ABSTRACT
As noted in the introduction to this section of the book, and in the chapter by Ma, Si and Zhang in the case of Qufu, cultural heritage tourism almost inevitably produces the contradictory phenomena of, on the one hand the (re-)strengthening of the visited local cultures, albeit in commodified form, and on the other hand the enablement of local inhabitants through contacts with the outside world and increased income to leave their traditional lifestyle behind in favour of a more modern way of life. It would perhaps be romantic to believe that there would be any other outcome, especially perhaps in a country like China where millions exist on incomes of as little as 100 RMB a month in rural areas, but all wish to achieve better life opportunities, if not for themselves, then for their children. Such opportunities often mean the adoption of value systems consistent with the dominant means of doing business, of accepting the modern technologies of the world, and also of acquiring the work schedules and time management of potential business partners—all of which might be foreign to cultures still tied in many ways to premodern modes of thought.
