[Buddha-l] FW: H-ASIA: On "Theme Parks" for cultural heritage-developments in China

[jkirk]

X-posted. 
Interesting message about conversion of former holy sites to
Geo-Parks--trumping them by science. However, this author doesn't offer
reasons why this is going on. The old bones, as he calls them, haven't gone
defunct....these days middle class Chinese, newly affluent, are making trips
to various traditionally holy sites around their country and also abroad, to
places in India, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam.  Doesn't seem to
matter the sect in charge of any particular site. In addition, besides
visiting Vietnam for scenic pleasures, such as Halong Bay, I was told (by
our tour guide, a well-educated person) that many Chinese go to Vietnam to
visit ancestral temples there as well.
Joanna
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H-ASIA
February 23, 2008

On "Theme Parks" for cultural heritage - some developments in China
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From: Thomas H. Hahn <th.hahn at gmail.com>

Shrinkwrapping culture

On the subject matter of theme parks, cultural, ecological or both, an
interesting development is taking place in China since the mid-90s. Many of
the mountains which used to be occupied by monks (Daoist or Buddhist) have
been converted to so-called Geological Parks (mou mou dizhi gongyuan). On
the national or world register of Geo-Parks are such sites like Mt. Wangwu,
Mt. Yandang, Mt. Hua, Mt. Song, Lushan etc. I have visited over 80 such
sites so far, and my estimate is that by now about 50% have been reassigned
and re-contextualised as scientifically important, successfully contesting
and in many cases overwriting the historically religious aspects of the
place. Geological museums are build at the foot of the mountain, right next
to an old shifang conglin (monastery with the right to ordain new monks),
attracting a different type of audience.

I would assume that the decision-making process involving the re-dedication
of traditional cultural heritage sites and placing them into a specifically
"scientific" context is anchored with the national and province-level
ministries. Jiang Jianjun, director of the Geological Environment department
under the Ministry of Land and Resources, predicted in a China Daily
interview back in 2004 that China would have 30-50 world geoparks, 200-250
national geoparks and 500-750 provincial geoparks in the middle of this
century. Most if not all of these sites have long been of religious
significance (not only for the Han). If this new coat will warm the old
bones remains to be seen.

Thomas H. Hahn
Cornell University
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