65899 Knowledge PAPeRS Conserving the Past AS A Foundation FOR THE Future China–World Bank Partnership on Cultural Heritage Conservation Urban Development & local Government Knowledge PAPeRS CONSERVING THE PAST AS A FOUNDATION FOR THE FUTURE China-World Bank Partnership on Cultural Heritage Conservation Katrinka Ebbe Guido Licciardi Axel Baeumler September 2011, No. 12 © September 2011 The International Bank of Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank East Asia Infrastructure Department 1818 H St., NW Washington, DC 20433 www.worldbank.org/urban www.worldbank.org/eap All rights reserved. This volume is a product of the staff of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/The World Bank. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this volume do not necessarily re- flect the views of the Executive Directors of the World Bank or the governments they represent. The World Bank does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this work. The boundaries, colors, denominations, and other information shown on any map in this work do not imply any judgment on the part of the World Bank concerning the legal status of any territory or the endorsement or acceptance of such boundaries. Design and typesetting: The Word Express, Inc. Photographs: Curt Carnemark pp 11, 13, 17, 18, 19, 21, 29, 31, 35, 41, 42, cover; Stuart Dunn cover; Katrinka Ebbe pp 27, 28, 30, 37, 43, cover; Xin Gong Fu p 20; Kristoffer Hamilton cover; Feng Hui pp 9, cover; Gary Hartley pp 3, 36; Nataliya Hora p 17; You Ji pp 2, 8, 23, 25, 32, 38; Xie Jian p 36; S. Ming cover; William Perry pp 16, 22, 33; Simon Podgorsek pp 4, 24; and Mara Warwick p 10. All photographers for whom information is available are acknowledged. In future printings, the World Bank will acknowledge ad- ditional photographers who have been identified by that time. China–World Bank PartnershiP on Cultural heritage Conservation iii Contents Foreword: The World Bank vi Foreword: China State Administration of Cultural Heritage vii Acknowledgments ix Acronyms x Executive Summary xi 1. Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1.1 Purpose of the Report 1 1.2 Key Areas of Work 1 1.3 Structure of the Report and Methodology 2 2. Overview of Support for Cultural Heritage Conservation, FY1993–2011 . . . . . . . . . . 4 2.1 Lending Program Size 4 2.2 Trends over Time 5 2.3 From Components to Standalone Projects 6 2.4 Project Activities 8 2.5 Nonlending Activities 8 2.6 Project Objectives and Approach 9 3. Integrating Cultural Heritage Conservation in Infrastructure Upgrading and Urban Regeneration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1 3.1 Strengthening Urban Planning Skills 12 3.2 Upgrading Basic Infrastructure 14 3.3 Improving Traditional Housing 17 4. Supporting Best Practice in Conserving and Presenting Cultural Heritage . . . . . . . 22 4.1 Supporting Conservation Institutions and Specialists 23 4.2 Increasing Community Participation and Appreciation 25 4.3 Enhancing the Sustainability of Conservation Activities 27 iv Conserving the Past as a Foundation For the Future 5. Strengthening the Links Between Conservation and Local Economic Development 30 5.1 Adapting Historic Buildings for New Uses 31 5.2 Facilitating Sustainable Cultural Tourism 34 6. Next-Generation Issues and Challenges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 6.1 Promote Economic Development through Heritage Conservation 39 6.2 Leverage Traditional Knowledge for Smart Growth and Energy Conservation 40 6.3 Strengthen the Integration of Cultural Heritage Conservation and Tourism Development 41 6.4 Recognize Cultural Heritage Conservation as an Asset for Creative Industries 42 7. Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Appendix 1 Project Summaries 45 References 55 Boxes 1 Working Definitions of Culture and Cultural Heritage 3 2 Tale of Two Cities: Urban Regeneration, Resettlement, and Tourism in Shaoxing and Cicheng 21 Project Description Boxes Zhejiang Multicities Development Project 13 Yunnan Urban Environment Project 15 Shandong Confucius and Mencius Cultural Heritage Conservation and Development Project 15 Xi’an Sustainable Urban Transport Project 16 Chongqing Urban Environment Project 18 Inner Mongolia and Yunnan Earthquake Reconstruction Program 19 Shanghai Urban Environment Project, APL 1 20 Sichuan Urban Environment Project 24 China–World Bank PartnershiP on Cultural heritage Conservation v Chongqing Urban Environment Project 25 Guizhou Cultural and Natural Heritage Protection and Development Project 26 Gansu Cultural and Natural Heritage Protection and Development Project 28 Zhejiang Urban Environment Project 29 Chongqing Urban Environment Project 32 Shandong Confucius and Mencius Cultural Heritage Conservation and Development Project 33 Gansu Cultural and Natural Heritage Protection and Development Project 35 Guizhou Cultural and Natural Heritage Protection and Development Project 37 Figures 1 Phases of Engagement: China-World Bank Partnership Supporting Cultural Heritage Conservation, FY1993–2011 5 2 Project Sites: China-World Bank Partnership Supporting Cultural Heritage Conservation, FY1993–2011 6 Table 1 Project Details: World-Bank-Supported Projects Incorporating Cultural Heritage Conservation in China, FY1993–2011 7 vi Conserving the Past as a Foundation For the Future Foreword the World Bank The World Bank is privileged to have been able to approach is fully reflected in the Bank’s new Urban support China to conserve its remarkable cultural Strategy, launched recently by President Robert heritage assets. The country’s historic cities, archae- Zoellick. The World Bank’s work on heritage also is ological sites, historic architecture, expressive arts, found under several of the institution’s other sector cultural landscapes, creative industries, and ethnic departments and thematic areas, including social diversity are treasured around the world. Since the development, environment, and private sector de- early 1990s, this China-World Bank partnership for velopment. Through these sectors, the World Bank conservation has resulted in 12 projects and used has supported conservation for major historic cities, approximately US$1.3 billion in loans. These loans iconic monuments, cultural landscapes, and living included nearly US$260 million for cultural heri- cultural heritage. Project experience shows that tage conservation, making it the largest single-coun- these investments can promote growth and increase try program supporting the conservation of cultural the wellbeing of the poor through upgraded infra- heritage in the World Bank. structure, new economic opportunities, and respect for local cultural heritage and diversity. The World Bank’s approach to cultural heritage conservation has evolved over time: from an initial The number of people in China whose quality of pipeline of projects that sought to “do no harm,� life depends not only on economic growth but also to investing in single heritage assets, and, finally, on the quality of their urban environments is ex- to a new generation of projects aimed at leverag- tremely significant and is growing. The World Bank ing cultural assets and historic cities to achieve eco- has benefited greatly from its collaboration with nomic and social development. During the 2002 China to meet the challenges of managing urban- World Summit on Sustainable Development in ization while addressing social, economic, and envi- Johannesburg, the international community strong- ronmental concerns. These considerations, coupled ly endorsed culture as the fourth pillar of sustainable with the irreplaceable nature of cultural assets, development. The other three pillars are economic mean that the World Bank fully supports the coun- development and social and environmental sustain- try’s commitment to cultural heritage conservation ability. The World Bank has incorporated this ex- and stands ready to continue this successful partner- panded approach and is actively supporting cultural ship with China. heritage conservation as an essential component of its mission to reduce poverty. Klaus Rohland The World Bank considers cultural heritage conser- Country Director, China vation to be an important aspect of the asset-based East Asia and Pacific Region approach to local economic development. This The World Bank China–World Bank PartnershiP on Cultural heritage Conservation vii Foreword China state administration of Cultural heritage Since the 1990s, the World Bank and the govern- implementation, standard practice with unique site ment of the People’s Republic of China gradu- characteristics, and conservation with economic de- ally have developed and expanded cooperation in velopment. The work has focused on the relevance cultural heritage conservation. This joint work has of cultural heritage conservation to urbanization, addressed many different types of heritage, under environmental management, and cultural tourism varying levels of threat, and in highly diverse envi- development. This attention to several of the most ronments. The partnership has contributed greatly significant trends in China has led to a partnership to the conservation of cultural heritage in China. that is practical, far-sighted, and oriented toward long-term effectiveness. This work not only has fur- Looking back at experiences under the partnership, thered the practice of cultural heritage protection in we see important work on project design, appraisal, China but also offers important lessons for develop- management, and evaluation. The World Bank has ing countries throughout the world. been particularly helpful in supporting project ap- praisal, including feasibility studies, environmental This report, Conserving the Past as a Foundation for the impact assessments, and social impact evaluations. Future, aptly describes the cooperation between the These mechanisms have helped determine project World Bank and the Chinese government on 12 feasibility by evaluating the scale of investment, the cultural heritage conservation projects. It shows the project costs, and the necessary levels of community World Bank’s extensive understanding of the chal- participation and technical assistance. lenges for cultural heritage conservation in China and a deep commitment to protecting the coun- Regarding technical assistance and training, the try’s valuable patrimony. I would like to express my World Bank has worked closely with China’s con- gratitude and respect for the World Bank and the servation professionals within the country’s existing various experts who have implemented the projects context of cultural heritage protection and prac- described in this report. I believe the report makes a tice. However, the emphasis has been on the con- very useful contribution by taking stock of the vary- tinued updating and development of skills based ing project experiences to date and extracting best- on international best practice. Building expertise practice lessons for policymakers and practitioners has been especially successful because it has been who are dedicated to preserving the rich cultural done through hands-on learning in project prepa- heritage of China. ration, implementation, financial management, and evaluation. Shan Jixiang This China-World Bank partnership has been in- Director General novative because it has combined theory with China State Administration of Cultural Heritage viii Conserving the Past as a Foundation For the Future n  The dynamic growth  of China’s cities poses  many challenges for  cultural heritage  conservation. China–World Bank PartnershiP on Cultural heritage Conservation ix Acknowledgments First and foremost, the authors thank the Italian We would like to thank Ede Jorge Ijjasz-Vasquez, World Cultural Heritage in Sustainable Development Bank Sector Manager for Sustainable Development Trust Fund at the World Bank for its generous sup- for China and Mongolia, for his overall guidance port and its commitment to the documentation of and support. We also thank Anthony Bigio and Mara the lessons learned from projects that support cul- Warwick, the peer reviewers, who shared construc- tural heritage conservation around the world. Just tive insights and suggestions. In addition, current as importantly, we thank China’s leaders at the na- and former World Bank project team leaders offered tional, provincial, and municipal levels for their sup- valuable perspectives, including Mats Andersson, You port of the projects described in this report. We are Ji, Taku Kamata, Geoffrey Read, John Scales, and especially grateful for the leadership and expertise Shenhua Wang. We also appreciate the useful com- provided by the State Administration of Cultural ments received from Meskerem Brhane, Lawrence Heritage (SACH). We also appreciate the coop- Hannah, James Stent, and Songling Yao. We are espe- eration of China’s conservation practitioners and cially grateful for the excellent work of You Ji, who has counterparts in the local project management of- contributed his time to coordinate with our partner, fices, who are essential to the effective implementa- SACH, and fine tune the Chinese translation of this tion of the projects. Particular thanks go to China’s document. Finally, we would like to recognize the con- vibrant communities who support cultural heritage tributions of those who brought the report to its final daily through their appreciation and stewardship of published form: the editor, Alicia Hetzner; cartogra- their local cultural assets. pher, Bruno Bonansea; and the design and typesetting company, The Word Express. n  Many of  China’s leaders,  conservationists,  and communities  have worked  tirelessly to  conserve the  country’s cultural  heritage. x Conserving the Past as a Foundation For the Future Acronyms APL Adaptable Program Loan CNTA China National Tourism Administration EA Environmental assessment FY Fiscal Year GoC Government of China HUL Historic urban landscapes ICOMOS International Council on Monuments and Sites ICR Implementation Completion Report ICT Information and communications technology M&E Monitoring and evaluation O&M Operation and maintenance OP/BP Operational Policy and Bank Procedures PAD Project Appraisal Document PPP Public-private partnership PRC People’s Republic of China PSD Private sector development SA Social assessment SACH State Administration of Cultural Heritage TA Technical assistance TOR Terms of reference UNCTAD United Nations Conference on Trade and Development UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization UNWTO United Nations World Tourism Organization WCCD World Commission on Culture and Development China–World Bank PartnershiP on Cultural heritage Conservation xi Executive Summary The rich cultural heritage of China is an essential in financing, because all of the investments have touchstone of its collective identity. The country’s been financed jointly by local governments and the archaeological sites, historic architecture, expressive Bank. In all cases, to ensure consistency with na- arts, cultural landscapes, and ethnic diversity also are tional policies, leadership and expertise have been treasured around the world. Despite their importance, provided by the State Administration of Cultural China’s cultural assets are under tremendous pressure Heritage (SACH). due to the country’s rapid development, particularly its rapid urbanization. Moreover, rising incomes and mobility have significantly increased domestic tour- Purpose of This Report ism, leading to the overdevelopment and deteriora- Based on the 12 projects developed under this part- tion of cultural heritage sites. However, many of nership, this report presents an overview of the proj- China’s government officials, conservationists, and ect approaches and experiences, takes stock of the community groups have recognized these threats and, challenges, extracts initial lessons learned, and iden- over the past several decades, have worked tirelessly tifies new directions and challenges ahead. The prin- to protect their country’s cultural heritage. cipal audience of the report is national, provincial, and municipal decisionmakers engaged in conserving China’s cultural heritage. This report also is intended China-World Bank Partnership to be of relevance to World Bank staff and those in In the early 1990s, the Government of China (GoC) the international community who wish to gain an began requesting World Bank assistance with in- overview of the projects conserving cultural heritage corporating cultural heritage conservation in de- in China that have received World Bank financing. velopment projects. Over the past 18 years, this China-World Bank partnership for conservation has resulted in 12 projects using approximately US$1.323 Lending Program Trends billion in loans. These loans include nearly US$260 The lending program for cultural heritage in China million for cultural heritage conservation making it has gone through three phases: the largest single-country program supporting the conservation of cultural heritage at the World Bank. The first phase, Response to Immediate Needs, is repre- Projects developed under this collaboration have sented by 3 projects: 1 each in Zhejiang, Liaoning, shown that integrating cultural heritage conservation and Yunnan (FY1993–96). In them, the World Bank in development projects can deliver both social and responded quickly to specific government requests economic benefits to local communities. These bene- for assistance with heritage sites in need of im- fits are based on conservation that expands economic mediate action due to natural disasters and rapid opportunities and revenues, enhances the quality of deterioration. life, generates local identity and energy for develop- ment, and provides opportunities for competitive re- The next 3 projects were undertaken in Sichuan, gional and international branding. Chongqing, and Shanghai (FY1999–2003). They represent a second phase: more Systematic Analysis Throughout this engagement, China’s provincial and Priority-Setting. This phase emphasized cultural and municipal governments have played a lead- heritage policy dialogues, assessments, strategies, ing role, both in design and implementation and and priority-setting for project investments. xii Conserving the Past as a Foundation For the Future The third and current Integrated and Broad-Based create opportunities for positive branding, which Approach (FY2004–11) is characterized by projects can make them more competitive in attracting fu- that address (a) the broader urban environment of ture investment. historic cities and sites, (b) province-wide cultural heritage conservation and tourism development However, municipalities in China often lack plan- that encompass multiple sites, and (c) strengthened ning and development-control mechanisms ad- links between conservation and local economic equate to protect historic areas and maintain a mix development. of land use that does not overwhelm their tradi- tional character. An additional challenge is to bal- ance cultural heritage conservation with the need to From Components upgrade basic infrastructure that can accommodate to Standalone Projects urban growth and create opportunities for local eco- The majority of the projects (7 of 12) include nomic development. Finally, there is the importance cultural heritage conservation as a component of conserving traditional housing in historic areas of large urban environmental management proj- in ways that meet residents’ expectations for a rising ects. In 2008 a marked change in project focus standard of living. To address these challenges, the occurred when the Government of China (GoC) GoC has requested support from the World Bank in began to request projects that would strongly link three areas: cultural heritage conservation with tourism devel- opment. The country’s requests resulted in stand- a. Strengthening urban planning skills. Projects devel- alone projects in Gansu, Guizhou, and Shandong oped under the China-World Bank partnership Provinces. have focused on strengthening multisectoral planning by including inputs from many differ- ent disciplines. A broader spectrum of inputs Key Areas of Work enables municipalities to better integrate cul- This report is organized around three broad areas tural heritage conservation with urban develop- of work that have been supported by the projects ment and maintain the economic and physical and the corresponding lessons learned from the im- relationships of historic areas to their greater plementation experiences in the field. These three urban and regional contexts. Furthermore, areas are: the projects showed that it is important to sup- port development-control mechanisms that can Integrating cultural heritage conservation more effectively implement and enforce the in infrastructure upgrading and urban regulations meant to protect historic areas from regeneration to strengthen cities the current