Culture as a Major Determinant in Tourism Development of China

Abstract

It is axiomatic that culture, however defined, will influence the way in which resources are utilised for tourism, whether those resources are built heritage, living heritage (ethnic minorities way of life, art forms, dance, music and so forth), natural heritage, or the ‘way of life’ of different population segments of countries. To a certain extent, this is because tourism, as the industry of difference, is fundamentally involved in image creation in order to differentiate one destination from another, and the trappings and values embedded in a nation's culture are pivotal in exhibiting difference. The enduring strength of Chinese culture is evident in its unbroken history of more than 5000 years, and this history needs to be approached from a Chinese perspective which is underpinned by Chinese values that find expression in contemporary tourism development all over China. The historical–cultural legacy is buttressed by its linguistic roots that have remained constant for millennia, and tourism development in China embraces these cultural phenomena to an extent matched by few other countries. As globalisation relentlessly encompasses country after country, particularly in terms of economics, communications, and transport systems, and many stakeholders in the travel and tourism industry aggressively pursue policies of standardisation of product regardless of the countries of location of their products, the strength of traditional cultural factors in China often ensures localisation rather than globalisation in terms of tourism development. There is thus a distinctive ‘Chinese tourist gaze’. This article examines just a few of the major elements of Chinese culture that act as determinants of contemporary tourism development in China.

Keywords:

• tourism development
• China
• Chinese culture

Notes

The Purification Rites festival dates back many centuries. It was held annually in Spring (the third day of the third lunar month) as people emerged from the confinement of winter when various ills and ailments were common. By custom, people travelled to a site of pure clean water to get out into the fresh air, to exercise and eat – the precursor of the modern picnic.

The term ‘man’ is used here to reflect accurately the Mandarin usage and should not be interpreted as unthinking sexist language on the part of the author.

Huangdi Yuan Scenic Valley Brochure (undated, circa 2004), edited and printed by the Office of Huangdi Yuan Scenic Valley.

Patriotic education refers to the inclusion in school curricula of field trips to famous sites and this development attempts to capture the student market.

Many of Li Bai's poems are standard templates for teaching Chinese characters, known by heart by millions of Chinese all over the world. In Chinese common knowledge he is referred to as ‘The God of the Poets’ (Lin, 1935: 241).

The ‘New Four’ are additions to the ‘Old Four’ for which Huangshan has been famous for centuries – the sea of clouds, the pines trees, the rock formations, and the mineral springs.

Li Zicheng was a peasant leader who successfully overthrew the Ming Dynasty. However, his reign was short-lived – just one month – and legend has it that he retreated to this isolated area and maintained a low profile for the rest of his life to avoid capture and beheading. The headstone may or may not be genuine.