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Journal of Chinese
Architecture and Urbanism Anthropological observation of Lizhuang

Table 2. Development of interview questions based on social media content
Blogger Text and evaluation Summary
10 “If you go to Jiangnan Wuzhen, then you should definitely take a detour to Lizhuang The portrayal of Lizhuang historical
historical town.” town as analogous to the water towns
11 “Sichuan also has the charm of Jiangnan’s water towns; Lizhuang’s night view is as of Jiangnan in eastern China (such as
beautiful as a painting.” Wuzhen) frequently appears in social
media posts. This study incorporates these
12 “The smoke and mist blend into the river; this is Lizhuang’s historical town.” narratives into in-depth interviews, asking:
13 “Lizhuang historical town, with just one sentence, you capture spring and dusk, and I How do local residents, staff from the
feel like I have arrived in the real Jiangnan.” scenic area management committee, and
tourists perceive the portrayal of Lizhuang
14 “The photos came out so great! Lizhuang historical town is indeed like Jiangnan’s water historical town as “Wuzhen of Sichuan” or
towns.”
“Jiangnan water town of Sichuan” on social
15 “Lizhuang’s architecture, scattered across the landscape, reflects both human warmth and media?
heavenly beauty, with no trace of modernization, preserving the charm of the old days.”
16 “Small alleys, dense fog, and ancient stone bridges make up the scenery here, just like
Jiangnan. A rainy day in Lizhuang feels particularly nostalgic, as if time has slowed down.”
17 “Lizhuang historical town is like an ancient building, standing firm and displaying the
beauty of Jiangnan.”
18 “If you can’t make it to Jiangnan’s Wuzhen, you should visit Lizhuang historical town.”
19 “I didn’t expect Sichuan to have such a Jiangnan-style town like Lizhuang; it’s charming!”
20 “Sichuan has its own Jiangnan in Lizhuang. The floating mist and smoke perfectly
capture the poetry of Jiangnan’s small towns.”
21 “Every time I take photos in Lizhuang, it feels like I’m in the Jiangnan water town.”
22 “Jiangnan’s small town – Lizhuang, a place that thrives in both day and night.”

Table 3. Participant information from in‑depth interviews

Number Gender Age Identity
LZ01 M 73 Local cultural elite, writer
LZ02 F 32 Local resident, coffee shop employee
LS03 M 22 Volunteer Teacher from the Tongji University
LZ04 F 22 Local resident, daughter of a specialty shop owner
LZ06 F 34 Local resident, employee at the Moonfield Children’s Bookstore
GW08 F 33 Staff member of the Lizhuang Historical Town Scenic Area Management Committee
GW09 F 32 Deputy Director of the Lizhuang Historical Town Scenic Area Management Committee
GW10 F 21 Staff member of the Lizhuang Historical Town Scenic Area Management Committee, recent graduate
LZ11 M 45 Local resident, owner of a tea shop
LZ13 F 40 Local resident, owner of a milk tea shop in the Moonfield scenic area
YK14 M 49 Tourist, from other areas of Yibin city
YK15 F 48 Tourist, from other areas of Yibin city
LZ16 M 48 Local resident, owner of Fresh Fish Restaurant
YK17 F 20 Tourist, university student from Yibin city
YK18 M 26 Tourist, photography enthusiast from Yibin city
Note: F: Female; M: Male.

residents. By analyzing their respective influences, the on the locality of Zhouzhuang historical town through
study aims to summarize the specific contributions of each the interplay of authority, capital, and culture (Jiang &
party to the construction of Lizhuang’s locality. Su, 2016). Building on this framework, this study extends
Previous research has explored various elements and refines the analysis to reflect the locality of Lizhuang’s
influencing tourism development and examined its impact historical town. By summarizing and incorporating

Volume 7 Issue 3 (2025) 5 https://doi.org/10.36922/jcau.4876