extreme pressures for development. The conservation of China’s historic cities has the b. Upgrading basic infrastructure. Projects have fo- potential to strengthen urban areas by increasing cused on investments to upgrade urban services their livability and economic competitiveness. The that are compatible with historic areas. This fo- smart growth approaches advocated today reflect cus led to investments in sensitive design, speci- many of the characteristics that are found in his- fication, and construction of infrastructure that toric urban areas. The density, human scale, and can both improve services and enhance the tra- pedestrian orientation of traditional neighborhoods ditional character of historic cities and sites. In are constructive models for future development and addition, projects have planned infrastructure a counterpoint to urban sprawl. In addition, cities investments not only to support the sustainable that conserve significant areas of cultural interest development of heritage sites but also to raise China–World Bank PartnershiP on Cultural heritage Conservation xiii the standards of living in their surrounding a. Supporting conservation institutions and specialists. communities. An additional advantage to this Projects developed through the China-World approach is that it supports sites’ significance Bank collaboration have aimed to develop con- over the long term by maintaining the cultural servation tools that can be long-term resources and historical contexts that surround them. for cultural heritage bureaus, planners, and site c. Improving traditional housing. Projects support- managers. Such tools include digital archives ing improvements for traditional housing have and cultural heritage conservation strategies. found that, to be sustainable, it is important to Projects also have supported TA, training, and emphasize modern standards of living. These study tours for China’s cultural heritage profes- standards include the sensitive installation of sionals. Projects have advocated and supported new technologies such as solar panels and satel- mechanisms for China’s cultural heritage bu- lite dishes. User-friendly design guidelines and reaus to be included in decisionmaking on de- local technical assistance (TA) teams have been velopment that will impact historic cities and especially useful in implementing these pro- sites. In addition, projects have used Chinese grams. When extremely high densities in urban and World Bank social and environmental poli- areas have been a concern, projects have sup- cies to integrate cultural heritage conservation ported resettlement in accordance with both into project design and implementation. international and Chinese guidelines. b. Increasing community participation and appreciation. To encourage more stakeholder participation, Supporting best practice in conservation projects have provided Chinese authorities with to protect cultural heritage with all of its funding and TA to implement resident attitude values and significance surveys, stakeholder consultations, and pilots Many of China’s leaders increasingly are recogniz- for the participatory identification of cultural ing that it is important to conserve their country’s assets to be conserved under projects. As one cultural heritage for all of its historic, social, scien- means to increase local understanding and ap- tific, and economic value. Similarly, with increas- preciation of cultural heritage sites, projects ing education, affluence, and leisure time, China’s have supported expanding the content of site citizens are taking a growing interest in exploring interpretation to include information on the and conserving their cultural heritage and history. related cultural heritage of surrounding com- Consequently, the country has fairly well-developed munities and their history with the site. institutional and legislative frameworks to conserve c. Enhancing the sustainability of conservation activities. cultural heritage. However, the laws and regulations Projects assisted municipal authorities and site are not always matched by the funding levels and managers to establish realistic budgets for the capacities of the institutions charged with imple- operation and maintenance (O&M) of their menting them. While, in other parts of the world, sites. Some projects also helped sites create strat- participatory planning has been successful in ad- egies for generating extrabudgetary revenues by dressing this gap by generating community support developing culturally appropriate, fee-based for conservation, this approach is not yet widely used activities. Projects supported the development in China. Another challenge is the ability of historic of monitoring and evaluation (M&E) systems to cities and sites to fund and implement strategies for measure the benefits of conservation activities the long-term sustainability of their conservation and thereby create the means to justify O&M work, such as regular maintenance and monitoring. budgets. Finally, projects have supported the To respond to these issues, the GoC requested sup- development of design guidelines for new con- port for three activities and approaches: struction to reduce the replication of historic xiv Conserving the Past as a Foundation For the Future buildings, which undermines their uniqueness interpreting the authentic cultural heritage of and thereby their capacity to generate revenue. tourism sites. Other support has included mar- ket research, tourism product development, and Strengthening the links between strategies for branding and marketing. Projects cultural heritage conservation and local also have supported integrated site investments, economic development which emphasize conserving and interpreting The economic benefits that can accrue directly to cultural heritage in combination with upgrad- historic neighborhoods from cultural heritage con- ing infrastructure. To raise the level of commu- servation include increased property values, jobs, and nity benefits, projects have supported training incomes. Social benefits include positive local identity to increase the availability and quality of tour- and its related social capital, which can be channeled ism services. into energy for conservation and other development challenges. In addition, there is a more overarching benefit. The conservation of historic areas has the Next-Generation Issues potential to increase the visibility and positive image and Challenges of cities as places worthy of attracting outside invest- While consolidating the lessons learned over the ment and world-class talent. However, local planners past several decades, it also is important to consider and officials face constraints in translating their cul- a next generation of issues. If well managed, these tural assets into robust social and economic benefits can increase opportunities to conserve China’s cul- for their communities. Rather than important build- tural assets for harmonious development. Several of ings being conserved, adapted, and integrated into these issues and the challenges ahead for the further city development plans, heritage assets are being lost integration of cultural heritage conservation into to extensive demolition and excessive restorations. sustainable growth and poverty reduction are to: Similarly, as with many desirable destinations in other parts of the world, the difficult-to-control pressures of a. Maximize the economic benefits of heritage tourism have resulted in sites that exhibit deteriorat- conservation ing cultural assets and inauthentic development. To b. Leverage traditional knowledge for smart address these issues, the GoC has requested World growth and energy conservation Bank support for two strategies that show strong po- c. Strengthen the integration of cultural heritage tential to generate economic and social benefits: conservation and tourism development d. Recognize cultural heritage conservation as an a. Adapting historic buildings for new uses. Projects asset for creative industries. developed under the China-World Bank part- nership have supported international TA to ad- Throughout the China-World Bank partnership, dress the multiple planning issues in adaptive the country’s political leaders, conservationists, reuse projects. These issues include identifying planners, and community members have demon- realistic levels of demand for new activities, de- strated that it is possible to improve peoples’ lives termining the cost and feasibility of adapting while conserving valuable cultural heritage. This buildings to meet contemporary building codes, partnership will have been particularly successful estimating new income streams, and developing if, in the coming years, it provides the foundation long-term management systems. for refining and renewing approaches that will assist b. Facilitating sustainable cultural tourism. Projects have new generations with the objective of connecting sought to strengthen tourism bureaus by raising the legacy of the past to a prosperous, sustainable, awareness of the importance of conserving and and inclusive future. China–World Bank PartnershiP on Cultural heritage Conservation 1 Introduction The distinctive built and living culture that has Projects developed under the China-World Bank evolved in China over at least five millennia is evi- partnership have provided support to conserve his- dent in the country’s vast array of archaeological toric cities and sites based on their potential to (1) sites, historic cities, cultural landscapes, expressive expand economic opportunities and revenues, (2) arts, and ethnic diversity. However, over the last enhance quality of life, (3) support local identity and three decades, the country’s unprecedented eco- energy for development, and (4) create opportuni- nomic growth and expanding urban populations ties for positive city-image building and branding. have seriously endangered many of these invaluable cultural assets. Urban growth has required large investments in developing and upgrading essential 1.1 Purpose of the Report services and infrastructure. In turn, these invest- The purpose of this report is to summarize prac- ments have revitalized city centers, raised standards tical project experience on the ground to extract of living, and set the stage for continued develop- lessons learned and establish an initial knowledge ment. However, during this process, much of the base to share with national, provincial, and mu- historic built environment has been either neglected nicipal decision makers in China. In addition, the or demolished in favor of modernization and new report is intended to be of relevance to World Bank construction. Moreover, rising incomes and mobility staff and those in the international community have rapidly increased domestic tourism, which has who wish to gain an overview of projects conserv- led to overdevelopment and deterioration of many ing cultural heritage in China, which have received cultural heritage sites. World Bank financing. The observations of the challenges and opportunities met during project Nevertheless, many government officials, profes- implementation are intended to support and im- sionals, and community groups have realized the prove the quality of further investments in cultural value and irreplaceable nature of China’s cultural heritage conservation. heritage and have worked tirelessly for its protec- tion. The World Bank has valued the opportunity to support these efforts by working in partnership with 1.2 Key Areas of Work national, provincial, and municipal governments to The report is organized around three areas of work support an approach that integrates cultural heri- which have emerged from project implementation in tage conservation with economic development and the field and form the basis for investments under urban regeneration. Over the past 18 years, this the China-World Bank partnership. These areas are: partnership has manifested in 12 projects that sup- port cultural heritage conservation in the context of development. “People refer to Paris as the home of fashion and China’s cultural heritage is important to conserve Vienna as the home of music. Promoting a city’s for all of its historic, economic, scientific, and social image will help make it much better known, hence value. In addition, the development goals of China attracting more talent and investments.�1 and the World Bank mean that it is important to —Wang Changyuan, deputy secretary general, connect support for cultural heritage conserva- China association of Mayors tion to social and economic benefits for the poor. 2 Conserving the Past as a Foundation For the Future n  The conservation  a. Integrating cultural heritage conservation in in- all the project activities that aim to deal with these of this historic  frastructure upgrading and urban regeneration challenges, the report describes a selected number complex under  the Chongqing  b. Supporting best practice in conserving and pre- of project features that offer the most salient lessons project has created  senting cultural heritage to emerge and concrete examples of project experi- a new tourism  c. Strengthening the links between cultural heri- ence on the ground. site, stimulated  small business,  tage conservation and local economic develop- and strengthened  ment. The observations in this report are based on previ- residents’  ous project case studies, interviews with project team awareness of their  history. Clearly, the 12 projects developed under this partner- leaders, research developed by the World Bank and ship represent only a small portion of the ongoing other institutions, and project documents, including conservation work in China. However, an oppor- project appraisal documents (PADs) and implemen- tunity for lessons learned lies in examining the ap- tation completion reports (ICRs). However, most proaches taken by these projects, which have evolved importantly, this report is based on work in the field over time to emphasize cultural heritage conserva- with Chinese counterparts, who have generously tion as part of local economic development, social contributed their expertise and local knowledge protection, and sustainable tourism. in implementing projects to the highest standard possible. 1.3 Structure of the Report and All current and closed World-Bank-financed proj- Methodology ects that have supported cultural heritage in China An introduction to each section in the main body of have been drawn on for examples and lessons. A the report presents some of the major challenges for short description of each project is provided in cultural heritage conservation in China and why it is Appendix 1 to provide the reader with information important to address them. Rather than examining and a quick reference for each project discussed. China–World Bank PartnershiP on Cultural heritage Conservation 3 Box 1 Working Definitions of Culture and Cultural Heritage The World Bank has adopted the definition of culture Cultural landscapes represent the combined works used by UNESCO and the World Commission on of nature and human beings and are illustrative of the Culture and Development (WCCD). In this definition, evolution of human society and settlements over time culture encompasses “the whole complex of distinctive under the influence of the physical constraints and op- material, intellectual, spiritual, and emotional features portunities presented by their natural environments and that characterize a society or social group� (WCCD successive social, economic, and cultural forces (urban 1995). Cultural heritage is a subset of culture. Based on streetscapes and terraced slopes for rice cultivation). international conventions and charters, several types of cultural heritage are described below as working Natural heritage includes natural features or sites definitions for this report. consisting of physical and biological formations of outstanding universal value from an aesthetic or sci- Tangible cultural heritage refers to significant ma- entific point of view (geological formations, wetlands, terial manifestations of culture (historic cities, build- glaciers).a ings, monuments, and archaeological sites). Source: Authors’ definitions based on UNESCO and ICO- Intangible cultural heritage refers to the prac- MOS conventions, charters and recommendations. tices, knowledge, and skills that peoples recognize as a Several of the more recent World Bank projects incorporate part of their cultural heritage such as performance the conservation of natural heritage. However, this report does not address the protection of natural heritage in great detail. and craft skills, language, and ceremonies. n  The karst  formations and  agriculture  of Guizhou  Province create  a distinctive  cultural  landscape and  tourism asset,  to be protected  under the Guizhou  project. 4 Conserving the Past as a Foundation For the Future Overview of Support for Cultural Heritage Conservation, FY1993–2011 Since the early 1990s, World-Bank-supported proj- 2.1 Lending Program Size ects in China have included conservation of cultural heritage in a wide variety of settings. The work in- Working closely with authorities in 8 provinces and cludes support requested by rapidly urbanizing cit- the 2 independent municipalities of Chongqing ies striving to save their threatened historic fabric, and Shanghai, the World Bank has helped finance quiet towns aspiring to grow through tourism based 12 projects in China, utilizing approximately on their history, cultural and natural heritage parks US$1.323 billion in loans. This amount includes seeking more sustainable development and manage- approximately US$260 million for cultural heritage ment, and ethnic minority villages that have decided conservation. These figures make China the largest to pursue economic development based on main- single-country program supporting the conservation taining and presenting their traditions. Chinese of- of cultural heritage at the World Bank. In addition ficials also have requested World Bank support for to providing loans, projects were able to strengthen n  The Leshan  conservation at five sites of international signifi- the quality of project preparation and implemen- Grand Buddha  cance, namely, the World Heritage sites of Lijiang in tation with financing provided through trust funds received support  for stabilization  Yunnan, the Leshan Grand Buddha in Sichuan, the (TFs) managed by the World Bank. These TFs in- and mitigation  Great Wall at Jiayuguan in Gansu and Shanhaiguan clude support from the governments of Australia, of environmental  Canada, Denmark, Italy, Japan, Singapore, Spain, damage under the  in Liaoning, and the temple, cemetery, and family project in Sichuan. mansion of Confucius in Shandong. Sweden, and the United Kingdom. China–World Bank PartnershiP on Cultural heritage Conservation 5 2.2 Trends over Time with infrastructure upgrading and urban regenera- tion activities. Over the last 18 years, the China-World Bank partnership supporting cultural heritage conserva- The projects undertaken in Sichuan, Chongqing, tion has moved through 3 distinct phases and the and Shanghai (FY1999–2003) represent a second loan amounts for these activities have gradually phase, more Systematic Analysis and Priority Setting, increased from under US$1 million to US$60 mil- which emphasized policy dialogue and a more sys- lion. Throughout this engagement, the provincial tematic approach. These projects supported broad and municipal governments have played a leading cultural heritage assessments and developed strate- role, both in design and implementation and in gies that identified action plans and priority invest- financing, since all the investments have been fi- ments. These projects are significant for the degree nanced jointly by local governments and the World to which small amounts of financing acted as seed Bank. In all cases, oversight was provided by the money to generate large local investments and State Administration of Cultural Heritage (SACH) raised awareness of cultural heritage during a pe- to ensure consistency with national policies. riod of rapid development. The first phase of engagement, Response to Immediate The third and current phase, Integrated and Broad- Needs, is represented by three projects in Zhejiang, Based Approach (FY2004–11), is characterized by Liaoning, and Yunnan (FY1993–96). For these more integrated work that addresses (1) the broader projects, World Bank teams responded quickly to urban and regional environment of historic cities specific government requests for assistance with and sites, (2) province-wide cultural heritage con- heritage sites in need of immediate action due to servation and tourism development that involve natural disasters and rapid deterioration. Although multiple sites, and (3) strengthened links between the component loan amounts during the first phase heritage conservation and local economic devel- were small, they were important because they were opment. These projects are continuing to support the first investment projects supported by the World improvements in conservation and management Bank in China that demonstrated that conservation skills through the exposure of local cultural heri- of cultural heritage could be effectively integrated tage practitioners to cutting-edge conservation FIGURE 1 Phases of  Engagement:  ls g Leve China-World  eritage Fundin Bank Partnership  Cultural H Supporting  Cultural Heritage  Conservation,  Phase 1 FY 1993–96 Phase 2 FY 1999–2003 Phase 3 FY 2004–11 FY1993–2011 • Response to specific requests • More systematic analysis • More integrated planning • Address immediate needs • Priority setting • Broad-based approach • First integration of heritage • Small amounts of financing • Increased linkages conservation and urban generate large local investments between conservation and regeneration projects local economic development Sources: World Bank Project Appraisal Documents (PADs). 