Thesis: Li Xin

Since the late 1970s, China entered an unprecedented period of development, urban construction, and global interaction characterizing the following decade and beyond. Historic preservation was under severe challenge in the wave of large-scale construction, which largely stimulated the development of domestic preservation theory. By ratifying the World Heritage Convention in 1985, China opened its door to the global heritage conservation society. Chinese scholars and preservationists critically accepted the universal preservation principles recognized by international organizations (such as UNESCO and ICOMOS) and echoed the global community based on their explorations in the Chinese and East Asian context.

In order to understand the interactions between China and the global society on preservation theory exploration since the 1980s and gather experiences for preservation theory building in the future, the thesis will explore a narrative to illustrate China’s experience when getting involved in the global heritage conservation society and creating theoretical interactions. The thesis will also offer reflections on domestic preservation theory transition and changing national identity as China created interactions with the global community.