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Journal of Chinese
Architecture and Urbanism Red industrial heritage in China

CPC’s leadership during national development. It reflects For instance, research explores how industrial heritage
the CPC’s value orientation, the spirit of perseverance conveys technological culture (Feng, 2008), how industrial
embraced by the Chinese people since modern times, heritage communities, as urban communities, contribute
and the dominant cultural system in contemporary China to preserving urban history (Sun & Sun, 2013), and how
(Zou, 2002). Moreover, it embodies the CPC’s governance industrial social culture and urban life memories can
philosophy and mirrors the prevailing cultural concepts be disseminated through the visualization of industrial
within Chinese society. heritage (Wang & Xu, 2022). With the increasing
The mainstream culture embodied in red industrial diversification of tourism forms and the rise of industrial
heritage has inspired both the CPC and the Chinese people tourism in China, some argue that “the integration of
to achieve significant advancements in industrialization. industrial culture and red culture should become one of
With its unique appeal and profound spiritual and cultural the basic directions for the future integration of the two
significance, this heritage holds important contemporary tourism models” (Zhang, 2020, p. 82). In the context of
value. Internally, red industrial heritage can be integrated cultural tourism integration, scholars are exploring how
with themes related to the CPC’s governance, fostering the to effectively promote the dissemination of industrial
nation’s centripetal force and cohesion and providing the culture by leveraging the inherent connections between
spiritual motivation to further the Party’s leadership in industrial heritage and natural and cultural resources
modernizing national culture. Externally, as a product of (Li & Chu, 2023). These studies offer valuable perspectives
globalization, red industrial heritage reflects technological on advancing the dissemination of mainstream culture
transfers and cultural exchanges that have shaped human through red industrial heritage.
history through global interactions. By revitalizing International scholars have also explored similar
and utilizing the history of socialist development and themes, emphasizing the potential of industrial heritage
technological evolution globally, sharing the stories behind transformation to provide cultural facilities for diverse
red industrial heritage, and promoting its active role in urban populations (Swensen & Skrede, 2018). Examples
cross-cultural exchanges, this heritage can evoke shared include the protection of working-class ways of life and
global values. Moreover, it can effectively contribute to cultural values in South American communities (Da
shaping China’s national image positively and support the Costa, 1989), the impact of Incheon’s cultural policy on
CPC’s efforts in modernizing national culture. repurposing outdated spaces to create cultural values (Cho
In recent years, the study of industrial heritage has & Shin, 2014), and the role of industrial museums in Japan
gained prominence with the arrival of the post-industrial in preserving local culture (Han, 2023). In Germany, the
era, attracting increasing attention within the contexts case of Duisburg highlights efforts to protect industrial
of urban restructuring, spatial transformations, and culture in the Ruhr region (Ćopić et al., 2014). Meanwhile,
stock renewal. Academic research on industrial heritage ecological museums in Catalonia not only promote a
has expanded beyond archaeology and architecture to new culture of sustainable development in the region but
become an interdisciplinary field encompassing history, also contribute to the construction of collective memory
urban planning, public administration, the cultural (Prat & Cànoves, 2012). In Gdansk, Poland, industrial
industry, the history of science and technology, and architecture plays a key role in preserving cultural identity
tourism management. In China, reflecting the country’s and distinguishes the city from others (Szymański, 2017).
unique path to modernization, research has shifted In addition, scholars have examined industrialization
from focusing on how to transform industrial heritage to within socialist countries, including the Soviet Union’s
evaluating what to protect and exploring its cultural core industrial support to its republics and the fate of those
(Gao & Xiao, 2021). factories today (Benjamin, 2018), the industrial technology
Another point worth noting is that since the post- transfer agreements among Warsaw Pact nations (Stent,
2012 Xi Jinping administration, China’s dominant cultural 2021), and the industrial legacies in East Asian countries
narrative has increasingly been defined by a concept of such as China, Vietnam, and North Korea (Gill, 2024).
Chinese-style modernization shaped by both industrial However, while these studies explore the relationship
and revolutionary culture. This idea was further reinforced between industrial heritage and culture, they primarily
at the 20 National Congress of the CPC 2 years ago (Xi, focus on the post-Cold War era and often overlook the
th
2022). The fusion of industrial and revolutionary cultures contemporary and future significance of these legacies.
is materially represented through red industrial heritage. In terms of conceptual formation and evolving
Chinese scholars have shown increasing interest in connotations, the idea of “red industrial heritage” extends
the cultural dissemination function of industrial heritage. far beyond towering buildings or industrial complexes.

Volume 7 Issue 1 (2025) 2 https://doi.org/10.36922/jcau.4611