6 Conserving the Past as a Foundation For the Future FIGURE 2 Project Sites:  China-World  Bank Partnership  PROJECT SITES Supporting  PREFECTURE BOUNDARIES Cultural Heritage  PROVINCE BOUNDARIES Conservation,  INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARIES FY1993–2011 Source: World Bank. practice and the hands-on learning of project urgent and site-specific investments to more system- implementation. atic and integrated approaches. Each of the Bank investments in China’s cultural 2.3 From Components heritage during the first 10 years (FY1993–2003) to Standalone Projects was for US$7 million or less (table 1). Since 2004, such investments have been much larger, ranging The majority of projects (7 of 12) included cul- from US$21.6 million to US$60 million per project. tural heritage conservation as part of large urban The greater size can be attributed to a shift from environmental management projects that focused China–World Bank PartnershiP on Cultural heritage Conservation 7 Total loan  Loan amount  TablE 1 amount supporting CHa  Project Details:  FY Project name (US$mil) (US$mil) Status China-World  Bank Partnership  Phase 1. Response to Immediate Needs Incorporating  Cultural Heritage  1993 Zhejiang Multicities Development Project 110.0 0.15 Closed Conservation  in China,  1995 Liaoning Environment Project 110.0 0.68 Closed FY1993–2011 1996 Inner Mongolia and Yunnan Earthquake 30.0 7.00 Closed Reconstruction Program Phase 2. Systematic Analysis and Priority Setting 1999 Sichuan Urban Environment Project 152.0 0.30 Closed 2000 Chongqing Urban Environment Project 200.0 1.00 Closed 2003 Shanghai Urban Environment Project APL 1 200.0 6.00 Closed Phase 3. Integrated and Broad-Based Approach 2004 Zhejiang Urban Environment Project 133.0 45.00 Closed 2008 Xi’an Sustainable Urban Transport Project 150.0 21.60 Active 2008 Gansu Cultural and Natural Heritage Protection and 38.4 38.40 Active Development Project 2009 Guizhou Cultural and Natural Heritage Protection and 60.0 60.00 Active Development Project 2009 Yunnan Urban Environment Project 90.0 29.70 Active 2011 Shandong Confucius and Mencius Cultural Heritage 50.0 50.00 Active Conservation and Development Project Total 1,323.4 259.83 Sources: World Bank PADs. Notes: Loan and component amounts are estimated based on Project Appraisal Documents because there is no official code for documenting the support of cultural heritage in the World Bank’s record-keeping system. The amount of the loan estimated to be in support of urban cultural heritage conservation includes funding for infrastructure upgrading (for example, water and sanitation) when this work is focused on historic areas. a CH refers to cultural heritage. primarily on sustainable water resources, waste- of its national development strategy, especially for water and water supply systems, and solid waste provinces in Western China. This emphasis and the management. In 2008 a marked change in focus long-term relationship established through previous occurred when the government of China began re- joint work led to requests to the Bank for standalone questing projects that strongly linked cultural heri- projects in Gansu, Guizhou, and Shandong prov- tage conservation with tourism development as part inces. This current approach was initiated by China 8 Conserving the Past as a Foundation For the Future to further support the central government’s goal of Conservation works to adapt historic buildings for ŽŽ creating demonstration projects and disseminat- new uses, conserve monuments and sites, and re- ing best practice for cultural heritage conservation pair traditional housing throughout China. Intangible heritage conservation through support for ŽŽ community-based inventories, documentation, and training 2.4 Project Activities Cultural heritage interpretation and presentation ŽŽ Depending on local needs and circumstances, through new and updated museum and exhibi- World-Bank-supported projects addressing cultural tion facilities, signage, and guided programs heritage conservation have worked on a wide vari- Cultural tourism planning though support for data ŽŽ ety of activities: collection; market research; strategy develop- ment; and training for tourism bureau officials, Urban planning involving assistance with plan- ŽŽ site managers, and local communities ning, development, and monitoring for historic Institutional frameworks and capacity building for plan- ŽŽ cities ning, implementation, management, and evalu- Infrastructure upgrading in historic cities, towns, vil- ŽŽ ation of projects. lages, and parks (water supply, sanitation, roads, power and telecommunications ducts) Conservation planning and management including ŽŽ 2.5 Nonlending Activities cultural heritage inventories, master plans, and The World Bank, UNESCO, and SACH part- strategies nered to sponsor two international conferences that n  Mati Temple  Scenic Area  is one of nine  sites receiving  integrated  investments for  conservation,  infrastructure,  tourism, and  capacity building  under the Gansu  project. China–World Bank PartnershiP on Cultural heritage Conservation 9 examined the opportunities and challenges for cul- Getty Conservation Institute, which have provided tural heritage conservation. These conferences were advice and technical assistance to raise the level of held in Beijing in 2001 and Shaoxing in 2006. They project preparation and implementation. presented both local and international examples of good practice. These conferences raised awareness of sector issues for large numbers of Chinese cul- 2.6 Project objectives tural heritage specialists and political leaders, who and Approach are primary decisionmakers, as well as for academ- Cultural heritage conservation activities developed ics and graduate students. under the China-World Bank partnership have sup- ported three broad areas of work, which emerged Project work and lessons learned have been docu- from an assessment of the policy dialogues, techni- mented in several videos, web-based slideshows, cal assistance, and the most frequently supported in- and published case studies on activities in Ningbo, vestments related to these projects. These areas are: Lijiang, Chongqing, Shaoxing, and Gansu. A com- prehensive work entitled “Management of Urban a. Integrating cultural heritage conservation into Cultural Heritage in China: A Sector Overview,� infrastructure upgrading and urban regenera- was written in 2005 to present a wide-ranging dis- tion because of its potential to strengthen cities cussion of the accomplishments and challenges in by supporting economic growth, livability, and this field (Hankey and Brammah 2005). In addition, competitiveness projects have collaborated with such organizations b. Supporting best practice in conserving and as UNESCO, the US National Park Service, and the presenting cultural heritage to protect historic n  Projects aim to  support intangible  heritage and  increase artisans’s  ability to generate  income based  on their skills. 10 Conserving the Past as a Foundation For the Future cities and sites with all their values and signifi- in providing an integrated and methodological ap- cance for present and future generations proach to the conservation and management of c. Strengthening the links between cultural heri- sites, in compliance with China’s existing legisla- tage conservation, poverty reduction, and local tion. Known as the China Principles, this docu- economic development. ment was promulgated by the China chapter of the International Committee on Monuments and Project work undertaken in support of these three Sites (ICOMOS), with the approval of SACH. areas are based on the best practice principles China has ratified or accepted most UNESCO found in China’s 1982 Law of the People’s Republic conventions on the protection of cultural heri- of China on the Protection of Cultural Heritage, and tage.2 Consequently, projects also draw heavily its subsequent updates. In addition, the national on the best practice outlined in the international guidelines entitled Principles for the Conservation of conventions, charters, and recommendations of Heritage Sites in China have been extremely useful UNESCO and ICOMOS. n  In addition  to conserving  significant  buildings, projects  have sought  to improve  community living  environments  and create  opportunities for  income generation. China–World Bank PartnershiP on Cultural heritage Conservation 11 Integrating Cultural Heritage Conservation in Infrastructure Upgrading and Urban Regeneration China’s historic cities and sites are in danger of dis- scale and pedestrian links to friends, shopping, and appearing under extreme pressure from the forces jobs. The revitalization of traditional public spaces of urban redevelopment and modernization. Many such as central squares and parks preserves social different factors are leading to these realities, includ- environments and positive patterns of community ing a lack of planning and development-control activity. In addition, the densities, mixed use, and mechanisms sufficient to protect historic areas. In scale of historic urban cores provide their larger addition, there is the challenge of balancing cultural metropolitan areas with positive models for develop- heritage conservation with the need to upgrade es- ment that emphasize urban community and energy- sential services and infrastructure to accommodate efficient development, rather than urban sprawl. urban growth and create opportunities for local economic development. Finally, there is the impor- Furthermore, conservation of historically signifi- tance of meeting residents’ expectations for a rising cant cities and sites preserves areas of great beauty standard of living, while maintaining the traditional and unique urban landscapes. In today’s global- characteristics of housing in historic areas. izing world, modern international architectural styles have created a visual sameness in many of In spite of these issues, there is much to be gained the world’s cities. Consequently, the unique char- from conserving historic cities and sites. The impor- acteristics of historic areas are becoming rarer and tance of compact urban areas, or “smart growth,� more highly prized as local assets and a global pub- is one of the cardinal tenets of sustainable urban lic good. The resulting “sense of place� can create development. These approaches advocate many of positive local identity, build civic pride, and gener- the characteristics that are found in historic urban ate energy for development. In addition, cities that areas. The conservation of traditional streets and conserve significant areas of cultural interest create neighborhoods preserves areas built on a human opportunities for positive international and regional n  The density  and pedestrian  orientation  of traditional  neighborhoods  create important  opportunities for  interaction in the  historic urban  core of Shaoxing,  Zhejiang Province. 12 Conserving the Past as a Foundation For the Future branding. These cultural assets thus can make such of a place based on sound and thorough research cities more competitive in attracting the investments (ICOMOS China 2002, ICOMOS Australia 1999). and knowledge workers necessary for continuing This information provides cities and sites with the growth and vitality. most possibilities for increasing positive community identity and developing strong branding that attracts visitors and outside investment. However, project ex- “China has become a country of a thousand cities perience on the ground has found that local officials with only one face.�3 and site managers often need help in broadening —shan Jixiang, director general, saCh their definition of local heritage and in developing their city’s unique characteristics. One important ingredient of raising awareness and developing the Based on the potential of cultural heritage con- best response to local conditions is to ensure that servation to strengthen cities, China has asked the multisectoral planning includes the contributions of World Bank to support investments and institutional many different disciplines, such as engineers, plan- strengthening in three key areas: (1) strengthening ners, environmentalists, conservationists, architects, urban planning skills, (2) upgrading basic infrastruc- and economists. Multisectoral teams are especially ture services, and (3) improving traditional housing relevant to maintain historic areas that are socially, and neighborhoods. economically, and physically integrated in their greater urban and regional contexts (UNESCO 3.1 Strengthening Urban 2005, ICOMOS International 2003). Planning Skills A project experience that illustrates the importance Urban development that includes cultural heritage of multisectoral planning in the Chinese context is conservation requires integrated planning skills and the Zhejiang Multicities Development Project (FY1993). As development controls. part of planning for infrastructure upgrading in the ancient city center of Ningbo, policy dialogues that Planning for sustainable development and change included conservationists raised the awareness of city in the context of historic cities is highly complex officials and increased their commitment to conserve and involves management of the (sometimes con- the historic urban core, especially its centerpiece, flicting) interests of residents, the private sector, and Moon Lake. The lake and its surrounding public governments. Even when local administrations are space (shaded walkways, benches, and playgrounds) determined to protect historic areas, they often need are a valuable urban oasis. In 1992 plans for the support to identify the full range of their cultural lake’s development had been to sweep away all exist- assets, undertake multisectoral planning, and insti- ing buildings and landscaping on its east bank and tute mechanisms to effectively control private de- rebuild with high-rise apartment blocks. However, velopment. The World-Bank-financed projects have over the course of project preparation and discus- supported local initiatives to address these issues by sions with the World Bank, Ningbo’s planners began providing investments and TA as discussed below. to emphasize conservation and recreational develop- ment around the lake. Today, the historic lakefront Increasing Local Awareness is a focal point of relaxation for Ningbo’s residents and Multisectoral Planning that has maintained the relevance and attractiveness International best practice emphasizes the impor- of the historic core for the city at large. The lake has tance of developing a clear understanding of the full created an area with physical links among the city range of historic, scientific, and cultural significance center, historic neighborhoods, commercial areas, China–World Bank PartnershiP on Cultural heritage Conservation 13 n  The historic  Moon Lake area  contrasts with  the density of  the surrounding  city, making  it a favorite  for residents  and tourists in  Ningbo, Zhejiang  Province. and public spaces. The historic area thus connects all of the elements of a high-quality urban lifestyle for Zhejiang Multicities Development Project residents, as well as being an attractive destinations (FY1993) for tourists (Ebbe and Hankey 1999). The project was designed to strengthen the plan- ning and delivery of urban services in Shaoxing, Strengthening Development-Control Hangzhou, Wenzhou, and Ningbo in Zhejiang Mechanisms Province. In Ningbo, the project widened major An area that is particularly challenging in China’s roads and improved urban services (sewage, storm rapidly growing cities is to define and control the drains, power, and street lighting) along their alignment. Cultural heritage conservation activi- appropriate quality, mix, and relationships of land ties also were supported in Ningbo, which began use to avoid unsympathetic development adjacent evolving sometime before 770 B.C. and contains to historic sites. International and Chinese conser- many culturally significant residential, religious, vation policies that address this issue include the cre- and institutional buildings. The project conserved ation of buffer zones, controls on building heights, and repaired historic bridges, gates, and embank- and the preservation of significant views (ICOMOS ments along the path of project-supported roads. Preliminary road alignments were changed to China 2002, ICOMOS Australia 1999). While save cultural heritage and, when doing so was not many historic cities in China have good regulations possible, some significant buildings were moved to to protect cultural heritage, project experience has other locations. shown that the ability and political will to effectively Source: Zhejiang Multicities Development PAD and enforce these regulations cannot stand up against ICR. the current level of pressure for development. 14 Conserving the Past as a Foundation For the Future aims to improve the conditions on Lion Mountain, “Great places to live are great which provides an important buffer between the places to visit.�4 ancient and new parts of the UNESCO World Heritage City of Lijiang. Investments in water sup- —ningbo tourism development integrated report 2008–2018 ply, drainage, and sewer networks are planned to address infrastructure issues on the mountain. In addition, 32 hectares (ha) of environmental green- A number of options for development control have ing and landscaping are intended to help pre- been recommended and explored by the World- serve the authenticity of the buffer zone’s setting. Bank-financed projects. These options include: Approximately nine kilometers of hiking trails will (1) developing manuals with principles, guidelines, be improved and traffic management introduced, and practical advice for conserving and manag- in lieu of road widening, for the existing hilltop ing historic cities and sites over the long term; access road. Investments are expected to maintain (2) forming specific municipal units with the author- the environmentally sound use of the mountain by ity to control all development and conservation in residents and tourists and support this buffer zone’s historic areas; and (3) requiring all proponents of de- long-term ability to protect the visual integrity and velopment activities (city agencies or private develop- significance of Lijiang. ers) to submit cultural heritage impact assessments. While these projects have had some success in sup- Another example of support for development con- porting individual control mechanisms such as creat- trols is found in the Shandong Confucius and Mencius ing and enforcing buffer zones, the more far-reaching Cultural Heritage Conservation and Development Project municipal controls described in this paragraph have (FY2011). The project supports the development of not yet been adopted by project sites. This reality is a handbook to help manage historic city planning an indication of the difficulty of arriving at consen- as well as the conservation, operation, and main- sus and commitment strong enough to implement ef- tenance of cultural heritage assets. The handbook fective and comprehensive controls. also is intended to prevent demolition of existing buildings of heritage significance (public or privately An example of project work to support buffer zones owned) and minimize new construction designed as is found in investments under the Yunnan Urban mere copies of ancient styles. Specifically designed Environment Project (FY2009). One project component for the cities of Qufu and Zoucheng, the handbook will develop strengthened regulations and design n  Many tourists  guidance for ancient buildings, historic areas, buf- climb Lion  Mountain in search  fer zones, and new construction. The handbook also of this view of  can be a valuable resource for other Chinese cities the traditional  and cultural heritage protection institutions, as well urban landscape  in Lijiang, Yunnan  as international organizations and specialists who Province. undertake cultural heritage conservation in China’s historic cities. 