Differences in Perspectives Between Experts and Residents on Living Heritage: A Study of Traditional Chinese Villages in the Luzhong Region

The differences in the heritage perspectives of key stakeholders form an indispensable basis for formulating appropriate conservation strategies for living heritage. However, in existing practices, the differences in heritage perspectives between experts and local residents, who are both key stakeho...

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Main Authors: Xiaofeng Shi, Beau B. Beza, Chunlu Liu, Binglu Wu, Ning Qiu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-12-01
Series:Buildings
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/14/12/4022
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author Xiaofeng Shi
Beau B. Beza
Chunlu Liu
Binglu Wu
Ning Qiu
author_facet Xiaofeng Shi
Beau B. Beza
Chunlu Liu
Binglu Wu
Ning Qiu
author_sort Xiaofeng Shi
collection DOAJ
description The differences in the heritage perspectives of key stakeholders form an indispensable basis for formulating appropriate conservation strategies for living heritage. However, in existing practices, the differences in heritage perspectives between experts and local residents, who are both key stakeholders, often arise from expert experiences rather than being accurately measured. This study regarded traditional Chinese villages in the Luzhong region as a living heritage case for investigation and quantified such differences. Initially, this study provided a comprehensive description of living heritage using four dimensions: heritage value, heritage attributes, heritage composition, and heritage characteristics. Subsequently, a questionnaire tailored to traditional Chinese villages was developed, and a survey was conducted in the sample villages, resulting in 394 valid responses. According to the Pearson chi-square tests, the findings suggest that expert and local resident respondents showed slight disagreement regarding heritage attributes (<i>x</i><sup>2</sup> = 5.619); however, they presented varying degrees of differences concerning heritage value (<i>x</i><sup>2</sup> = 36.066) and heritage composition (<i>x</i><sup>2</sup> = 36.525), accompanied by distinct preferences. Furthermore, significant discrepancies were evident regarding heritage characteristics. Regarding the four aspects of heritage characteristics, there was a slight difference in the symbiosis of heritage elements (<i>x</i><sup>2</sup> = 3.877) but significant differences in the local resident as a heritage element (<i>x</i><sup>2</sup> = 36.525); there was a minor difference in vitality and continuity (<i>x</i><sup>2</sup> = 3.709) but a rare contradiction for integrity (<i>x</i><sup>2</sup> = 47.649). This study can furnish case data support for surmounting the drawbacks of blindly relying on expert experiences, particularly by integrating local perspectives to safeguard living heritage globally.
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spelling doaj-art-679e188b53174b69b4a0d93d1bf36a8d2025-08-20T02:00:18ZengMDPI AGBuildings2075-53092024-12-011412402210.3390/buildings14124022Differences in Perspectives Between Experts and Residents on Living Heritage: A Study of Traditional Chinese Villages in the Luzhong RegionXiaofeng Shi0Beau B. Beza1Chunlu Liu2Binglu Wu3Ning Qiu4School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan 250101, ChinaSchool of Architecture and Built Environment, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC 3217, AustraliaSchool of Architecture and Built Environment, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC 3217, AustraliaSchool of Architecture and Urban Planning, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan 250101, ChinaSchool of Architecture and Urban Planning, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan 250101, ChinaThe differences in the heritage perspectives of key stakeholders form an indispensable basis for formulating appropriate conservation strategies for living heritage. However, in existing practices, the differences in heritage perspectives between experts and local residents, who are both key stakeholders, often arise from expert experiences rather than being accurately measured. This study regarded traditional Chinese villages in the Luzhong region as a living heritage case for investigation and quantified such differences. Initially, this study provided a comprehensive description of living heritage using four dimensions: heritage value, heritage attributes, heritage composition, and heritage characteristics. Subsequently, a questionnaire tailored to traditional Chinese villages was developed, and a survey was conducted in the sample villages, resulting in 394 valid responses. According to the Pearson chi-square tests, the findings suggest that expert and local resident respondents showed slight disagreement regarding heritage attributes (<i>x</i><sup>2</sup> = 5.619); however, they presented varying degrees of differences concerning heritage value (<i>x</i><sup>2</sup> = 36.066) and heritage composition (<i>x</i><sup>2</sup> = 36.525), accompanied by distinct preferences. Furthermore, significant discrepancies were evident regarding heritage characteristics. Regarding the four aspects of heritage characteristics, there was a slight difference in the symbiosis of heritage elements (<i>x</i><sup>2</sup> = 3.877) but significant differences in the local resident as a heritage element (<i>x</i><sup>2</sup> = 36.525); there was a minor difference in vitality and continuity (<i>x</i><sup>2</sup> = 3.709) but a rare contradiction for integrity (<i>x</i><sup>2</sup> = 47.649). This study can furnish case data support for surmounting the drawbacks of blindly relying on expert experiences, particularly by integrating local perspectives to safeguard living heritage globally.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/14/12/4022living heritageheritage perspectivesdifferencesdescriptive frameworktraditional Chinese villagesquestionnaire survey
spellingShingle Xiaofeng Shi
Beau B. Beza
Chunlu Liu
Binglu Wu
Ning Qiu
Differences in Perspectives Between Experts and Residents on Living Heritage: A Study of Traditional Chinese Villages in the Luzhong Region
Buildings
living heritage
heritage perspectives
differences
descriptive framework
traditional Chinese villages
questionnaire survey
title Differences in Perspectives Between Experts and Residents on Living Heritage: A Study of Traditional Chinese Villages in the Luzhong Region
title_full Differences in Perspectives Between Experts and Residents on Living Heritage: A Study of Traditional Chinese Villages in the Luzhong Region
title_fullStr Differences in Perspectives Between Experts and Residents on Living Heritage: A Study of Traditional Chinese Villages in the Luzhong Region
title_full_unstemmed Differences in Perspectives Between Experts and Residents on Living Heritage: A Study of Traditional Chinese Villages in the Luzhong Region
title_short Differences in Perspectives Between Experts and Residents on Living Heritage: A Study of Traditional Chinese Villages in the Luzhong Region
title_sort differences in perspectives between experts and residents on living heritage a study of traditional chinese villages in the luzhong region
topic living heritage
heritage perspectives
differences
descriptive framework
traditional Chinese villages
questionnaire survey
url https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/14/12/4022
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