Page 74 - JCAU-5-2

Journal of Chinese
Architecture and Urbanism Chinese troglodyte villages toward tourism

of the range of possibilities, considering the significant Table 1. Criteria for data collection and systematization
number of potential cases. Case studies were selected
based on the following criteria: Criteria Description
(i) Availability of a wide variety of typologies: A single Name
village or clusters of interdependent villages in a GPS coordinates
contiguous area with traditional functions, such as Province
rural, commercial, and military/fortified; County
(ii) Selection according to different levels of reuse and Date
enhancement; Typology of settlement
(iii) Inspection of all case studies considered during on-site
visits. Typology of geo-architecture
Architectural quality
3.3. Selection of significant data for the analysis of Inhabited or not
case studies Prevailing economy

Case studies were analyzed based on predefined Historical/cultural/natural connections
criteria, already tested in other contexts using the in or around the settlement
UBH method, which have been perfected for the type Infrastructural connections
of asset considered in the Chinese context. The use of Level of protection
these criteria is aimed at making the results of the data Enhancement policies
collection and subsequent analyses comparable with Tourism development
those already organized in the database concerning cave
settlements, which was created using data collected in Promotion
other countries and has been operational for some time. Brief description
In this perspective, as a first step, information on each Year of visit
selected case was collected and organized thanks to a Sitography
predefined datasheet – structured precisely on these References
criteria – as shown in Table 1. Table shows the criteria defined for data collection and the organization
Some of these criteria are intuitive, and others require of the datasheets. Source: Table by Laura Genovese
a brief comment. Concerning the settlement location, the
parameter “County” is considered valuable, not only to “Infrastructural connections” concerns the problem
point out the administrative competence but also to specify of accessibility and reachability of sites from important
the geographical context; if the surveyed settlements are centers.
too small to be found on the map; if GPS coordinates “Level of protection” refers to the presence of measures
are not available, or if a settlement system is considered for protection at the provincial or national level or whether
within a broad territorial context. Finally, this geographical the site is a UNESCO property.
indication can offer qualifying elements on the geo-climatic
characteristics and local geo-architectural typologies. “Enhancement policies” criterion concerns interventions
supporting the conservation and enhancement of the
“Typology of geo-architecture” refers to identifying site and/or the surrounding environment, embellishing
possible architectural declinations of the yaodong, depending façades, presence of elements of modern urban furniture,
on the soil morphology and composition, the local building care for public parks, and presence of signs.
culture, and so on. “Architectural quality” criterion refers to
the harmony and homogeneity of the materials; the façades “Tourism development” refers to the enhancement of
and roofs; the openings; the presence of symbolic decorative tourist exploitation and the site’s national and international
elements; the state of conservation of the historic building, promotion. The relevant parameters are reflective of tourist
for example, due to the effect of restorations, or that of attendance, presence of accommodation, availability of
abandonment, or modern destruction. food catering and recreational activities, presence of art
craftsmen and services, presence of commercial activities,
“Historical/cultural/natural connections in or around
the settlement” refers to the presence of historic/cultural presence of cultural activities/institutions (i.e., museums),
relics and natural scenic spots or attractions in and/or and the reuse of folk spaces for new activities.
around the settlement, which may constitute an identitarian “Promotion” refers to the level of promotion of the
asset for the local community and/or a tourist attraction. site, thus including the presence of a tourist office or

Volume 5 Issue 2 (2023) 6 https://doi.org/10.36922/jcau.0940