Shaxi Preservation Project: Negotiation between the Need of Historical Site Heritage and Local Residents

Abstract

It has been a long time since the historical site preservation projects have been developed based on the opinion of experts and authorities in China. However, in the case of Shaxi ancient town, the voice of local dwellers draws the attention of the project developers. The local public, who were usually ignored, has been involved in stages of the preservation plan through the last 20 years. The different voice among native residents, authority and experts is always treated unequally in most project; however, the situation in Shaxi might be different. This is also an important aspect when evaluating the success of the Shaxi Preservation Project compared to the other historic towns. This essay investigates and evaluates the project by table top research and online interviews with local people. It discusses how local residents are considered by the project planners and then involved in the project development.