Bo Bian

The Evolving Interpretation and Implementation of Authenticity in Heritage Preservation in China (1985 - Present)

This dissertation examines how China has interpreted and implemented the concept of authenticity in heritage preservation since its accession to the UNESCO World Heritage Convention (WHC) in 1985. Moving beyond the early distinction framing that positions Chinese and European approaches to authenticity as fundamentally opposed, this research demonstrates how China's engagement with authenticity has evolved through dynamic processes of negotiation, adaptation, and innovation across different scales and time periods.

The first part of this dissertation investigates the historical and theoretical foundations of authenticity in both European and Chinese contexts, challenging the assumption that these traditions were inherently contradictory. Through extensive archival research and analysis of preservation documents, this study traces how China's pre-WHC preservation traditions already embodied complex dialogues between local and European preservation philosophies, particularly through the work of influential figures like Liang Sicheng. This section also examines how China's national institutions have interpreted and regulated authenticity since the 1980s, analyzing how preservation policies and administrative frameworks have evolved in response to changing political, economic, and cultural priorities.

The second part presents comparative case studies of three waterfront towns in the South Yangtze River region—Zhouzhuang, Wuzhen, and Xinchang—each representing different periods and approaches in China's engagement with heritage preservation. Through a combination of archival research, ethnographic observation, stakeholder interviews, and architectural documentation, these cases illuminate how authenticity has been interpreted and implemented differently across time and space. Zhouzhuang (1980s-2000s) demonstrates an early emphasis on material authenticity and architectural integrity; Wuzhen (late 1990s-2010s) represents a shift toward constructed and performative authenticity oriented around tourism; and Xinchang (2015-present) exemplifies contemporary efforts to preserve "living authenticity" through maintaining community continuity.

By tracing authenticity's transformation from theory to practice at multiple levels, this research reveals how China has used practical preservation actions as a testing ground for different interpretations of authenticity, continuously adjusting its approach to meet changing cultural, economic, and social demands. This study contributes to broader discussions in critical heritage studies by demonstrating how different cultural paradigms adapt, negotiate, and shape understandings of authenticity, moving beyond simple East-West dichotomies to highlight the complexities of cross-cultural heritage management in a globalized era.

Bo Bian is a Ph.D. candidate in the Constructed Environments. Before coming to UVA, he earned an M.A. in Historic Preservation Planning at Cornell University in 2022. Bo received a B.Eng. in Urban Planning in 2017 and an M.Eng. in Urban Planning with a focus on urban history and preservation in 2020 from Southeast University, China. He was a visiting student at Iowa State University in the Urban Design program during Spring 2017. He has been involved in plenty of China and international heritage preservation projects, many of them related to UNESCO World Heritage.