Negotiating Authenticity in China’s Urban Historic Preservations – the Case of the Kuan and Zhai Alleys in Chengdu

Abstract

ABSTRACT This paper discusses how authenticity is understood and negotiated in the context of the preservation of urban historic heritage in China today. In the age of rapid economic development and social change, how to safeguard the historic identity and memories embedded in urban districts while encouraging economic growth has been a perennial problem concerning late-developing countries like China. The contested notion of authenticity lies at the heart of the debate between urban historic preservation and economic growth, as this fluid term merits a myriad of interpretations and contemporary re-workings. This study combines theoretical examinations, field research and interviews to reveal the inner logic behind Chinese cities' current practice of transforming urban historic districts into iconic tourist destinations. It probes how authenticity is understood differently by local residents and urban planners by using the example of the famous transformation project of the Kuan and Zhai Alleys (Kuanzhai xiangzi) in Chengdu. This study reveals the intrinsic tensions between urban cultural preservation and economic growth in China and how the "growth coalition" (Zhang, Jingxiang, and Fulong Wu. 2008. “Mega-event Marketing and Urban Growth Coalitions—A Case Study of Nanjing Olympic New Town.” The Town Planning Review 79 (2–3): 209–226.) formed by local governments and developers impose elite ideals of "authenticity" on urban historic districts. In response, the author proposes a historically aware and community-focused approach in preserving urban historic heritage and safeguarding cultural memories in late-developing countries like China.