3.2 Upgrading Basic Infrastructure With appropriate design and materials, infrastruc- ture can be upgraded while maintaining the tradi- tional character of historic cities and sites. China–World Bank PartnershiP on Cultural heritage Conservation 15 construction of infrastructure elements and instal- Yunnan Urban Environment Project lations that are compatible with historic areas and (FY2009) buildings (Vines 2005). These guidelines are based on The UNESCO World Heritage City of Lijiang is the specific characteristics of the historic cities and known for its extensive cultural and natural land- sites for which they will be used. The guidelines in- scapes, which are manifestations of the harmonious clude (1) choosing designs, fixtures, and connections fusion of different cultural traditions and architec- that create minimal destruction of historic structures tural styles. However, the rapid growth of Lijiang’s and streetscapes; and (2) selecting infrastructure ele- population and tourism has created a need to up- grade the historic city’s environmental management ments and materials such as streetlights and sidewalk infrastructure. The project supports environmental pavers that reflect the historic character of the specif- management improvements for the ancient city: ic place. While some administrators express concern (1) a new waste water treatment plant and improve- about the extra expense of these choices, innovative ments to the sewage system, and (2) a new landfill design solutions can be cost neutral. and solid waste collection system. The project also aims to improve conditions on Lion Mountain to increase the sustainability of this important buffer An example of infrastructure investment enhancing zone between the old and new areas of the city. a historic area is found under the Xi’an Sustainable Urban Transport Project (FY2008). Xi’an’s key challenge Source: Yunnan Urban Environment PAD. is the need to balance the conservation of the city’s traditional character with the demands of access and mobility for a municipality with an urban popula- Upgrading basic infrastructure services can have a tion of five million, a high-technology industry, and dramatically negative impact on the quality of his- world-class universities. The project is improving toric cities and sites, degrading or destroying their value and significance. For example, power and telecommunications lines can create visual clutter; Shandong Confucius and Mencius Cultural water and electricity installations can damage his- Heritage Conservation and Development toric buildings; and widened roads can isolate tra- Project (FY2011) ditional neighborhoods. Cost-saving measures and The purpose of the project is to assist Shandong insensitive design decisions for infrastructure invest- Province in enhancing cultural heritage conserva- ments on the part of local administrations have dra- tion and sustainable tourism management, including matically undermined some historic areas in China. the provision of improved infrastructure services, in Given the extent of infrastructure work supported Qufu and Zoucheng. The historic cities of Qufu and Zoucheng are the hometowns, respectively, of Con- by projects developed under the China-World Bank fucius and his disciple, Mencius, two great philoso- partnership, the following aspects of upgrading phers of ancient China. The temple, cemetery, and were accorded special attention. family mansion of Confucius in Qufu are inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The project Designing Infrastructure to Enhance supports (1) the conservation and presentation of key Historic Areas cultural heritage sites, (2) infrastructure upgrading in the historic cities, (3) historic city regeneration and Infrastructure upgrading by World-Bank-financed management, (4) sustainable tourism development, projects has shown that, if properly designed, these and (5) training for communities in tourism-related investments can enhance the traditional character income generation. of historic areas. According to international recom- Source: Shandong Confucius and Mencius Cultural Heri- mendations, projects have supported the develop- tage Conservation and Development Project Draft PAD. ment of guidelines for the design, specification, and 16 Conserving the Past as a Foundation For the Future transport infrastructure and traffic management to opportunities for local economic development. This create a more livable environment within the his- stance has had the advantage of providing benefits n  The Confucius  toric urban core, the Ming Walled City. Rather than for the poor, who often live near or within heritage Cemetery is one of  the World Heritage  widening roads to accommodate increasing traffic in sites, be they historic urban cores or remote heri- sites in Qufu that  the walled city, the Xi’an project aims to reduce con- tage parks. Investment in surrounding communities will benefit from  gestion by diverting traffic around and outside the also addresses the conservation goal of providing investments under  the Shandong  city walls. The noise, pollution, and parking needs project. created by tourism within the walled city are to be further reduced by developing bicycle paths that con- xi’an Sustainable Urban Transport Project nect all of the major tourist sites and by promoting (FY2008) bicycle touring. In addition, the project is supporting streetscape improvements, safer conditions for walk- Xi’an, the eastern end point of the Silk Road, ing and cycling, and traffic-calming measures. These attracts millions of tourists every year to the world-renowned Qin Terracotta Warriors, the positive changes not only facilitate tourism but also Ming Walled City, and the archaeological site of improve the daily lives of residents in Xi’an. Chang’an. The project aims to assist Xi’an Munic- ipality to improve the city’s major road networks, Including Attention to Communities public transportation, and traffic and air quality and Context management. To reduce traffic, the project will di- Many conventions and guidelines for heritage con- vert vehicles from the Ming Walled City (MWC); and develop a network of bicycle routes within it to servation mention the importance of providing com- link all the main tourist sites, city gates, and forth- munity benefits as part this work (UNESCO 2005). coming metro stations. At Chang’an, the project World-Bank-financed projects supporting cultural supports infrastructure, landscaping, signage, and heritage in China have included infrastructure up- the reconstruction the Han Dynasty road system grading based on an understanding that these invest- around the Weiyang Palace, the primary asset ments are important, not only for the sustainable within the archaeological site. development and protection of heritage sites but Source: Xi’an Sustainable Urban Transport PAD. also for raising local standards of living and creating China–World Bank PartnershiP on Cultural heritage Conservation 17 continued meaning to historic sites by maintain- n  Light fixtures  ing them in their cultural and historical contexts used in the  historic area of  (ICOMOS China 2002, ICOMOS International Shaoxing are  2005b). While conservation efforts in China are ef- contemporary,  fectively conserving many major monuments, the but their design  is sympathetic  goal of protecting their surroundings and settings to the traditional  could receive more attention. streetscapes. Under the Chongqing Urban Environment Project (FY2000), the Huguang Huiguan, a large complex of ancient buildings, was conserved and adaptively reused for activities to benefit local communities and develop tourism. As part of planning for the project’s long-term sustainability, the government invested in basic infrastructure upgrading for the historic complex and its surrounding low-income neighborhoods. City officials also have stressed the importance of providing for local residents’ other needs by addressing employment generation, commercial and residential land use, and tourism development. 3.3 Improving Traditional Housing Upgrading traditional housing is important if rising standard of living. Traditional housing of- neighborhoods in historic cities are to retain their ten lacks the sanitation, electricity, and floor plans residents and unique sense of place. typical of modern lifestyles. In areas in which sub- standard housing is the norm, several homeowner A major challenge of urban regeneration and interventions have had a negative impact on the cultural heritage conservation efforts in China’s historic qualities of their neighborhoods. In some historic cities is the necessity to provide housing cases, homeowners begin to improve their homes that meets residents’ increasing expectations for a ad hoc as their incomes rise, resulting in a loss of n  The project  in Xi’an aims to  reduce traffic  congestion in  the Ming Walled  City to conserve  the historic  urban fabric  and improve the  quality of life. 18 Conserving the Past as a Foundation For the Future Chongqing Urban Environment Project Providing Support (FY2000) for Residential Upgrading Due to the prevalence of low-income households in This project focused primarily on developing ur- most historic neighborhoods and traditional villag- ban infrastructure to improve wastewater and solid es, the World-Bank-financed projects have found it waste management, increase water supplies, and important to support traditional housing repair and upgrade water quality monitoring. Working with the Chongqing Cultural Heritage Bureau, the proj- upgrading work with either grant or cost-sharing ect also supported a strategic master plan to con- programs. Even in low-income areas, cost-sharing serve cultural heritage in the municipality. Based programs have experienced strong homeowner par- on this master plan, the city requested a project ticipation and stimulated additional investments by component to conserve the historically significant, individual owners. but seriously deteriorated, complex of merchant guild houses, known as Huguang Huiguan. Design guidelines that are user-friendly and provide Source: Chongqing Urban Environment PAD and ICR. multiple visual examples of good and bad work have been financed by projects to help homeowners understand best practice in residential upgrading. traditional architecture and uniform streetscapes. Projects also have found that it is helpful to cre- In other cases, homeowners move to more modern ate locally based technical units to provide advice housing and are replaced by lower-income families and quality control to the residents who use these with less ability to maintain properties, resulting in a programs. To be sustainable, residential upgrad- downward spiral of deterioration. To address these ing guidelines have emphasized modern standards homeowner responses and their impact on historic of living, including (1) the sensitive installation of areas, World-Bank-financed projects have provided modern services such as satellite dishes and air support for residential upgrading and protection for conditioners and (2) the adaptation of interior lay- low-income residents. outs to accommodate the addition of kitchens and bathrooms. n  The Chongqing  project supported  the upgrading of  infrastructure  in the Huguang  Huiguan’s adjacent  neighborhoods to  raise standards of  living and maintain  the historic context  of the site. China–World Bank PartnershiP on Cultural heritage Conservation 19 n  Design  Inner Mongolia and Yunnan Earthquake guidelines,  Reconstruction Program (FY1996) grants, and  TA helped  Lijiang, a UNESCO World Heritage City, is known households  for its vibrant ethnic minority cultures and a uni- participating in  formly traditional cityscape that is ingeniously built the earthquake  reconstruction  on a network of streams and water channels. In re- program to  sponse to an earthquake that caused severe damage, maintain their  the project provided funding to repair basic infra- homes’ traditional  structure, schools, hospitals, and industrial enterpris- characteristics  es. At the local government’s request, funding also in Lijiang. was set aside to repair cultural heritage assets, includ- ing ancient streets, sidewalks, bridges, and tradition- al housing. Source: Inner Mongolia and Yunnan Earthquake Recon- struction Project Memorandum and Recommendation of the President and ICR. do much of the work. To support them, guidelines were developed and a technical unit created to pro- vide advice on construction techniques and materials Examples of project support for residential pro- that would maintain the architectural consistency of grams include the Inner Mongolia and Yunnan Earthquake the traditional housing and streetscapes and be more Reconstruction Program (FY1996). To address the dam- earthquake resistant (Ebbe and Hankey 2001). age to traditional housing caused by an earthquake in 1996, project activities in Yunnan supported a grant Another example of residential upgrading is found program for housing reconstruction that was deemed under the Shanghai Urban Environment Project, APL 1 necessary because of the urgency of rehousing fami- (FY2003). The project upgraded units in lane-style lies and because building materials had become scarce (li-long) apartment buildings that were built in the and expensive. Homeowners themselves planned to 1920s and 1930s in the historic district of Hongkou in n  In Shaoxing,  the residential  upgrading  program  stimulated  additional  improvements  by at least  80 percent of  participants, as  shown in this  updated kitchen. 20 Conserving the Past as a Foundation For the Future n  Before and  after photos of  improvements  to electrical  wiring for historic  apartment  buildings in  Shanghai’s  Hongkou District  show an increase  in residents’  safety. Shanghai. All of the buildings were in poor condition Protecting Low-Income Residents and housed residents with varying incomes who had As historic city centers begin to regenerate, rising living space of, generally, less than 15 m2 per house- property values and rents can displace low-income hold and shared kitchens and bathrooms with mul- residents. To protect community members and tiple households. Housing upgrading improved about fledgling businesses, municipalities can develop 2,500 housing units and retained the functionality of subsidized rent and ownership programs and other the historic buildings. The work was done to maxi- forms of cross-subsidies. Where extremely high den- mize the number of residents retained in their units. sities have been a concern, World-Bank-financed projects have supported compensation payments and resettlement in equivalent or better replace- n  The earthquake  reconstruction  ment units outside the city core to provide residents work in Lijiang  with options, according to both international and repaired  Chinese guidelines. However, in these cases, one of ancient streets,  sidewalks, and  the most difficult questions, which is not yet clearly water channels.  resolved, is, “Who stays and who must go?� Shanghai Urban Environment Project, APL 1 (FY2003) The primary objectives of this project were to put in place some of the enabling conditions and fa- cilities to pursue an integrated, metropolitan-wide approach to managing the urban environment, for both the city center and its surrounding districts. Adjacent to the vibrant and extremely modern city center are districts that have excessively high den- sities, deteriorated housing, and infrastructure that has outlived its useful life. To address this urban poverty in Hongkou Historic District, the project provided funding to upgrade the structural elements and basic services of low-rise apartment blocks. Source: Shanghai Urban Environment Project APL 1 PAD and ICR. China–World Bank PartnershiP on Cultural heritage Conservation 21 Box 2 Tale of Two Cities: Urban Regeneration, Resettlement, and Tourism Development in Shaoxing and Cicheng In conjunction with the Zhejiang Urban Environment Proj- destinations such as boutique hotels, restaurants, exhi- ect (FY2004), the city of Shaoxing has repaired and bition halls, and shops. upgraded modest Ming and Qing dynasty housing in the canal-side neighborhoods of its historic urban The resettlement programs in Shaoxing and Cicheng core. As is the case in many historic cities, to conserve created very different results. In Shaoxing, the historic traditional streetscapes and housing patterns, it was neighborhoods and their traditional waterside lifestyle necessary to decrease the extreme residential densi- continue much as they have for many decades. Shaox- ties that had evolved over time. However, the goal of ing’s leaders see the neighborhoods as an important Shaoxing’s housing program was to create a healthier tourism asset and tourists as a source of income for the living environment, while keeping in place as many of neighborhoods’ low-income residents. In Cicheng, ex- the neighborhood residents as possible to conserve the tensive resettlement has resulted in empty streets and existing social fabric and networks that are important public spaces that have lost their local character and to support daily life, especially for the poor. In the end, interest. approximately 8,000 households remained in place and benefited from upgraded housing and services and Unfortunately, Cicheng’s approach to resettlement often about 700 households were resettled to modern apart- is the norm in China. Local residents are asked to move ments outside the urban core. from historic areas because a property developer has been contracted by the government to develop the areas In addition to Shaoxing, the Zhejiang project support- for tourism. This development model often ignores and ed investments in the small historic town of Cicheng obscures local characteristics. Instead, visitors are pre- to improve its roads, sanitation, and historic moat. sented with an artificial commercial model devised by Cicheng undertook a city-financed program to reha- property developers rather than the actual local culture bilitate traditional housing and historic buildings. In and history. The very characteristics that attract visitors contrast to Shaoxing, Cicheng undertook resettlement to historic places no longer exist. The quickly grow- that, while meeting the World Bank and Chinese re- ing sophistication and expectations of Chinese tourists quirements, was designed to completely empty historic means that these inauthentic and uninteresting places buildings and maximize the resettlement of residents are not likely to be successful in the long term. out of its historic core. Traditional buildings in Cicheng were emptied and renovated for use as tourist Source: World Bank project experience. n  The relaxed  canal-side  lifestyle continues  much as it has  for the last  several decades  in the upgraded  traditional  neighborhoods  of Shaoxing. 