Perception And Conservation Of Chinese National Parks As Cultural Landscapes

The research on perception and conservation of Chinese National Parks (alsocalled Scenic and Historic Areas) as cultural landscapes are both requirements to solvethe problems of Scenic and Historic Areas and meet the new demands from theinternational community, especially the World Heritage Cultural Landscape field.Chinese Scenic and Historic Areas are special types of protected areas, in which naturaland cultural resources are blended harmoniously. However, how to efficiently conservethis significant characteristic has not been described clearly. This study focuses on howto protect Chinese National Parks better, with an emphasis on the characteristic of theperfect harmony of nature and culture.The concept of the Scenic and Historic Areas as Cultural Landscapes is proposedto emphasize the relationship between nature and culture reflected in the Scenic andHistoric Areas. Belief, behavior, and outcome are referred to as the three elements ofcultural landscapes. The relationship between beliefs, behaviors, and outcomes,including the interrelationships of these outcomes, is missing in the study of ChineseNational Park conservation. Among them, the belief element and holders of the belief,the behavior element and behavioral subject, the connections among the factors of theoutcome element are easy to ignore in past perceptions of cultural landscapes. Indifferent Scenic and Historic Areas, there are different elements, different componentsof these elements, and different connection forms in and amongst these elements.This study suggests that, on a macroscopic level, the Scenic and Historic Areas asCultural Landscapes have five characteristics: the complexity in the elements, thesequential evolution of landscape in history, geographic regionalism, the dynamism inthe time aspect, and the diversity of audiences. There are three significant benefits ofrecognizing Scenic and Historic Areas as Cultural Landscapes. First of all, it is apowerful complement to current protection and management of the Scenic and HistoricAreas. Secondly, it provides a unique perspective on our traditional culture andinheritance. Lastly, in the field of the world heritage cultural landscape, the ChineseScenic and Historic Areas are unique in their own right.On the basis of both research on perception of the Scenic and Historic Areas ascultural landscapes and the analysis of the methods and trends for the protection and management of cultural landscapes domestically and internationally, the study findsthree major problems in the conservation and management of connections betweennature and culture in Chinese Scenic and Historic Areas. These problems are:(1) lack ofregulations,(2) lack of focus on cultural landscape values in the general managementplan, and (3) lack of research. This research sets out three suggestions in national level:to develop cultural landscape inventories and comparison studies in Scenic and HistoricAreas, to re-nominate and nominate Scenic and Historic Areas to the World HeritageList, and to build capacity. At the level of individual Scenic and Historic Areas, theauthor recommends integrating the cultural landscape survey, perception andconservation into general management plan. This research provides the steps andcontent to do so. As a typical case, the study discusses the perception and conservationof Mountain Hua Scenic and Historic Area as a cultural landscape.