Tourism, heritage, and sacred space: Wutai Shan, China

Abstract

This paper analyzes the development of a Buddhist pilgrimage destination, Wutai Shan, China, as both a world heritage site and a tourist destination. We examine the impact this process has had on local residents and the types of visitors world heritage status attracts. This research points to two findings: (1) United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization world heritage status can lead to spatial conflicts in societies in which the separation of cultural sites, commercial activity, and local life are not part of the social landscape and (2) the majority of visitors to this site are domestic tourists with religious intentions.

Keywords:

• world heritage sites
• religious tourism
• sacred sites
• authenticity
• heritage planning
• participation
• Buddhism

Notes

These four zones are a ‘strict protection zone’ where construction that threatens the ‘authenticity of cultural resources’ is prohibited; an ‘ecological coordination zone’ surrounding the core area; a ‘visitor utilization zone’ and a ‘community utilization zone’ (‘conservation and management plan for the nominated world heritage site of Mount Wutai’, p. 211).

Religious practice falls under the domain of the State Religious Affairs Council and national associations that oversee the five official faiths – Daoism, Buddhism, Islam, Catholicism, and Protestant Christianity. For example, Catholic institutions must belong to the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association, while Buddhist temples and monasteries are affiliated by state decree with the Chinese Buddhist Association. A key policy shift took place in 1982 when the State Council issued ‘Document 19’. This document provided citizens with the right to believe in any of the five officially tolerated religions, limited private funding, and explicitly linked all religious institutions to the state. In 1991, ‘Document 6’ reasserted tolerance for religious orthodoxy but warned against heterodoxy, such as non-sanctioned Muslims, pro-Dalai Lama Tibetans, Vatican-tied Catholics, and charismatic Christian groups.

According to a local park official, ‘lao wai’ (Euro-American) tourists average approximately 2000 per month during the 9 months (March–November) each year Wutai Shan is accessible. This is less than 1% of total annual arrivals.

This bus service is partially funded by a 50 yuan ($7.50) transport surcharge levied on visitors, in addition to the 168 yuan ($23) admission fee.

Baifo, which translates as ‘paying homage to Buddha’, is used by local residents, monks, and visitors to describe people who engage in religious rituals such as burning incense or bowing at temples, but who may not be particularly pious. Chaoxiang is used to describe people who stay for more than a few days and visit all five of the peaks in the valley, as well as those who engage in acts of public piety, such as prostrating themselves along pathways to temples. It is also often used by han Chinese to describe Mongolian and Tibetan visitors, who are assumed to be more pious.