22 Conserving the Past as a Foundation For the Future Supporting Best Practice in Conserving and Presenting Cultural Heritage China has a vast amount of valuable cultural conservation, the laws and regulations are not al- heritage and a corresponding level of challenges ways matched by the capacity of the institutions for its protection and conservation. To date, na- and professionals charged with implementing tionwide inventories in China have identified over them. More generally, there is a shortage of archi- 400,000 cultural sites, and more than 100 cities tects, planners, city managers, and engineers who have been labeled national-level Historically and have been trained with sensitivity to cultural heri- Culturally Famous Cities (Development Gateway tage conservation. There also is a shortage of firms 2006). In addition, the country has 40 properties and craftspersons who possess the technical ability on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. Under the to implement the high-quality specifications neces- Ministry of Culture, SACH is responsible to protect sary for authentic conservation of historic buildings this heritage through the development of national and monuments. cultural heritage policy, legislation, and technical standards. SACH coordinates its work through Several other factors are undermining conservation provincial, municipal, and county cultural heritage practice in China. For example, elsewhere in the bureaus. world, participatory planning in cultural heritage conservation has been shown to be a highly effective While China has fairly well-developed institution- means of increasing community awareness, support, al and legislative frameworks for cultural heritage and stewardship. However, participatory planning is n  The Shandong  project supports  the conservation  of the Confucius  temple in  Qufu, a World  Heritage Site. China–World Bank PartnershiP on Cultural heritage Conservation 23 not yet widely used by city officials or site managers n  The Gansu  in China. It is also difficult for managers of historic project is  supporting the  cities and sites to implement common strategies for updating of a  the long-term sustainability of conservation, such as conservation and  budgeting for regular maintenance. management plan  for the Jiayuguan  Fortress. This  To strengthen cultural heritage conservation prac- plan is required  tice, China has asked the World Bank for assistance by its UNESCO  World Heritage  with (1) improving the capacity of the institutions status. and professionals responsible for conservation, (2) building community appreciation for cultural heritage, and (3) enhancing the sustainability of conservation work. 4.1 Supporting Conservation Institutions and Specialists A high quality of conservation practice is necessary to preserve cultural heritage with all of its values and significance. The number of skilled professionals directly charged with heritage protection in China’s cultural heritage bureaus is small. Furthermore, they often lack suf- ficient funding and political support to adequately defend historic cities and sites against development pressures. Unlike in other countries, cultural heritage bureaus in China are not clearly attached to either municipal planning or development permitting of- fices, potentially restricting the bureaus’ voice in de- and updated conservation and management plans velopment decisions (Hankey and Brammah 2005). for World Heritage sites. Limited opportunities for exposure to international best practices in research, planning, and conserva- In addition, capacity building has been supported tion are an additional drawback for cultural heritage through financing for international TA, training, professionals. and study tours for China’s cultural heritage profes- sionals. To increase cultural heritage bureaus’ input Developing Tools in urban planning and investments, World-Bank- and Technical Assistance financed projects have supported their inclusion Projects developed under the China-World Bank in decisionmaking. One option supported by these partnership have aimed to support the cultural heri- projects is the formation of municipal committees tage sector by developing conservation tools that composed of all government departments that im- can be long-term resources for cultural heritage pact on the city’s built environment, including pub- bureaus, planners, and site managers. These tools lic utilities, infrastructure, planning, and heritage include cultural heritage strategies, digital archives, conservation. 24 Conserving the Past as a Foundation For the Future information gathered was synthesized to generate recommendations for immediate, intermediate, and long-term actions. In response to the findings, the local government requested project support for conservation of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Leshan Grand Buddha. The 1,200-year-old statue was carved into riverside cliffs between 713 A.D. and 803 A.D. and was in need of protection and stabilization, due to water and air pollution. One example of TA for conservation is found un- der the Chongqing Urban Environment Project (FY2000). To support the conservation and adaptive reuse of the Huguang Huiguan, international conservation specialists were funded to provide TA. These ex- perts collaborated with the cultural heritage bureau and the local architect for the project, Chongqing University’s Department of Architecture and Urban Planning. To facilitate an effective working partnership, the university established five teams composed of the department’s graduate students to work on the complex. The teams worked closely with the international specialists who were present in Chongqing every other month. Cooperation with these experts enabled the university teams to gain first-hand knowledge of international standards for conservation and adaptive reuse and valuable Sichuan Urban Environment Project (FY1999) The primary goals of the project were to provide health and environmental benefits through im- provements to the province’s water supply and n  A province-wide  An example of developing conservation tools and waste water systems. The project also worked with survey of cultural  long-term planning with cultural heritage bureaus the Sichuan Cultural Heritage Bureau to develop a assets supported  is found under the Sichuan Urban Environment Project cultural heritage database and a provincial conser- under the Sichuan  project identified  (FY1999). Preparation for the project included vation strategy. One of the better known cultural as- the Leshan Grand  sets in the province, the UNESCO World Heritage work with the cultural heritage bureau on an ex- Buddha as a  site of the Leshan Grand Buddha, was identified for high priority for  tensive survey of the province’s cultural assets and project investments. In addition to stabilization and conservation. the creation of a digital database. Analyses of ex- protection measures, plans were developed for safer pertise, staffing levels, and financial resources were access for the rapidly growing number of visitors. done as inputs to a provincial master plan and Source: Sichuan Urban Environment PAD and ICR. strategy for cultural heritage conservation. The China–World Bank PartnershiP on Cultural heritage Conservation 25 n  The Huguang  “One of the most important results Huiguan is an  of the Huguang Huiguan project for outstanding  example of Qing  us, as a research institution, has been dynasty style and  the opportunity to learn more about the high level of  international conservation standards.�5 craftsmanship  prevalent during  that period. —Zhang Xingguo, Professor, dept. of architecture and urban Planning, Chongqing university on-the-job experience in planning a conservation project from start to finish (Ebbe and others 2005). Making Use of Social and Environmental Policies Attention to the protection of cultural heritage is embedded in social and environmental policy instru- ments used by China and international organizations. Rather than merely performing a policing function, these policies can create an effective link between cul- tural heritage planning and development. For exam- ple, instruments used by the World Bank include the Operational Policies and Bank Procedures (OP/BP), whose key points are briefly summarized below: The ŽŽ Environmental Assessment Safeguard (OP/BP 4.01) requires that physical cultural assets be considered within the assessments done for all projects. Chongqing Urban Environment Project The ŽŽ Physical Cultural Resources Safeguard (OP/BP (FY2000) 4.11) requires that all project management plans have provisions to protect and evaluate “chance This project focused primarily on the development of large-scale urban infrastructure to support the find� cultural heritage assets during project municipality’s rapidly growing population. A stra- implementation. tegic master plan for cultural heritage supported by The Indigenous Peoples Safeguard (OP/BP 4.10) ŽŽ the project identified a complex comprised of sev- requires that project teams consult with indig- eral Qing Dynasty merchants’ guild halls, known enous peoples who are affected by World-Bank- as Huguang Huiguan, for immediate protection supported activities to ensure that they benefit and conservation. The complex of approximately 10,000 square meters was seriously deteriorated. from projects in a culturally appropriate way. However, the traditional roofs, structural elements, and delicate carvings remained intact. This fact, combined with the high level of site documenta- 4.2 Increasing Community tion, meant that the complex could be appropri- Participation and Appreciation ately conserved. Community appreciation of cultural heritage is one Source: Chongqing Urban Environment PAD and ICR. of the most powerful forces for conservation. 26 Conserving the Past as a Foundation For the Future Experience from many other countries suggests that the most effective form of protection for tangible “The key to improving the situation and intangible heritage is a community that un- is to improve local people’s attitudes derstands the value of its heritage and sees itself as towards protection [. . . .] We need the guardian of these cultural assets. Participatory people and the media to play the roles planning often is used to develop this level of under- of monitors and critics.�6 standing and commitment. Involving communities —he shuzhong, Founder, Beijing Cultural heritage in defining their cultural assets and prioritizing ini- Protection Center tiatives for conservation can increase not only their appreciation of heritage but also their willingness to take responsibility for its stewardship. Recent piloting of community-based projects in China has led to a participatory approach in the Involving Stakeholders Guizhou Cultural and Natural Heritage Protection and in Conservation Decisions Development Project (FY2009). Traditional lifestyles Both Chinese and international best practice em- and customs in Guizhou’s ethnic minority villages phasize the importance of consultation with a are evolving as residents become more mobile, tour- broad range of stakeholders in developing plans ism brings new influences, and communities strive to that protect cultural heritage and provide benefits improve their standards of living. Under the project, for communities (ICOMOS China 2002, ICOMOS villagers work with specialists to identify, document, International 1987). To encourage more stakehold- and prioritize the local cultural assets to be con- er participation, projects under the China-World served. This approach has the potential to integrate Bank partnership have provided city officials with ways of conserving tangible and intangible cultural funding and TA to implement resident attitude sur- heritage, employing processes that also reflect the veys and stakeholder consultations. changing customs, priorities, and expectations of communities as they evolve. Experts work with the village groups to prioritize the heritage assets to be Guizhou Cultural and Natural Heritage protected based on their (1) importance to com- Protection and Development Project munity pride and identity, (2) risk of disappearing, (FY2009) and (3) potential to generate income. Village-wide The purpose of the project is to assist Guizhou in voting chooses specific activities that are reflected increasing economic benefits for local communities in project support for village conservation, training, through increased tourism and better protection and sustainable tourism development. of cultural and natural heritage. The project aims to support 17 ethnic minority villages, 4 ancient towns, and 4 national parks. Project activities will Including Local Community include investments in infrastructure upgrading; Characteristics in Site Interpretation housing improvements; and income generation Increasing visitor and community understanding of activities focused on ethnic minority cultural heri- local cultural heritage through interpretation that tage conservation and natural heritage protection presents a site’s history, characteristics, and signifi- in villages, towns, and parks. Facilities in tourism cance is one of the principal means by which cultural gateway communities, such as tourist information heritage sites create social benefit (ICOMOS China centers; and capacity building at the provincial, county, and village levels also will be supported. 2002). Currently, interpretation and presentation of historic cities and sites in China focus largely on pre- Source: Guizhou Cultural and Natural Heritage Protec- senting a limited amount of statistical and chrono- tion and Development PAD. logical information that does not relate the site to its China–World Bank PartnershiP on Cultural heritage Conservation 27 surrounding environment and communities. Local understanding and commitment to cultural heritage sites can be expanded by increasing the content of site interpretation to include (1) the past and pres- ent socioeconomic and environmental context of the sites, and (2) the local populations’ histories and cur- rent relationships with the sites. (See section 5.2 for more on the interpretation of cultural heritage sites.) To provide a rich and informative experience that links local communities to their history and maxi- mizes tourist interest, funding under the Gansu Cultural and Natural Heritage Protection and Development Project (FY2008) supports research and development of interpretation including exhibits, signage, dem- onstrations, performances, guided tours, maps, and brochures. Interpretation will be based on consulta- tion with a wide range of experts and representa- tives from local communities. This collaboration is intended to broaden the presentation of the historic and cultural significance of the site and include the relationships of surrounding communities with the site over time. Community themes may include (1) traditional stories and folktales about the site, as well as local family histories, and (2) the history of local arts and ceremonies related to the site. 4.3 Enhancing the Sustainability of Conservation Activities To deliver social and economic benefits, conserva- tion activities must be sustainable. One of the most common factors undermining the sustainability of conservation activities in China is the lack of financial resources and planning for the op- Improving Post-Conservation Operation, n  Residents in  Zhaoxing, a Dong  eration and maintenance (O&M) of cultural heritage Maintenance, and Monitoring ethnic minority  sites once they are conserved. The majority of his- Chinese best practice emphasizes regular mainte- village, will  toric buildings and sites in China that are owned and nance as one of the most basic and important means participate in a  community-based  managed by government entities receive small annual of conservation (ICOMOS China 2002). Therefore, cultural heritage  allocations for O&M. However, these allocations are it is important for government administrations to inventory  rarely sufficient for routine maintenance, and other plan for the financial and human resources that will supported by the  Guizhou project. improvements in conservation and interpretation. be needed for regular maintenance of the cultural heritage sites that receive investments. One strategy 28 Conserving the Past as a Foundation For the Future n  The Gansu  benefits of conservation activities. Once benefits are project supports  interpretation for  documented, conservation can be evaluated on the all nine project  basis of the benefits it creates. World-Bank-financed sites, including  projects in China have supported TA and funding Mati Temple,  to design M&E systems that measure economic and where it will  be used by this  social benefits and improvements in conservation young guide. practices. Under the Zhejiang Urban Environment Project (FY2004), a M&E plan was developed for the conservation work done in the five historic neighborhoods of Shaoxing. A wide range of activities was evaluated including the impact of project work on (1) social and urban conditions, (2) economic development, and (3) im- provement of conservation practice. For social ben- efits, the M&E system evaluated increased awareness of heritage, quality of cultural life, and positive sense of place through resident attitude surveys. The M&E system also gathered information on changes in the number of cultural heritage associations, members, and activities undertaken. The M&E of changes in conservation practice included the number of “qual- ity-of-work-certifications� issued to conservationists and contractors, and experts’ analysis of the quality of conservation work completed. used by World-Bank-financed projects in China to Gansu Cultural and Natural Heritage address the lack of funds is to build the capacity of Protection and Development Project sites to generate extrabudgetary revenues for O&M (FY2008) needs. TA has been provided to develop strategies The purpose of the project is to generate benefits to increase ticket sales through promotions and es- for local communities based on the development tablish other income-generating activities that are of sustainable cultural tourism in Gansu. Work compatible with the historic nature of the sites. will focus on the conservation of nine key cultural These strategies include (1) developing public/pri- heritage sites, including interpretation and presen- vate partnerships to provide on-site services, such tation of this heritage. In addition, the project will as traditional teahouses; and (2) creating special support infrastructure upgrading, tourism services, and environmental protection at these sites. The fee-for-service activities, such as performances and project also will support training for site managers, photographers’ tours. staff, and local residents in heritage conservation, site management, and tourism development. Another project-supported strategy focuses on jus- Source: Gansu Cultural and Natural Heritage Protection tifying O&M budgets by developing monitoring and Development PAD. and evaluation (M&E) systems that document the China–World Bank PartnershiP on Cultural heritage Conservation 29 Avoiding the Replication of Ancient Zhejiang Urban Environment Project Styles in New Buildings (FY2004) The desire to copy ancient architectural styles in new buildings is deeply ingrained in Chinese archi- The project aims to strengthen the collection and tectural practice. However, international best prac- treatment of wastewater and improve urban in- frastructure services in the cities of Hangzhou, tice emphasizes that the style, scale, and materials Ningbo, and Shaoxing. In Shaoxing, the project of new buildings in historic areas should be com- is supporting the upgrading of essential services, patible with the existing historic architecture, yet traditional housing, and public spaces for five tra- recognizable as contemporary (UNESCO 2005). ditional neighborhoods, which were built on an The mimicking of ancient architectural styles in ancient system of canals. More than 2,500 years new construction undermines the value of real old, Shaoxing has played a key role as a political, economic, and cultural center throughout the mil- heritage assets by seeming to reduce their unique- lennia. For this project, the city’s overarching goal ness and thereby their capacity to generate rev- is to conserve the traditional neighborhoods with enue. Frequently, residents and visitors to historic their existing communities and waterside lifestyles, areas in China without specialized knowledge can- which give the city its unique character. not discern the difference between authentic his- Source: Zhejiang Urban Environment Project PAD. toric buildings and these false copies. Such copies undermine the credibility of all historic areas. To address this issue, World-Bank-financed projects that emphasize design elements that are compat- have developed guidelines for new construction ible with, but not copies of, ancient styles. n  The monitoring  and evaluation  system supported  by the Zhejiang  project in  Shaoxing  measured social  and economic  benefits and  improvements  to conservation  work. 30 Conserving the Past as a Foundation For the Future Strengthening the Links between Conservation and Local Economic Development Most local governments face significant and com- local cultural heritage by residents, and (3) positive peting demands for scarce resources in providing local identity and its related social capital, which their citizens with safe, productive living environ- can be channeled into energy for conservation and ments. Consequently, to justify investment in cul- other development challenges. tural heritage conservation, it is important that it create social and economic benefits for local com- Project experience in China has found that local offi- munities. Economic benefits that can accrue di- cials face constraints in fully translating the potential rectly to historic neighborhoods include increased of cultural heritage conservation into robust social property values, jobs, and incomes. An additional, and economic benefits for their communities. Many more overarching economic benefit is that unique urban leaders do not have access to the expertise historic areas have the potential to increase the vis- needed to envision and plan for a city identity that ibility and positive image of cities to enable them celebrates its authentic cultural heritage. Without to attract outside investment and world-class talent. this support and vision, the advantages of adapt- It also is important to consider the social benefits ing and integrating significant buildings into city of cultural heritage conservation. These include development can be overwhelmed by the pressures (1) the protection of patrimony for future genera- for extensive demolition, idealized reconstructions, tions, (2) increased awareness and enjoyment of and excessive restorations. The loss of these built n  Local labor  and materials  are being used  to resurface this  traditional lane  with stone pavers  in Qingcheng,  Gansu. China–World Bank PartnershiP on Cultural heritage Conservation 31 heritage assets undermines the material authenticity and tourism potential of their cities. Moreover, lead- “…to date, our conservation work has been ers often need TA to develop effective cultural tour- concerned only with conservation. [Now] we also ism strategies and avoid its negative impacts. Many have to plan for economic development and the tourism developers and site managers believe that ability of the site to be self-supporting.