Page 101 - JCAU-6-4

Journal of Chinese

Architecture and Urbanism

ORIGINAL ARTICLE
A cultural exposition model for interpreting

architectural heritage: A study on Pingyao
historical city

1
Ming Liu * , Sathit Thimwatbunthong 1 , and Piyanard Ungkawanichakul 2
1 Department of Visual Arts, Faculty of Fine Arts, Srinakharinwirot University, Bangkok, Thailand
2 Department of History, Faculty of Social Sciences, Srinakharinwirot University, Bangkok, Thailand

Abstract
Architectural heritage, encompassing both its material and immaterial aspects, serves
as a vital lens for understanding the historical, social, and esthetic values embedded
in a society. As a reflection of cultural evolution, it offers insight into the architectural
technologies, social structures, and collective memories of specific historical
periods. This article investigates the architectural history of Pingyao historical city
by employing theoretical perspectives that integrate material, social, and spiritual
dimensions. The study demonstrates how the philosophy and cultural values of
ancient Chinese society are reflected in the spatial and architectural forms of Pingyao.
The material dimension considers how principles such as Feng Shui, numerology,
*Corresponding author: and color symbolism shaped the city’s general layout and building designs. The social
Ming Liu attribute addresses the influence of Confucianism on spatial organization, the use
(gs651170200@swu.ac.th) of culturally significant architectural elements, and the function of key structures in
Citation: Liu, M., Thimwatbunthong, fostering social unity among the population. The spiritual aspect explores concepts
S., & Ungkawanichakul, P. (2024). of Eastern origin, such as Yin and Yang, the Five Elements theory, and the “Unity of
A cultural exposition model for
interpreting architectural heritage: Heaven and Humanity,” as these are incorporated into the city’s external architecture.
A study on Pingyao historical city. Furthermore, it examines the influence of Buddhism and Daoism on Pyingyao’s
Journal of Chinese Architecture and architectural features. This comprehensive analysis reveals that Pingyao is far more
Urbanism, 6(4), 4189.
https://doi.org/10.36922/jcau.4189 than a collection of historic buildings; it is an intricate cultural artifact, offering
a unique perspective on earlier stages of Chinese thought and society. Therefore,
Received: July 10, 2024 the preservation and study of Pingyao’s architecture offer a valuable opportunity to
Accepted: August 21, 2024 deepen our understanding of China’s architectural history.
Published Online: October 17,
2024 Keywords: Pingyao; Heritage; Culture; Cultural exposition model; Heritage interpretation
Copyright: © 2024 Author(s).
This is an open-access article
distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Attribution-
Non-Commercial 4.0 International 1. Introduction
(CC BY-NC 4.0), which permits all
non-commercial use, distribution, Architectural heritage, encompassing both its material and immaterial dimensions, offers
and reproduction in any medium, a unique optic through which to understand the historical, social, and esthetic values of
provided the original work is
properly cited. a culture (Borri & Corradi, 2019). In this context, culture is embodied in the tangible
Publisher’s Note: AccScience manifestations that have emerged as buildings throughout the history of a society’s
Publishing remains neutral with evolution (Memmott & Keys, 2015). Architectural heritage functions in a dual capacity:
regard to jurisdictional claims in
published maps and institutional it serves as a material carrier of culture and acts as a focal point for cultural activities in
affiliations. a broad sense. As such, it provides valuable insights into the architectural concepts and

Volume 6 Issue 4 (2024) 1 https://doi.org/10.36922/jcau.4189