Page 50 - JCAU-7-2

Journal of Chinese
Architecture and Urbanism Shan-Shaan Guild Hall on Great Tea Route

The study of cultural routes has been enriched by (iv) Value assessments (Deng, 2000; Huang & Ping,
numerous cases both internationally and within China. 2020; Liu & Zhong, 2016)
In 1984, the United States Congress established the (v) Heritage conservation
Illinois and Michigan Canal National Heritage Corridor, (vi) Heritage conservation research has been categorized
marking the first instance of a “heritage corridor” being into three levels:
legally protected (Asakawa et al., 2004). Similarly, (vii) Macro: Heritage corridors (Chen et al., 2018)
the Route of Santiago de Compostela was inscribed (viii) Meso: Key towns (Li, 2021; Wei, 2017; Zhao et al.,
on the World Heritage List in 1993 (Spanish section) 2019; Zhu, 2011; Zou, 2020)
and 1998 (French section). This route encompasses (ix) Micro: Individual buildings (Li, 2021)
approximately 1,800 historically significant buildings, Individual heritage buildings are further classified
both religious and secular (UNESCO, 1993). The into six categories according to their relationship to the
Quebrada de Humahuaca, a trade route used for over tea trade: transportation, production, housing, trade,
10,000 years, was included in the World Heritage List religious beliefs, and political and diplomatic legacies
during the 27 Session of the World Heritage Committee (Zhang, 2024).
th
(UNESCO, 2003). In China, the Ancient Tea Horse
Road (茶马古道) was recognized in 2013 as part of the While existing research on the Great Tea Route largely
seventh batch of national key cultural relic protection focuses on the macro level, such as the route’s specific path
units by the State Council of the People’s Republic of and overall heritage value for promoting its World Heritage
China (National Cultural Heritage Administration, status, micro-level studies on its impact on specific sites,
2013). Yiamjanya (2020) explored the industrial heritage such as the Shanxi-Shaanxi Guild, remain scarce. This
along Thailand’s railway corridor in Lampang Province, study adopts a cultural route perspective to investigate the
meso- and micro-level relationships between the Great Tea
categorizing it into mining and railway heritage and
exploring methods for preservation and reuse. These Route and the Shanxi-Shaanxi Guild Hall, including its
examples demonstrate that the cultural route perspective tangible and intangible heritage. By doing so, the research
broadens the understanding of heritage, integrating aims to expand the value connotation of the guild hall and
the Xiguan historical district, offering new insights into the
both tangible and intangible elements, and facilitates conservation and revitalization efforts of the guild hall and
the understanding of the impact of culture on places the historical area.
across space and time.
Today, the concept of cultural routes is widely used as a tool 3. Research method
for preserving cultural heritage and supporting sustainable This study employs a combination of archival research,
development in connected areas (Bogacz-Wojtanowska et fieldwork, and semi-structured interviews. The archival
al., 2019). For example, the restoration project of Via Appia research focuses on collecting and analyzing a large
adopted a model that contributes to sustainable tourism volume of historical documents and records to explore
development (Dallari, 2018; Filetici, 2018). Cardia (2018) the relationship between the Great Tea Route and the
identified five ways in which cultural routes can support Shanxi-Shaanxi Guild Hall. Fieldwork and oral history
sustainable development goals, including (i) inclusive and were used to gather the memories and experiences of
sustainable economic growth; (ii) social inclusiveness, various stakeholders connected to the guild hall. Semi-
employment, and poverty reduction; (iii) resource efficiency, structured interviews were conducted with residents,
environmental protection, and climate change; (iv) small business owners near the guild hall, staff members
preservation of cultural values, diversity, and heritage; and from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism Bureau in Jia
(v) promotion of mutual understanding, peace, and security. County, and personnel from the Ministry of Housing
The Great Tea Route, a vital component of China’s route and Construction in Jia County. These individuals
heritage, has recently become a prominent research focus. possess detailed knowledge of the cultural relics in the
Current studies on the Great Tea Route address five main guild hall.
aspects (Sigley, 2023): The collected data, including literature, field research,
(i) The history of tea culture (Chen et al., 2008; Duan, and oral histories, were analyzed comparatively. This
2010) approach enabled an in-depth exploration of the tangible
(ii) The economic history of the tea trade (Liang & Wu, and intangible heritage associated with the Shanxi-
2005; Liu, 2007; Xiao & Peng, 2007) Shaanxi Guild Hall. The analysis emphasized the guild
(iii) The historical and geographical characteristics of hall’s characteristics and cultural value in the context of its
the Great Tea Route (Han, 2012; Liu, 2015) connection to the Great Tea Route.

Volume 7 Issue 2 (2025) 3 https://doi.org/10.36922/jcau.4582