�7 more visitors and more entrance fees are the solution —Zhang Xingguo, Professor, dept. of architecture to all problems. However, the overdevelopment of and urban Planning, Chongqing university tourism has resulted in many cultural heritage sites that show insufficient returns, deteriorating cultural assets, environmental degradation, excessive com- that the conservation of cultural heritage buildings mercialization, and inauthentic development that is labor intensive and creates more jobs than new obscures the actual culture and history. construction. In addition, the use of traditional con- struction materials and techniques implies the pur- To address poverty reduction and sustainable devel- chase of local goods and services and more extensive opment through cultural heritage, the China-World circulation of money in the local economy than with Bank partnership projects have supported invest- new construction (Rypkema 2008). ments and capacity building for two strategies that show strong potential to generate economic and Planning for Multiple Issues social benefits. These are the (1) adaptive reuse of To effectively plan adaptive reuse initiatives, proj- historic buildings and (2) support for sustainable cul- ect experience has shown that it is important to tural tourism. fully consider many factors beyond conservation. As a first step, it is important to analyze market demand for different activities and determine 5.1 Adapting Historic Buildings whether buildings have the capacity to safely sup- for New Uses port these activities. Building issues include the abil- Adaptive reuse is an effective strategy for both sus- ity to meet contemporary fire and safety codes and tainable conservation and economic development. Many historic buildings that are owned and man- n  Conservation  and adaptive reuse  aged by the government do not have adequate projects create  budgets to be maintained or fully developed for the employment for  education and enjoyment of visitors. There also are skilled craftspersons  and provide training  many other significant buildings with no government opportunities for  support, which are rapidly deteriorating. Adaptive others. reuse is a strategy based on international recommen- dations and experience that has found that historic buildings are more likely to be maintained and cared for when they host activities relevant to the daily lives of their surrounding communities (ICOMOS International 1964). These buildings create venues for new activities that lead to increased economic activity. Adaptive reuse also is a direct and signifi- cant source of jobs. Studies in developing countries, as well as in Europe and North America all show 32 Conserving the Past as a Foundation For the Future load-bearing requirements. The potential revenues Chongqing Urban Environment Project to be gained from completed projects must be com- (FY2000) pared to the costs of building adaptation, infrastruc- ture upgrading, and O&M. It also is important to In Chongqing, the restoration and adaptive reuse assess social costs and benefits, such as resettlement of the Huguang Huiguan merchants’ guild com- versus job creation. Once new uses are finalized, plex was supported by the project to maximize work based on technical specifications and detailed its potential to deliver both social and economic benefits to the community. The complex is situated working drawings done by qualified entities, in close in the rapidly growing and modernizing heart of consultation with local cultural heritage bureaus, is the city and is the most extensive example of guild important to ensure successful outcomes. hall development existing in Chongqing proper. It covers one hectare and comprises several guild Providing Ongoing Management halls that were constructed and modified over the The range of new uses to consider for adapted course of the Qing dynasty (1644–1911). The project work aimed to adapt the heritage site to buildings is broad. Dynamic, community-oriented generate tourism and create a unique setting for activities can include community centers and servic- commercial and cultural activities. es, offices, shops and small and medium enterprises. To create the critical level of activity and spending Source: Chongqing Urban Environment PAD and ICR. needed to make adapted buildings and sites suc- cessful, it may be necessary to identify private sec- tor entities to develop and manage new activities. customization, types of activity, and responsibilities However, for sustainable conservation outcomes, it for O&M (Ebbe and others 2005). is advisable that local authorities maintain responsi- bility for overall management to ensure appropriate The factors outlined above provided the ba- use and maintenance of the buildings. An important sis for adaptive reuse under the Chongqing Urban part of this management is to develop strong rental Environment Project (FY2000). In collaboration with agreements for new users that regulate the extent of local authorities and designers, specialists provided n  The adaptive  reuse of the  Huguang Huiguan  has generated  economic activity  and provided an  opportunity for  residents to learn  more about their  cultural heritage. China–World Bank PartnershiP on Cultural heritage Conservation 33 guidance for restoring and adapting the Huguang n  The Confucius  Huiguan complex. Planning established the physi- Temple in Qufu  is a popular site  cal condition of the structures and infrastructure, that will draw  the estimated cost of necessary upgrading, po- many tourists to  tential revenue generation, and the existing and the new activities  developed through  expected real estate values. Work focusing on the adaptive reuse  surrounding neighborhoods included a socioeco- of the nearby  nomic survey of the local residents and business Confucius mansion. community, and an analysis of future resident and tourist demand for services. Based on the outcome of these investigations, the buildings were restored and adapted as venues for a theater, exhibit hall, museum, and cultural center. The Chongqing project has enhanced economic development in the city center by providing a focal point for the municipality’s civic events, creating a new tourism site, and stimulating small business start-ups in the site’s surrounding neighborhoods. The social benefits of the restoration and these new functions are seen as (1) conserving evidence production of a building, including the mining and of Chongqing’s achievements for future gen- processing of natural resources to manufacture, erations, (2) strengthening the local community’s transport, and assemble building materials). identification with their long history as a city of river-based immigrants and traders, and (3) pro- viding a pleasant and educational place in which to experience local cultural heritage (Ebbe and Shandong Confucius and Mencius Cultural others 2005). Heritage Conservation and Development Project (FY2011) Another example of adaptive reuse is planned for The purpose of the project is to assist Shandong the Shandong Confucius and Mencius Cultural Heritage Province in enhancing cultural heritage conser- Conservation and Development Project. One project com- vation and sustainable tourism management in ponent focuses on the conservation and adaptive Qufu and Zoucheng. These historic cities are the reuse of two significant historic buildings that are hometowns of Confucius and his important dis- ciple, Mencius. The temple, cemetery, and family underutilized. The Confucius and Mencius man- mansion of Confucius in Qufu are inscribed on sions are very large former residences that will be the UNESCO World Heritage List. The project adapted to host new productive functions ranging supports (1) conserving and presenting key cultural from knowledge centers to growth poles for sustain- heritage sites, (2) upgrading infrastructure in the able tourism. By using low-impact traditional tech- historic cities, (3) regenerating and managing his- niques and locally available building materials, and toric cities, (4) developing sustainable tourism, and (5) training communities in tourism-related in- reusing existing buildings for new functions instead come generation. of constructing new buildings, the project supports the principle of conserving embodied energy (en- Source: Shandong Confucius and Mencius Cultural Heri- tage Conservation and Development Project Draft PAD. ergy consumed by all the processes related to the 34 Conserving the Past as a Foundation For the Future 5.2 Facilitating Sustainable the quickly evolving sophistication and expectations Cultural Tourism of Chinese travelers. Cultural tourism can be an important incentive Institutional barriers also are significant, with con- for conservation and a strong force for economic flicting or unclear authority over the cultural assets development. and the sites in which they are located. In many cases, tourism authorities control the sites but are While China is one of the fastest growing destina- not officially responsible for the cultural assets with- tions for international tourism in the world, even in them. This ambiguity of authority has led to the more significant is the country’s rapid growth of over-building of tourism infrastructure and little or domestic tourism. In 2010 revenue from local tour- no conservation of the assets themselves. To address ism is estimated to have reached US$172 billion, the rapid growth in pressure from tourism and the compared with approximately only US$43 billion underdeveloped state of the sector, the World-Bank- from foreign tourism (Wan 2010). According to financed projects have been designed to help tour- statistics collected by the China National Tourism ism bureaus build their capacity, site managers to Administration (CNTA), during the annual week- undertake integrated development, and communi- long National Day holiday in October 2010, ap- ties to improve their ability to derive benefits from proximately 254 million Chinese tourists visited tourism. scenic spots throughout the country. Statistics also showed that, during this holiday, visitors increased Supporting Tourism Bureaus by 27 percent from 2009 to 2010. Also during 2009 in Strategic Planning to 2010, total tourism revenue rose by 32 percent To facilitate fact-based planning and investment, (China Hospitality News 2010). Although more World-Bank-financed projects have supported mar- work remains to be done on creating consistent defi- ket research and analysis for specific project sites. nitions, recording, and analysis of tourism numbers, Research has identified sector trends, relevant tar- clearly, domestic tourism is significant and growing. get groups, and future growth potential. This in- The pace of this growth implies an urgent need to formation has been used by projects to build the plan to protect cultural heritage sites and their sur- capacity of tourism bureaus to create and imple- rounding communities. ment strategies for branding, marketing, and devel- oping tourism products. These projects also have At the national level, the responsibility for tourism supported training and study tours for tourism au- development and planning lies with CNTA, which thorities and site managers to raise their awareness coordinates its work through tourism bureaus at the of international best practice in cultural tourism provincial, municipal, and county levels. Exposure development. to the latest best practices for cultural tourism de- velopment in these bureaus often is low, especially Investing in Integrated Site Development outside the cities and sites on the country’s east Projects under the China-World Bank partnership coast. The levels of investment being made in access have aimed to create a sustainable foundation for roads, parking lots, and exhibit halls at many cul- cultural tourism through planning and investment tural tourism sites reflect preparation for the grow- that integrates conservation, basic infrastructure up- ing numbers of tourists. However, the investment in grading, tourism products and services, training for conservation and interpretation is not adequate to local communities, and administrative systems for protect cultural sites over the long term and to meet site monitoring and maintenance. China–World Bank PartnershiP on Cultural heritage Conservation 35 n  This young  woman is  employed by  a producer of  Shaoxing’s famous  yellow rice wine to  paint decorative  souvenir bottles. Another essential area of site development supported by projects and one of the principal means by which Gansu Cultural and Natural Heritage cultural heritage sites create social benefit is the pre- Protection and Development Project sentation of accurate and engaging information on a (FY2008) site’s cultural assets (that is, interpretation) (ICOMOS Gansu Province contains significant portions of the China 2002). World-Bank-financed projects have sup- ancient Silk Road and the western-most sites of the ported funding and TA to develop in-depth informa- Great Wall. Today, it is one of the poorest provinc- tion on a range of relevant themes; diversify methods es in China and is targeted by the government for of communicating information (such as hands-on ex- development with a strategy that includes sustain- periences and interactive exhibits); and raise the qual- able tourism. The project supports investments in ity of brochures, maps, exhibits, and guide training. conservation, infrastructure, tourism development, and capacity building at nine key sites in the prov- Improvements in signage also have been supported to ince. These include the Great Wall, Buddhist grot- provide branding, information, directions, and links tos, archaeological and tomb sites, historic trading among different sites and activities. and administrative towns, and national parks and scenic areas. An example of integrated investment for cul- Source: Gansu Cultural and Natural Heritage Protection tural tourism is found under the Gansu Cultural and Development PAD. and Natural Heritage Protection and Development Project 36 Conserving the Past as a Foundation For the Future n  Rapidly rising  Scenic Area. The scenic area, which ranges over tourism in  215 sq km, contains many poor farming commu- Guizhou’s ethnic  minority villages  nities, undeveloped mountain forests, and several is bringing both  tourism facilities. The project investments focus on opportunities and  five areas challenges. Cultural heritage conservation (conservation plans ŽŽ and works for historic buildings, grottos, and temples) Tourism development (marketing materials, tourist ŽŽ service centers, and exhibition and interpreta- tion facilities) Infrastructure upgrading (improvements for access ŽŽ roads and footpaths; parking lots; and basic ser- vices including water supply, wastewater, and power) Administration (scenic area information and ŽŽ monitoring system, vehicles, and administration buildings) Community development (a local handicraft and tour- ŽŽ ism product development center; and training (FY2008). Through this project, experts on conser- for local community members, especially youth, vation, tourism, interpretation, and infrastructure in tourism-related activities). supported investment planning for the Maijishan n  This troupe of  young performers  has been trained  by a “master� to  present excerpts  from local operas  for tourists in  Tienlong, Guizhou. China–World Bank PartnershiP on Cultural heritage Conservation 37 Improving Community Benefits In many instances, the economic benefits of cul- “Tourism development is sometimes associated tural tourism in China are not sufficiently accruing with negative impacts, but it is already a fact to local communities. In areas that surround cul- of life in many villages. The Guizhou project is tural tourism sites, residents often have little idea focused on reducing communities’ exposure to of what tourists want or need. Services and souve- tourism’s risks.�8 nirs generally are of low quality, provide only small —shenhua Wang, guizhou Project task team leader, World Bank incomes, and are characterized by excessive com- petition and repetitious goods for sale. To increase community benefits, World-Bank-financed projects have supported improvements to increase tourists’ An important component of creating sustainable average length of stay and average expenditure. tourism and benefits for local residents lies in pro- Projects have supported training for local commu- tecting both their tangible and intangible heritage nities to increase the availability and quality (and from the negative impacts of tourism (ICOMOS thus the prices that can be charged) of souvenirs International 1999, ICOMOS International 2005a). and services such as accommodations and restau- The rapid increase of domestic travel in China rants. Projects also have assisted with the develop- means that tourism is coming to many communities ment of a variety of experience-oriented tourism before they are prepared for it. This onslaught creates activities that are related to local cultural assets and can be provided by local community members. n  Tourism  Examples include handicraft classes, ceremony re- involving unique  enactments, opera performances, and storytelling living cultures  must be carefully  programs. managed  to protect  vulnerable  Guizhou Cultural and Natural Heritage communities,  such as the  Protection and Development Project village of this  (FY2009) Miao girl, which is  being supported  The ethnic minority communities in Guizhou by the Guizhou  Province face extreme poverty and seriously un- project. derdeveloped infrastructure. In contrast, they are richly endowed with centuries-old heritage. Their cultural assets include vernacular architecture and living traditions of song, dance, crafts, and festi- vals. The rapid growth of tourism has presented challenges for the protection of these communities and the sustainable development of their cultural assets. The project aims to support 17 ethnic mi- nority villages, 4 ancient towns, and 4 national parks to conserve tangible and intangible cultural heritage and natural heritage, while addressing poverty and development issues based on the ar- ea’s rich tourism resources. Source: Guizhou Cultural and Natural Heritage Protec- tion and Development PAD. 38 Conserving the Past as a Foundation For the Future especially significant risks for remote and ethnic mi- take stock of their cultural and natural heritage. nority communities who have little experience with Academics are to work with tradition-bearers to organized tourism or knowledge of its impacts. One produce books, brochures, and CDs that accurate- project working with ethnic minorities, under the ly document these traditions, many of which are China-World Bank partnership, is piloting a commu- in danger of disappearing. To assist with income- nity-based approach. The aim is to enable communi- earning opportunities, the project will support vil- ties to identify and take stock of all aspects of their lage “masters� to transfer traditional skills and cultural heritage, determine what is to be shared with knowledge to interested youth. The project also will outsiders, and develop village tourism plans. These provide funding to renovate village crafts workshops plans will address such issues as how many and how and small performance spaces. To eliminate mid- often visitors will come, what kinds of services and dlepersons and retain more income for artisans, entertainment will be provided, and how to manage community coordinators will help with marketing negative impacts and conflicts. through improving product advertising and links to domestic and foreign buyers. Communities also Under the Guizhou Cultural and Natural Heritage are being assisted in creating tourism development Protection and Development Project (FY2009), partici- plans that will be the bases for investments in con- patory inventories of cultural heritage are being servation, infrastructure, promotion, and training supported to help ethnic minority communities for income-generating activities. n  Maijishan, which  was once a way  station on the Silk  Road, is receiving  multisectoral  investments under  the Gansu project. China–World Bank PartnershiP on Cultural heritage Conservation 39 Next-Generation Issues and Challenges While consolidating the lessons learned over the past In the Medium Term, Conservation Is several decades, it also is important for China and Economically More Sustainable the World Bank to consider the next generation of is- Than Demolition sues that, if constructively approached, can increase The conservation and adaptive reuse of underuti- opportunities to conserve China’s cultural assets. lized historic built assets can create jobs, help small Four of these forward-looking issues that can pro- businesses, reduce urban sprawl, and enhance com- vide opportunities to further integrate cultural heri- munities’ options for goods and services. An ad- tage conservation in sustainable development are to ditional and tangible benefit of conservation and (1) maximize the economic benefits of heritage adaptive reuse is its positive effect on real estate conservation, (2) leverage traditional knowledge for values. Experience in China and elsewhere in the smart growth and energy conservation, (3) strengthen world shows that the higher value of conservation the integration of cultural heritage conservation and and reuse, versus demolition and new construction, tourism development, and (4) recognize cultural heri- usually becomes in the short to medium run, (about tage conservation as an asset for creative industries. 