The West Lake of Hangzhou: A National Cultural Icon of China and the Spirit of Place

Han, Feng (2008) The West Lake of Hangzhou: A National Cultural Icon of China and the Spirit of Place. In: 16th ICOMOS General Assembly and International Symposium: ‘Finding the spirit of place – between the tangible and the intangible’, 29 sept – 4 oct 2008, Quebec, Canada. [Conference or Workshop Item]

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Abstract (in English)

The ancient city Hangzhou with the essence of the West Lake is known as “the Heaven on Earth”. Today successfully inherited its grand historic fame and respect, the West Lake is a national cultural icon and a representative of living cultural landscape of true life underpinned by Chinese philosophy and aesthetics on the relationship between human beings and nature. This paper illustrates the procedure of the West Lake from a natural lagoon to a symbolic landscape and examines the physical and spiritual interaction between the society and the lake. This paper argues that the spirit of the West Lake is socially and culturally constructed through history. The lessons and debates of inheriting and re-thinking the spirit of the West Lake as evolving and continuing landscape is also a focus of this paper.

Item Type:	Conference or Workshop Item (Paper)
Authors:	Authors Email Han, Feng UNSPECIFIED
Languages:	English
Keywords:	lake; cultural landscape; spirit of place; sustainable development; management; World Heritage Convention; living cultural landscape; conservation; tentative list
Subjects:	M.WORLD HERITAGE CONVENTION > 11. Tentative list E.CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION > 07. Management O.INTANGIBLE HERITAGE > 01. Generalities M.WORLD HERITAGE CONVENTION > 05. Criteria H.HERITAGE TYPOLOGIES > 06. Cultural landscapes M.WORLD HERITAGE CONVENTION > 02. World Cultural and Natural Heritage
Name of monument, town, site, museum:	West Lake of Hangzhou, China
ICOMOS Special Collection:	Scientific Symposium (ICOMOS General Assemblies)
ICOMOS Special Collection Volume:	2008, 16th
Depositing User:	Jose Garcia
Date Deposited:	14 Sep 2010 10:35
Last Modified:	13 Jan 2011 19:12
References:	Chen, Wenjin. 2007. The Discovery of the West Lake: on World Heritage Values. Hangzhou: Zhejiang Ancient Books Publishing House. Lin, Yutang. 1998. My Country and My People. Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press. Wang, Yi. 1990. Gardens and Chinese Culture. Shanghai: Shanghai People's Press. Xu, Fuguan. 1996. Elaboration and Promotion of Traditional Chinese Humanity. Beijing: China Broadcast And TV Publish. Zhang, Jiaji. (1986). History of Chinese Garden. Haerbin: Heilongjiang People's Publisher.
URI:	https://openarchive.icomos.org/id/eprint/127

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