and most of all, for his unchanging encouragement and support throughout the years of my PhD study. This dissertation would not have been possible without his help. Sincere thanks go to Dr. Mark Seasons for his knowledge and advice concerning the plan evaluation literature. Special thanks also go to Dr. Stephanie Scott, Dr. Graham Whitelaw, Dr. Jean Kay-Guelke, Dr. Mike Stone, Dr. Jonathan Price, Dr. Robert Gibson and Dr. Bruce Mitchell for the time they would spend on discussing my research. Their research views and experiences and the discussions with them helped a lot inspiring and shaping some of my research ideas and approaches. I would particularly thank the graduate program administrator, Mrs. Lynn Finch, an amazing lady with high professionalism and an angel‘s heart. Her kindness and her sincere help and support in my time of difficulties have meant so much to me. I feel so indebted to my friends, Dr. Jack Rollwagen and Dr. Louise Stein, of New York State University. Their friendship, their faith in my potential and their consistent encouragement and support are so invaluable to me. Special thanks also go to Dr. Ling Mu of Yale University whose encouragement and confidence helps greatly in moving me forward. My appreciation extends to Tai-an Municipal Tourism Bureau and Taishan Administrative Committee whose reception facilitated greatly my field research. I thank all the key informants and interviewees who would share their time and opinions with me. Sincere thank you also goes to my friends and colleagues in Tai-an city: Prof. Wang Leiting, Prof. Ma Haiyang, Prof. Cheng Fangying, Mr. Li Zhonghua, and Mr. Wang Xiujiang. I especially feel grateful toward Mr. Xu Jian, who helped me with the local connections and the access of some planning document, and Mr. Yu Wei, who helped me with the tedious work of sorting out the survey data. My heart-felt thanks go to my wonderful friends and colleagues while my stay in Waterloo, Wei Wei, Nora, Jason, Zhaoping, Honggen and Jianping. They either provided good suggestions and sources for my research or gave me warm help and care in life. I cherish their friendship. Thank you also goes to those friends and colleagues at Shandong University back in China for their unfailing understanding and support. Finally, deepest gratitude goes to my family. I would like to dedicate this dissertation to my mother and my daughter, Yezi, the two most important women in my life. Their unconditional love is the source of my strength to fulfill this long but rewarding journey. v Table of Contents List of Tables………………………………………….…………………………………………….ix List of Figures…………...…………………………….……………………………………………...xi List of Abbreviations………………….……………………………………………………….……xii Chapter One Introduction……….………………………………............................………………...1 1.1. An overview…………...…………...………………….………………………………….……… 1 1.2. Research goal, objectives,