5–10 years) after project completion.9 Challenges 6.1 Promote Economic Development through Heritage Conservation Today, historic urban areas that once were the core of China’s cities have become only portions of much larger urban settlements. These historic areas often host poor communities and contain built heri- tage that is under-utilized and under-maintained. Asset-Based Approach to Local Economic Development Rather than turning to demolition and new con- struction, investing in the conservation of these areas is an asset-based approach to local economic devel- opment. It involves leveraging historic urban areas as (1) livable service hubs for the city’s internal users, such as communities living in the urban core and in the modern neighborhoods surrounding them; and (2) sustainable destinations for external users, such as outside investors, tourists, and all those from else- where who depend on the city for their livelihoods. n  The adaptive reuse of unique and  underutilized buildings is an asset- based approach that can increase  local property values and create jobs. 40 Conserving the Past as a Foundation For the Future to this approach include a longer project design time of their construction, assets built in the second process, the greater complexity of civil works and half of the twentieth century are energy inefficient. infrastructure upgrading, and the existence of frag- Assets built in the early twentieth century and be- mented property ownership. Once the initial in- fore are extremely energy efficient. Indeed, because vestments are made, historic city conservation and energy costs in the past were very high, builders fo- adaptive reuse have the advantage of becoming self- cused on ways to make their buildings energy ef- sustaining by attracting additional investments fast- ficient. A groundbreaking study by the U.S. Energy er than newly built neighborhoods would and for Information Agency (EIA), since followed by a a longer time, ultimately creating more returns on number of similar investigations world-wide, in- investment than newly built neighborhoods would. cluding in China, demonstrate the energy efficiency of historic built assets. These studies show that con- temporary, highly energy-efficient buildings require 6.2 Leverage Traditional the same operational energy as historic assets built Knowledge for Smart Growth before the 1920s.10 It must be noted that these stud- and Energy Conservation ies are based on a simple analysis of the operational Heritage conservation can play an important role in energy needed to operate similar categories of exist- energy conservation and smart growth. While CO2 ing buildings still in use, looking only at their year of emissions result from the consumption of natural construction. resources, activities to reduce these emissions often lead to further consumption. Traditional Building Concepts Are Useful Today Conserving Buildings Supports China’s built heritage is an important repository Smart Growth of traditional knowledge that can help the coun- The debate on energy efficiency usually focuses on try meet the challenges of developing energy-effi- minimizing operational energy, which is the energy cient cities. The efficiency of historic buildings is used to heat, cool, and operate buildings. However, due largely to differences in building design, ma- considering the overall energy required to build terials, and construction methods. Historic build- (embodied energy) and operate a given building, ings that have thick, solid walls and high thermal the retrofitting and reuse of existing buildings mass reduce the amount of operational energy can be more energy efficient than constructing needed for heating and cooling. Buildings built a new one with modern energy-saving features. before the availability of electricity feature win- Removing existing buildings to make way for new dows designed to provide natural light and cross- ones, results in CO2 emissions during their demo- ventilation. In the past, designers and developers lition and debris disposal. Additional CO2 emis- also paid close attention to location, orientation, sions are created from producing new construction and landscaping as methods to maximize sun ex- materials and constructing replacement buildings. posure during the winter months and minimize it More innovative approaches are shifting toward during warmer months (in other words, they were conserving existing resources, rather than consum- using passive heating and cooling systems). Some ing more. of the most advanced design schools in China, including Tsinghua University, have included Heritage Assets Are Energy Efficient courses in their curricula to teach students how A common perception is that existing built assets to conserve buildings and how to integrate their are not energy efficient. This perception is not ex- energy-saving features in the design of modern actly true. In fact, due to low energy costs at the constructions. China–World Bank PartnershiP on Cultural heritage Conservation 41 Heritage Assets Are in Compact Urban Areas Historic buildings are located primarily in densely built urban areas. Compact urban development means reduced heating and cooling costs because units are smaller or are in multi-unit buildings, and reduced need for public or private motorized trans- portation. District energy systems can be used to generate power, as China has been doing for de- cades, thus also creating substantial carbon savings. Municipal infrastructure requirements for roads, sewers, communication, power, and water also are reduced by high-density developments. These top- ics increasingly are being studied by researchers and scholars in China. Although the work remain- ing to be done is vast, seriously considering smart growth approaches to conservation and internaliz- ing them in urban development policies at the mu- nicipal and central levels will be highly important in China. Cultural Tourism Depends n  Examples of  on Heritage Conservation compact urban  development can  China’s cultural heritage assets are nonrenewable 6.3 Strengthen the Integration resources on which much of the country’s tourism be found in many  of China’s historic  of Cultural Heritage Conservation depends. Nevertheless, insensitive tourism develop- city centers. and Tourism Development ment poses one of the most serious threats to cul- Economic reforms over the last several decades tural assets in China today. The success that many in China have resulted in spectacular economic cultural tourism sites in China have experienced has growth and a boom in tourism development. meant that increasing numbers of destinations are competing in this sector. The growing sophistication Tourism Contributes a Significant Share of the Chinese tourist and the increase in indepen- of China’s GDP dent travel, rather than proscribed bus tours, also The UNWTO recently revised its estimate of the means that sites increasingly will need to compete year that China will become the top international for travelers’ attention. A future challenge will be to tourist destination from 2020 to 2015 (International enable tourism sector representatives and conserva- Business Times 2011). China is one of the fastest tion authorities to collaborate on an equal footing growing destinations in the world for internation- to develop sustainable and competitive tourism sites al travel, with revenues reaching US$43 billion. based on authentic conservation and tourism ser- However, the country’s domestic tourism is estimat- vices that provide safe and enjoyable visitor expe- ed to have generated 4 times more revenue than its riences. An invaluable asset in building nationwide international tourism, reaching US$172 billion in appreciation and protection of China’s heritage 2010 (Wan 2010). Growth in domestic tourism also is the work of the informal volunteer groups who is rapid, with indications that tourism revenues rose help to protect cultural assets. These groups are by approximately 30 percent from 2009 to 2010 just beginning to receive some recognition and en- (China Hospitality News 2010). couragement from authorities. This new acceptance 42 Conserving the Past as a Foundation For the Future of community involvement in conservation is an tourism by developing consensus among stakehold- important forward-looking step and brings with it ers on the management of tourism’s costs and ben- the challenges of developing appropriate training, efits (Pedersen 2002). mechanisms, and platforms to achieve the benefits this participation offers. 6.4 Recognize Cultural Heritage Conservation as an Asset Sustainable Tourism Must Provide More for Creative Industries Community Benefits than Costs Tourism brings both costs and benefits to local Arts and culture-related industries, collectively residents. As tourism grows, these costs can include known as creative industries, provide direct eco- more congestion, higher prices for basic goods and nomic benefits by creating jobs, attracting new in- services, and greater stress on local resources, such vestments, generating consumer purchases, and as water. One of the most important benefits, of stimulating tourism. course, is the tourism revenues that can be captured at the local level. However, the low-income groups As Countries Develop, Creative who are most in need of benefiting from tourism of- Industries Play an Increasing Role ten have few skills, limited access to credit, and little in Their Economies idea of what tourists want. Consequently, support- Over the past several decades, researchers have ing the ability of poor residents to generate income been making increasingly explicit connections based on tourism will continue to be a key chal- among economic development, knowledge workers, lenge for the sustainability of this sector. At cultural and creative industries. From 2000 to 2005, inter- sites around the world, international best practice national trade in creative goods and services experi- increasingly is focused on ensuring sustainable enced an average annual growth rate of 8.7 percent. In 2005 the value of world exports of creative goods and services reached $424.4 billion, representing n  To be  3.4 percent of total world trade (UNCTAD 2008). sustainable,  This trend is increasingly important in China due to the benefits of  cultural tourism  its emerging middle class. In fact, cities in China are must outweigh  quickly becoming focal points of the fast-growing the costs to local  creative industries and knowledge workers, because communities. it is mainly in cities that creative ideas are produced, exchanged, and marketed. Creative Industries are Growing Fast in China Many of China’s creative industries are experi- encing rapid growth. This growth is fuelled by a combination of public and private investment in infrastructure and technology; a rise in the digi- tization of information; a significant increase in personal communications; and a marked rise in consumer spending on media, culture, information, and entertainment. Growth has been sustained by a robust economy and a young population. A number China–World Bank PartnershiP on Cultural heritage Conservation 43 of factors underscore the connection between eco- for many of China’s creative industries. From the nomic competitiveness and creativity in China. work of culture-related businesses to the impact For example, (1) companies’ decisions concerning of culture-oriented tourism in China, it is clear where to locate their businesses often have been in- that the creative sector is becoming an important fluenced by factors such as various locations’ ready economic driver throughout the country. As many availability of a creative workforce and the quality women work in the production of art, crafts, fash- of life available to potential employees; (2) arts and ion, and organizing cultural activities, creative culture play a growing role in community develop- industries can play a catalytic role in promoting ment by creating new jobs as well as fostering an gender balance in the workforce. While clusters of environment and amenities that attract talented creative industries in urban areas still are the norm, young workers; and (3) tourism centered on arts and better telecommunications and internet access can culture is contributing to local economic growth by facilitate a wider distribution of creative industries. providing a diversified and sustainable means for Such wider distribution has the potential to benefit creating jobs and attracting revenue. residents of areas often thought to lack economic potential, such as small and medium town centers. Heritage Conservation Contributes At the heart of the creative industries are indi- to the Growth of Creative Industries vidual artists who typically are well-grounded in The cultural assets that attract knowledge and cre- the arts and culture of the communities in which ative workers can include not only entertainment they reside. Linking these artists with entrepre- and recreational opportunities but also the livability neurial opportunities both within and beyond their and unique sense of place that are created by his- communities offers many economic development toric districts and traditional neighborhoods. In ad- possibilities. dition, the relatively lower-cost space and centrality frequently offered by historic urban cores provide excellent locations for small businesses, especially n  Ancient pottery provides a source creative industries, which frequently begin as start- of inspiration for up companies. Cultural heritage conservation also contemporary is valuable in preserving sources of aesthetic forms work. and sensitivities, and cultural symbols and their meaning that provide inspiration for new creative work. Historic buildings and sites offer examples of outstanding aesthetic elements and opportunities to learn through visitors’ direct experience of their art and architecture (ICOMOS China 2002). Support for living culture and intangible heritage preserves opportunities for creative entrepreneurs to learn traditional production techniques and performance skills. Investing in Creative Industries Can Be Socially Inclusive Efforts in China to redress regional discrepancies in economic development with expanded opportu- nities hold strong and largely positive implications 44 Conserving the Past as a Foundation For the Future Conclusion Over the last 30 years, China’s cultural heritage has Overall, experiences under the China-World Bank suffered from the modernization and infrastruc- partnership have shown that integrating cultural ture investments necessitated by the country’s rapid heritage conservation in development projects can economic growth and intensifying urbanization. deliver both social and economic benefits to local Fortunately, however, cultural heritage conserva- communities. These benefits are based on conser- tion recently has begun to receive more attention vation that expands economic opportunities and as stakeholders progressively see heritage as a re- revenues, enhances residents’ quality of life, gener- source by which to achieve more sustainable and ates local identity and energy for development, and inclusive growth. The 12 projects developed under provides opportunities for competitive regional and the China-World Bank partnership represent only international branding. This partnership will have a small portion of the ongoing conservation work been particularly successful if, in the coming years, in China. However, the World-Bank-financed proj- it provides the basis for refining and renewing ap- ects have seen evidence that the levels of apprecia- proaches that will assist and empower the new gen- tion and skills for conservation are growing steadily. erations of Chinese who will be working with the The project work has also confirmed that, to realize objective to make the legacy of their past the foun- China’s full potential to conserve its cultural assets dation for their country’s prosperous, sustainable, for harmonious development, additional training, and inclusive future. and investment to address the issues described in this report are needed. n  Efforts to  ensure that  China’s cultural  heritage is  passed down from  one generation  to the next is  helping provide a  strong foundation  for future  development. China–World Bank PartnershiP on Cultural heritage Conservation 45 Appendix 1 Project Summaries (In order of Fiscal Year approval) Zhejiang Multicities Development Project Approval FY: 1993 Total Project Cost: US$231.0 mil Loan/Credit Amount: US$110.0 mil (IDA) Cultural Heritage Component Total Cost: US$2.3 mil Cultural Heritage Component Loan Amt: US$0.15 mil Status: Closed Ningbo The Zhejiang Multicities Development Project was designed to strengthen the planning and delivery of urban services in Shaoxing, Hangzhou, Wenzhou, and Ningbo in Zhejiang Province. In Ningbo, the project widened major roads and improved urban services along their alignment (sewage, storm drains, underground power and telecommunication lines, and street lighting). Cultural heritage conservation activities also were supported in Ningbo, which began evolving sometime before 770 B.C. and contains many culturally significant residential, religious, and institutional buildings. Support for cultural heritage included the conservation of important cultural heritage properties and the historic urban fabric along the path of project-supported roads. Project resources and local funds were combined for direct physical works to conserve and repair historic bridges, temples, gates, facades, and em- bankments in the project area, including the historic area of Moon Lake and Liuting Island. Preliminary road alignments were changed to save cultural property. When this was not possible, some significant historic buildings were moved to other locations. Although the component loan amount for cultural heritage was small, it was important because it was the first World Bank project in China to show that conservation of cultural heritage could be integrated effectively with urban regeneration. Sources: Zhejiang Multicities Development PAD and ICR. Liaoning Environment Project Approval FY: 1995 Total Project Cost: US$350.8 mil Shenyang Chaoyang Loan/Credit Amount: US$110.0 mil (IBRD) Shanhaiguan Cultural Heritage Component Total Cost: US$2.2 mil Cultural Heritage Component Loan Amt: US$0.68 mil Status: Closed The Liaoning Environment Project aimed to (1) protect the main water resources in Liaoning Province to enable their sustained economic and safe use for 46 Conserving the Past as a Foundation For the Future drinking, industrial, and agricultural purposes; (2) strengthen pricing policies and institutional arrangements for environmental protection, water pollution control, and waste water and municipal solid waste manage- ment, and (3) institute measures for air pollution control. The project also supported the recording, protection, conservation, and presentation of cultural heritage assets. These activities were chosen from a broad array of possibilities. The final selection was designed to cover representative conservation and management challenges in museums, archaeological sites, and his- toric structures. The component consisted of four major elements, each with associated