Page 111 - JCAU-5-4

Journal of Chinese
Architecture and Urbanism Studying home: A book review

anthropology, cultural geography, and sociology, based on not the final goal, but the ideas behind cultural traditions,
ethnographic fieldwork and archival research, participant and the meaning of home must be preserved. It reminded
observation, interviews, and oral history was adopted to us that designers should fully respect local history,
analyze the concept of “home” in various social stages in traditions, and lifestyles, avoid pursuing modernization
Yanxia and demonstrate that the built environment in and standardization, and create a built environment
the Chinese countryside changes with social and cultural compatible with local culture.
transitions. In particular, the photo-voice method of In addition, the book shows the effect of heritage
ethnographic fieldwork was introduced to help analyze conservation on traditions. While traditions can be assessed
and understand the concept of home by asking residents to as heritage, heritage is oriented toward traditions that are
take photos related to the home from their unique views. not always accepted and recognized by local stakeholders,
These approaches will minimize researchers’ bias and help but rather as a tool for reinterpreting local social values,
amplify easily overlooked information. Compared with and can lead to misinterpretations of traditions. It warns
the popular judgments of rural finality and urbanization, us that heritage is not a flawless concept either and that
the small-to-large perspective seems more consistent improper perceptions and manipulations of tradition may
and convincing with the facts of rural social change. It disproportionately impact traditions. Tradition should be
helps us understand the residents’ needs, values, and carefully treated in heritage conservation.
cultural background, prompting them to participate in
the design process and highlighting their subjectivity and With the improvement of the cognition of heritage
participation in the built environment. and the demand for traditional cultural identity and
inheritance, there are changes in the methods for rural
Second, through the home of the Chinese countryside, China. At first, the construction of vernacular settlements
the status of traditional culture and its profound impact and houses should take into consideration the following:
on residents was explained, indicating the importance of avoiding large-scale demolition and construction,
tradition in times of social transition. How to grasp the preserving as much as possible the local customs and
fundamental issues of vernacular construction in an era traditional culture, and exploring transformational
of rapid transformation and significant social change? strategies that respect local social development law
In an era of rapid transformation and significant social and meet the needs of production and life, such as the
change, how can we grasp the fundamental issues of rural preservation and transformation of traditional fire
construction? How the locals construct their houses in ponds (China Architecture Society, 2021). Next, rural

the countryside shows the importance of continuing and governance has changed from top-down governance to
developing rural traditions. Tradition is a cultural heritage, top-down policy support and bottom-up capital injection
the spiritual pillar of rural communities, and a shaper of and operation management by enterprises and non-
the social environment. As the title suggests, at a time of governmental organizations to stimulate the endogenous
construction of modern houses, the author wants to tell dynamics of rural areas and achieve the restoration and
and remind us, who are gradually getting lost in urban and reshaping of the reproduction function of rural society
rural construction and departing from local traditions, to realize the sustainable development of rural society.
that a house is not a home, and more importantly, a For example, in the rural areas of Songyang County, by
“home” is no longer a physical space catered for social and proposing strategies for acupuncture activation, cultural
emotional connection. The focus and overview of Home cultivation, and traditional industrial upgrading (Zhi &
Beyond the House provide a relatively unique insight into He, 2018), the continuation and development of traditional
the social traditions of rural China from a microscopic culture are stressed, providing specific guidance for the
perspective. sustainable development of rural society.
Third, it provides a solution path to realize the Indeed, this book expounds on a case of a lineage-
sustainable development of the built environment, based, Han nationality village located in southern China,
cultural diversity, and social life in the Chinese which can only represent a part of China’s rural society. In
countryside. Since traditions have been re-represented China, there are not only Han Chinese vernacular societies
and re-articulated, always resting on specific ideas based on geo-relationships but also many rural societies
deeply rooted in post-rural China, rural reform may not composed of national minorities. The different concepts,
provide a more comfortable living space and happier customs, cultural beliefs, and values give rise to social
life for residents, if tradition is ignored. Thus, the study structures and cultural elements, so the perceptions of
gives general guidelines, advocating renovation instead home and the needs for a house can be very different. There
of relocation, and emphasizing that building houses are is never a single answer to traditional culture, but at least

Volume 5 Issue 4 (2023) 4 https://doi.org/10.36922/jcau.0925