ABSTRACT

This chapter focuses on the contemporary Historic Urban Landscape context in China, providing a discussion of the development of urban heritage conservation thinking in China, with a critique of current conservation praxis and governance, before reflecting upon the urban heritage challenges that confront China. To aid this review, an extensive referencing is given in the first part of the chapter, after which eight variables of registration of historic districts, governments and related departments, policy aims of conservation, specific conservation regulations, public involvement, research on historic districts, the review system, and tourism development are discussed in the context of historic district case studies. The latter seven factors appear to be having a key influence upon the successful conservation and management of China’s Historic Urban Landscapes.