training. These are (1) investment in electrical and mechanical systems to improve humidity and temperature control, lighting, and security for the world-class collection of the Liaoning Provincial Museum, (2) protection of excavated areas at the Niuheliang Neolithic burial ground (Hongshan culture), (3) stabilization of the Jiumenkou area of the Great Wall, and (4) archaeological site-investigation works at Jieshi Palace. The component signifi- cantly raised conservation management skills and general awareness of the importance of cultural heritage conservation during a time of rapid development in Liaoning. More than three times the loan amount was leveraged from local resources for cultural heritage protection. Sources: Liaoning Environment PAD and ICR. Inner Mongolia and Yunnan Earthquake Reconstruction Program Approval FY: 1996 Total Project Cost: US$60.0 mil Loan/Credit Amount: US$30.0 mil (IDA) Cultural Heritage Components Total Cost: US$12.8 mil Cultural Heritage Component Loan Amt: US$7.0 mil* Status: Closed Lijiang In response to an earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter Scale, an existing Bank credit was amended to provide reconstruction support for Inner Mongolia and Yunnan Province. In Yunnan, funding was provided for water supply and treatment, sanitation, irrigation, roads, hydropower stations, and institutional development; as well as for the rehabilita- tion of schools, hospitals, and industrial enterprises. At the local government’s request, the program also included the repair and rehabilitation of cultural heritage assets that had sustained severe earthquake damage. A major focus of this work was Lijiang, a UNESCO World Heritage City, which is known for its vibrant ethnic minority cultures and a uniformly tra- ditional cityscape. In ancient Lijiang, the project made repairs to traditional streets, sidewalks, bridges, canal embankments, sanitation facilities, and the water supply and distribution system. The project supported a grant program for materials for housing repair, which emphasized earthquake-resistant construction and benefited approximately 15,300 families. For the grant program, construction and improvement guidelines for traditional housing were developed and a local technical assistance team formed. In addition, the Mu Fu, a 20,000 m2 historic compound, was reconstructed to be used for educational activities and tourism. The project work and technical assistance contributed to rebuilding Lijiang while increasing local awareness and skills in conserving the city’s unique urban landscape and ensuring continued economic opportunities China–World Bank PartnershiP on Cultural heritage Conservation 47 through tourism development. Small investments in the repair and conservation of historic buildings also were supported in nearby Jianchuan and He Qing in Dali prefecture. Sources: Inner Mongolia and Yunnan Earthquake Reconstruction Project Memorandum and Recommendation and the ICR. Note: * = The amount of the loan estimated to support of urban cultural heritage conservation includes funding for infrastruc- ture upgrading because this work was focused on the historic area. Sichuan Urban Environment Project Approval FY: 1999 Total Project Cost: US$346.7 mil Loan/Credit Amount: US$152.0 mil (IBRD/IDA) Cultural Heritage Component Total Cost: US$3.5 mil Cultural Heritage Component Loan Amt: US$0.3 mil Status: Closed Leshan The primary objective of the Sichuan Urban Environment Project was to finance municipal service improvements in five urban areas of Sichuan Province that would address environmental degradation and water pollution. The project supported improved wastewater and water supply systems and solid waste management. The project worked with the Sichuan Cultural Heritage Bureau to develop a cultural heritage database and a provincial conservation strategy. The strategy identified one of the better known cultural assets in the province as a priority for conservation: the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Leshan Grand Buddha. Located at the confluence of 3 rivers, the 1,200-year-old statue is an impressive 71 meters high. It was carved into the riverside cliffs between 713 A.D. and 803 A.D. This buddha attracts large numbers of tour- ists who can visit it from top to bottom via narrow and treacherous flights of stairs dug into the cliff face. The component supported stabilization of the rapidly deteriorating buddha and plans to improve visitor safety. Work included (1) extending the buddha’s platform and the embankment at the North Gate and (2) strengthening the foundations of the Linbo Pagoda and Zaijiu Pavilion. Technical assistance funded by the project provided substantial exposure of local cultural heritage experts to international best practice in conservation planning and design. Sources: Sichuan Urban Environment PAD and ICR. Chongqing Urban Environment Project Approval FY: 2000 Total Project Cost: US$535.9 mil Loan/Credit Amount: US$200.0 mil Cultural Heritage Component Total Cost: US$9.3 mil Cultural Heritage Component Loan Amt: US$1.0 mil Chongqing Chongqing Status: Closed 48 Conserving the Past as a Foundation For the Future The Chongqing Urban Environment Project focused primarily on the development of urban infrastructure to improve wastewater and solid waste management, increase water supplies, and upgrade water quality monitoring. In addition, the project supported the development of a strategic master plan for cultural heritage in con- junction with the Chongqing Cultural Heritage Bureau. This plan identified a complex, known as Huguang Huiguan, as a priority for conservation. The project supported technical assistance for the master plan and the planning and conservation work for the complex. Covering approximately 10,000 square meters, the complex comprises several guild halls, which were constructed and modified over the course of the Qing dynasty (1644–1911). Although the buildings were seriously deteriorated, the traditional roofs, structural ele- ments, and delicate carvings remained. This fact combined with the level of the site’s documentation meant that the complex could be appropriately conserved. Buildings in Huguang Huiguan were conserved and adapted for new uses including a theater, exhibit hall, and cultural center. Huguang Huiguan is situated among low-income neighborhoods, and the necessary infrastructure investments for the complex were extended to these surrounding neighborhoods. The adapta- tion of the complex has created a focal point for the municipality’s civic events and a popular tourism site. It has stimulated small business start-ups in the surrounding neighborhoods and raised residents’ awareness of their history. Sources: Chongqing Urban Environment PAD and ICR. Shanghai Urban Environment Project APL I Approval FY: 2003 Total Project Cost: US$512.2 mil Loan/Credit Amount: US$200.0 mil (APL Phase I) Cultural Heritage Component Total Cost: US$14.8 mil Cultural Heritage Component Loan Amt: US$6.0 mil Shanghai Status: Phase I Closed The Shanghai Urban Environment Project was designed to enhance environ- mentally sustainable economic growth by supporting (1) facilities for the collection, treatment, and disposal of municipal wastewater, and solid waste disposal; (2) protection of water resources; and (3) strengthening institutions with responsibility for environmental management. The project also supported planning for urban development and pilot infrastructure upgrading in a historic area adjacent to the central core, which is facing strong pressure for redevelopment. The conservation area of Hongkou District was identified for investments due to its extremely high density, and deteriorating housing and infrastructure. The project funded the upgrading of structural elements and basic services of historic low-rise apartment blocks. The traditional, lane-style (li long) apartment build- ings built in the 1920s and 1930s comprised housing in extremely poor condition, with living space of, generally, less than 15 m2 per household and basic services shared among multiple households. Housing China–World Bank PartnershiP on Cultural heritage Conservation 49 upgrading improved about 2,500 housing units and retained the functionality of the historic buildings. In association with the project, the Shanghai Municipal Finance Bureau commissioned a Shanghai Cultural Heritage Strategy. Sources: Shanghai Urban Environment Project APL 1 PAD and ICR. Zhejiang Urban Environment Project Approval FY: 2004 Total Project Cost: US$334.3 mil Loan/Credit Amount: US$133.0 mil Cultural Heritage Component Total Cost: US$122.0 mil Cultural Heritage Loan Component Amt: US$45.0 mil Shaoxing Status: Closed The Zhejiang Urban Environment Project is intended to (1) strengthen the collection and treatment of wastewater and the disposal of solid waste; and (2) improve urban infrastructure services, including the rehabilitation of inner waterways, lakes, and roads in the cities of Hangzhou, Ningbo, and Shaoxing. The project also supported cultural heritage conservation in Shaoxing, which is more than 2,500 years old. The city has played a key role as a political, economic, and cultural center throughout the centuries; and has been home to highly respected literary, artistic, and revolutionary figures. Specific investments in the Shaoxing’s historic core include (1) urban upgrading and conservation of cultural heritage in five historic neighborhoods to improve public utilities, residential environments, and land use; and (2) investments in the area known as the Capital of the Yue Kingdom to plan and construct a museum and improve land- scaping, public spaces, housing, and sewerage. Technical assistance on urban planning, conservation prin- ciples and guidelines, M&E of conservation work, and an extensive study on tourism development also was funded. Although the project is still open at the time of this writing, much of the work has been completed. Activities that have been completed are the investments to build a municipal museum, improve 20 km of canals and embankments, install sewer connections to individual houses, and upgrade housing for 8,000 households. The overarching goal of the city is to improve health and safety and to conserve the tradi- tional neighborhoods with their existing communities and water-side lifestyles, which give the city its unique character. Source: Zhejiang Urban Environment PAD. 50 Conserving the Past as a Foundation For the Future Xi’an Sustainable Urban Transport Project Approval FY: 2008 Total Project Cost: US$414.3 mil Loan/Credit Amount: US$150.0 mil Cultural Heritage Component Total Cost: US$54.16 mil Cultural Heritage Component Loan Amt: US$21.6 mil Xi'an Status: Active The project aims to assist Xi’an Municipality to address the challenges of increasing urbanization and rapid motorization by improving transport acces- sibility and mobility, while protecting the city’s cultural heritage. Xi’an is the eastern endpoint of the “Silk Road� and is home to many significant cultural heritage assets. Annually, millions of tourists are attracted to the world-renowned Qin Terracotta Warriors, the Ming Walled City, and the pal- ace remains at the archaeological site of Chang’an, the capital of the Western Han Dynasty (206 B.C.–8 A.D.). The project has two cultural heritage subcomponents. The first aims to develop a network of bicycle routes within Xi’an’s Walled City. This network will comprise over 30 km of roads and alleyways in which pedestri- ans and cyclists will have full priority over motorized traffic. The routes are to link all the main tourist sites, city gates, and forthcoming metro stations, thus providing an effective means of bicycle travel for residents and tourists. This shift to bicycle use will substantially reduce vehicle traffic congestion and pollution. The road and bicycle route design will conserve the existing historic urban spaces and street profiles, thus protect- ing the historic urban fabric. The second subcomponent aims to reconstruct the Han Dynasty road system around the Weiyang Palace, which is the primary archaeological site within the City of Chang’an. Approximately 8.5 km of roads are to be reconstructed along the original alignment according to archaeological evidence. The road will be constructed over and above a protective earth layer so that the original road surface is protected and the re- construction is fully reversible. Additional investments will be directed to preliminary archaeological excava- tions, 47,000 m2 of landscaping, a parking lot, water supply and sewage systems, street lighting, and signage. This work forms part of the first phase of the General Plan for the Preservation of the Han Chang’an City Ruins. Source: Xi’an Sustainable Urban Transport PAD. China–World Bank PartnershiP on Cultural heritage Conservation 51 Gansu Cultural and Natural Heritage Protection and Development Project Approval FY: 2008 Total Project Cost: US$57.75 mil Jiuquan Jiayuguan Zhangye Loan/Credit Amount: US$38.4 mil Baiyin Lanzhou Tianshui Cultural Heritage Component Total Cost: US$57.75 mil Cultural Heritage Component Loan Amt: US$38.4 mil Status: Active The Gansu project aims to generate benefits for local communities from the de- velopment of sustainable cultural tourism based on a balanced program of cultural and natural heritage conservation, infrastructure investment, and tourism development and training in Gansu Province. Gansu Province contains significant portions of the ancient Silk Road and the western-most sites of the Great Wall. Today, it is one of the poorest provinces in China and is targeted by the government for development with a strategy that includes sustainable tourism. The project is financing investments in six municipalities at nine high-priority cultural and natural heritage sites. These sites include the Great Wall, Buddhist grottoes, archaeological and tomb sites, historic trading and administrative towns, and national parks and scenic areas. The project supports (1) research, conservation, interpretation, and presentation of cultural and natural as- sets; (2) investment in physical infrastructure that raises local standards of living and has a high potential to promote local economic development through tourism; (3) institutional strengthening and capacity building, including training of site managers, staff, and local residents in cultural heritage conservation, site manage- ment, and tourism development; and (4) implementation of several key tourism and cultural heritage conser- vation studies designed to assist the provincial and local governments to protect cultural assets and develop a sustainable tourism industry in Gansu. Source: Gansu Cultural and Natural Heritage Protection and Development PAD. Guizhou Cultural and Natural Heritage Protection and Development Project Approval FY: 2009 Total Project Cost: US$90.0 mil Loan/Credit Amount: US$60.0 mil Cultural Heritage Component Total Cost: US$90.0 mil Cultural Heritage Component Loan Amt: US$60.0 mil Status: Active Guiyang Anshun Qiandongnan Prefecture The Guizhou project aims to assist the province in providing economic ben- Qianxinan Prefecture efits to local communities through improving protection for cultural and natural heritage and increased tourism revenues. The project aims to support 17 ethnic minority 52 Conserving the Past as a Foundation For the Future villages, 4 ancient towns, and 4 national parks to conserve tangible and intangible cultural heritage and natu- ral heritage, while addressing poverty and development issues. The four components of this project are (1) Ethnic Minority Cultural Heritage Protection, which is in- tended to improve basic living conditions and increase employment and incomes of residents in selected minority villages and ancient towns; (2) Natural and Scenic Site Protection and Development, which will carry out physical investments to improve infrastructure and tourism facilities in three national parks; (3) Tourism Gateway Town Facilities, which will comprise (a) construction of tourist information centers and tourism capacity building at the county level, and (b) construction of the Guizhou Cultural and Natural Heritage Protection and Development Center in Guiyang, which will carry out research on cultural and natural heritage, conduct training, and host performances and lectures; and (4) Institutional Capacity Building, which aims to strengthen the project implementation capability of the Guizhou Tourism Bureau. Source: Guizhou Cultural and Natural Heritage Protection and Development PAD. Yunnan Urban Environment Project Approval FY: 2009 Total Project Cost: US$240.00 mil Loan/Credit Amount: US$90.0 mil Cultural Heritage Component Total Cost: US$75.73 mil Cultural Heritage Components Loan Amt: US$29.7 mil Status: Active The project aims to assist Yunnan Province to improve the effectiveness Lijiang and coverage of critical urban infrastructure services in selected counties and the effectiveness of lake basin management in Dianchi, through investments in systems to manage waste water, water supply, solid waste, and river environment. Urban infrastructure investments also will support cultural heritage conservation and continued tourism de- velopment in the UNESCO World Heritage City of Lijiang. While the city is known for its extensive cultural landscapes, the rapid growth of its population and tourism has created a need to upgrade the old city’s envi- ronmental management infrastructure. The project is supporting (1) a new wastewater treatment plant and improvements to the sewage system covering the historic urban core; (2) a new landfill and solid waste col- lection system to serve the old city and its vicinity; and (3) improvements to the environmental conditions of Lion Mountain, which is an important buffer zone between the old and new city. The Lion Mountain com- ponent includes development of water supply, drainage, and sewer networks; 32 hectares of environmental greening and landscaping; and approximately 9 km of hiking trails. This project also includes technical assistance to enhance the cultural heritage conservation policies and practices of the Lijiang Municipality. Source: Yunnan Urban Environment PAD. China–World Bank PartnershiP on Cultural heritage Conservation 53 Shandong Confucius and Mencius Cultural Heritage Conservation and Development Project Approval FY: 2011 Total Project Cost: US$131.0 mil* Loan/Credit Amount: US$50.0 mil Cultural Heritage Component Total Cost: US$131.0 mil Qufu Zoucheng Cultural Heritage Component Loan Amt: US$50.0 mil Status: Active The project aims to assist Shandong Province to create economic and social benefits for residents of Qufu and Zoucheng through enhanced cultural heritage conservation and tourism management, as well as improved infrastructure services. The historic cities of Qufu and Zoucheng are the hometowns, respectively, of Confucius and his disci- ple Mencius. The temple, cemetery, and family mansion of Confucius in Qufu are inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List and are an integrated ensemble of cultural heritage representing the roots of Confucianism. The project components comprise (1) conservation works for the Confucius and Mencius temples, mansions and cemeteries, Lu Old City, Nishan Mountain, and a signage and display system for the area; (2) upgrad- ing the Ming Historic City, restoring the Qufu water system; and rebuilding and renovating Zoucheng Old City including the Zoucheng water system; (3) historic-city planning and community participation programs through provision of (a) handbooks for historic-city regeneration and development control and income-gen- eration and community participation; (b) management and development plans for the World Heritage Site and the historic cities; (c) community training in traditional culture, tourism products, and business opera- tion, and support for cultural heritage products design and marketing; and (4) technical assistance in design review, project management, monitoring and evaluation, and conservation techniques. 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Reconstruction Project Memorandum and Recommendation and 1998 ICR. 58 Conserving the Past as a Foundation For the Future Previous Knowledge Papers in This Series Lessons and Experiences from Mainstreaming HIV/AIDS into Urban/Water (AFTU1 & AFTU2) Projects Nina Schuler, Alicia Casalis, Sylvie Debomy, Christianna Johnnides, and Kate Kuper, September 2005, No. 1 Occupational and Environmental Health Issues of Solid Waste Management: Special Emphasis on Middle and Lower-Income Countries Sandra Cointreau, July 2006, No. 2 A Review of Urban Development Issues in Poverty Reduction Strategies Judy L. Baker and Iwona Reichardt, June 2007, No. 3 Urban Poverty in Ethiopia: A Multi-Faceted and Spatial Perspective Elisa Muzzini, January 2008, No. 4 Urban Poverty: A Global View Judy L. 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