Page 70 - JCAU-5-2

Journal of Chinese
Architecture and Urbanism Chinese troglodyte villages toward tourism

the Bronze Age. Troglodytism has remained as the basis of Fourteen cases were selected based on predefined criteria
urban experience and lifestyle to this day. Yaodong, literally to offer the widest range of typologies and functions. The
“cave house,” is a distinctive symbol of the folk culture research is based on the classification of the cave heritage
in remote and rural areas, from both the tangible and introduced with the Underground Built Heritage (UBH)
intangible points of view (Liu, 2014; Varriale & Genovese, theoretical approach (Varriale, 2021). This work is still an
2021, Li et al., 2021). ongoing part of a broader comparative research between
Western and Eastern countries, aimed at identifying
Unfortunately, many folk settlements are at the risk of
disappearance. Multiple natural and anthropogenic factors elements supporting the creation of a general framework of
heritage-led strategies for developing sustainable troglodyte
depress their survival and/or development, it is even tough settlements in rural areas (Genovese et al., 2019).
to generalize the phenomenon. These geo-architectures
are fragile and affected by climatic and environmental 2. Literature review: Analysis of the global
conditions that heavily impact their conservation scenario
(Feng, 2011; Li & Sun, 2013; Han & Li, 2014; Fan, 2019;
Zhang et al., 2021). Furthermore, vernacular villages are The conservation and sustainable development of
“vulnerable in the face of pressure including urban, rural folk villages in rural and remote areas, along with the
development, infrastructural development, tourism or management of underground spaces both in rural
changes in agricultural practices” (“Silk Roads,” 2014). and urban contexts, has become a global issue today.
Since the 1990s, various government initiatives have been Troglodyte villages are a peculiar kind of heritage, as each
promoted for rural development to avoid some of these settlement is an expression of climate, geomorphology,
risks. Initiatives have also been launched for the protection geography, technical culture, belief, economics, politics,
of traditional villages and their landscape, thus changing and so on. (Wang, 2016, vol. 4). Thus, the number, variety,
the conception of cultural heritage within the country, and and potential of troglodyte villages still need to be fully
strengthening Chinese historical and cultural identity (Li, investigated and explored.
2009; Wang, 2016; Zhang et al., 2016; Liu, 2014; Wang et al., Rarely, an adequate understanding of the high potential
2021). In this context, tourism has entered as a practice and value, both tangible and intangible, of underground
for economic development. As highlighted during pre- settlements, as well as calibrated protection and
COVID time, some yaodong villages with a poor farming- management actions, have determined the success of some
based economy faced the challenge of conversion into cases. This was witnessed by the inclusion in the World
tourist attractions so as not to lose their vitality (Varriale Heritage List of cases such as the “Göreme National Park
et al., 2019; Genovese et al., 2021). Other villages or small and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia,” Turkey, in 1985; “The
towns have already invested in tourist development, having Sassi and the Park of the Rupestrian Churches of Matera,”
been promoted as tourist destinations at the national or Italy, in 1993, and the “Cultural Landscape of Maymand”
international level. Iran, in 2023.

Tourism is both an opportunity and a risk. On the one Based on these successful cases, the attention and
hand, it could be the driver for heritage-led economic appreciation for underground cultural heritage have
development, thus straightening local communities’ gradually spread. Today, based on 1157 assets included
sense of identity. On the other hand, the mirage of short- in the UNESCO List, 175 cultural and mixed sites bear
term economic interest and tourist pressure may drive the word “rock” and 108 have the word “cave,” that is,
local policies toward unsustainable solutions in terms of approximately 15 percent and 9% of the total. As a result,
physical conservation, urban regeneration, livability, loss all over the world, old mines, temple grottoes and rocky
of authenticity, and a sense of place. A balance between sanctuaries, underground wineries, underground military
conservation and development must be found, and a sites, and cave settlements. The list can continue, – are
paradigm change is needed, which considers the peculiarities recovered and musealized, becoming points of interest for
of the yaodong settlements. It is a matter of rural heritage in tourism (Edwards & i Coit, 1996; Varriale, 2019; Pace &
remote areas and underground settlements developed with Salvarani, 2021; Varriale et al., 2022).
peculiar logic. From this perspective, the study of Chinese In the past few years, such geo-architectures have
cases can offer solutions in this cultural heritage category – been equipped to become tourist attractions and
that of the underground settlements in a rural context – on accommodations, particularly in Europe and the Middle
which a debate has only recently begun globally. East. Only sometimes these structures were created as
This study introduces a general survey of a series of reuse living spaces. Frequently, they were transformed and
strategies for tourism in some Chinese cave settlements. reused for tourism purposes. On a macro scale, it has also

Volume 5 Issue 2 (2023) 2 https://doi.org/10.36922/jcau.0940