On August 10, 2022, the 2022 Cultural Heritage Protection Joint Workshop, a Peking University summer course organized by the School of Archaeology and Museology of Peking University and the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Regional Training and Research Centre for World Heritage in Beijing (hereinafter referred to as WHITRAP-Beijing), was successfully concluded in Fuzhou. During the ten-day on-site investigation, participants diligently traversed Fuzhou's midsummer heat. Divided into groups, they conducted detailed and in-depth field surveys of the Three Lanes and Seven Alleys, Yantai Mountain, Shangxiahang, Fujian Shipbuilding, and the Guling architectural clusters (for details, please see: News | "Opening Eyes to the World": 2022 Cultural Heritage Protection Joint Workshop Field Research Chronicle). Under the guidance of the workshop instructors, they wrote illustrated research reports exceeding ten thousand words. The participants worked tirelessly under the sweltering 40-degree heat and blazing sun, covering all the survey areas. Through intensive site inspections, interviews, discussions, and reflections, they documented the past and present of cultural heritage, articulating insightful observations on Fuzhou's historical narratives and heritage values. Within the historic city of Fuzhou, they gained a wealth of knowledge and created unforgettable learning memories.
Workshop Poster
· Review ·
Online Course Phase
During the preliminary lecture phase, the presiding instructor and guest instructors successively gave lectures to the students. After a week of literature collection and research, the students presented their substantial preliminary findings on August 1st.
Online Phase Schedule
On-site Lectures
During the field research phase, the organizers invited four more teachers to give lectures specifically tailored to Fuzhou's local context. These four lectures gave the students a deeper understanding of the historical and cultural depth of Fuzhou city and provided them with many valuable research leads.
1
Market/Home: Historic Districts in Pluralistic Narratives
Ms. Qi Xiaojin, Deputy Director of the Humanities and Creative Cities Research Institute at Tsinghua Tongheng Urban Planning and Design Institute, gave a thematic lecture titled "Market/Home: Historic Districts in Pluralistic Narratives." Ms. Qi had previously conducted specialized social surveys in the Shangxiahang area, which supported the formulation of conservation plans. The lecture approached the study of the Shangxiahang historic district from a sociological perspective. Ms. Qi suggested that the differing conceptual worlds of the researcher and the researched could ultimately lead to misunderstandings for the reader, and that the act of writing itself is another process requiring vigilance. She thus cautioned the students about to conduct oral history interviews: oral history should proceed from the standpoint of the interviewee, with continuous self-reflection during the process.
Ms. Qi Xiaojin's Lecture Scene
2
The Stereoscope on Both Banks of the Min River: From Cangqian to Guling
Dr. Lin Yinan, Associate Professor and Deputy Head of the Department of Landscape Architecture at East China University of Science and Technology, and webmaster of the Fuzhou Old Architecture Encyclopedia website, gave a lecture titled "The Stereoscope on Both Banks of the Min River: From Cangqian to Guling." The lecture noted that after Fuzhou opened as a treaty port, it attracted a large number of foreigners. They established a foreign settlement on Cangqian Mountain on the south bank of the Min River and created a summer resort on Guling on the north bank, constructing a unique "stereoscope" from Cangqian to Guling within Fuzhou's historical narrative. Using the historical connections between Cangqian Mountain and Guling as a backdrop, Dr. Lin presented the history and values carried by Guling through stories of "foreign nostalgia." Throughout the subsequent research, Dr. Lin Yinan continuously provided remote assistance and answered questions for the teachers and students in the Guling group.
Dr. Lin Yinan's Lecture
3
The British Conzenian Urban Morphology Theory and Its Dissemination in China
Professor Song Feng from the College of Urban and Environmental Sciences at Peking University delivered an online lecture titled "The British Conzenian Urban Morphology Theory and Its Dissemination in China" for the workshop participants. The lecture began with basic understandings of urban form, its fundamental principles, and research objectives. After briefly outlining early studies of urban landscape by scholars from various countries, Professor Song detailed M.R.G. Conzen's contributions to urban morphology theory, as well as the establishment, goals, and development of the Conzenian school and the ISUF (International Seminar on Urban Form). Subsequently, Professor Song introduced Chinese scholars' research on urban morphology based on various disciplines such as archaeology, geography, and architecture, with a focus on Mr. Zhao Zhengzhi's "Research on the Restoration of the Yuan Capital's Plan" and the research methods for historically layered cities developed by Mr. Su Bai and Mr. Xu Pingfang. In conclusion, Professor Song used cases like Pingyao and Lushan to illustrate the dissemination and application of urban morphology theory in China.
Professor Song Feng's Lecture
4
Overview of Fuzhou's Historical Architecture
Mr. Zhang Jizhou, an early contributor to the Fuzhou Old Architecture Encyclopedia website, gave a lecture titled "Overview of Fuzhou's Historical Architecture." Mr. Zhang began with "materials," analyzing the unique architectural advantages of Fuzhou's historical buildings using natural materials such as fir from Wuyi Mountain, granite from Fuzhou, and bluestone. He also shared many valuable photographic records taken during his past surveys of Fuzhou's old buildings, demonstrating the roles of different types of Fuzhou's historical architecture as "spiritual homes," centers of ceremonial function, and witnesses to history.
Mr. Zhang Jizhou's Lecture Scene
· Closing Ceremony ·
On August 10th, the final presentation of the 2022 Cultural Heritage Protection Joint Workshop was held at the Lin Zexu Memorial Hall in Fuzhou. The presentation was moderated by Zhang Jianwei, Associate Dean of the School of Archaeology and Museology at Peking University and Executive Deputy Director of WHITRAP-Beijing. The closing ceremony consisted of four segments: presentation of research findings by each group, collective expert review, overall historical narrative presentation, and expert commentary and summary.
Experts attending the presentation included: He Jingping, Director of the Cultural Relics Protection and Archaeology Division of the Fujian Provincial Bureau of Cultural Heritage; Liu Jiangyuan, Director of the Fujian Shipbuilding Culture Management Committee; Chen Yubiao, Director of the Cultural Relics Protection and Archaeology Division of the Fuzhou Municipal Bureau of Cultural Heritage; Chen Jiyong, Director of the Fuzhou Lin Zexu Memorial Hall; Zuo Lala, Associate Professor of Art History at NYU Shanghai; Shen Huiqing, Professor at the School of History, Hebei University; Lin Zhisen, Professor and Associate Dean of the School of Architecture and Urban-Rural Planning at Fuzhou University; and Sun Jing, Associate Professor at the Quanzhou Cultural Heritage Research Institute of Quanzhou Normal University.
Scene from the Final Presentation
Before the formal presentations, Zhang Jianwei first reviewed and summarized the general overview of the Cultural Heritage Protection Joint Workshop. He introduced that the workshop participants came from 12 universities including Peking University, Fudan University, Renmin University of China, the University of Hong Kong, and the University of Macau, covering majors such as cultural heritage, architecture, archaeology, museology, history, anthropology, sociology, international relations, and cultural industries. Guided by the theme "Dawn of Enlightenment," they aimed to construct a historical narrative for the city of Fuzhou and attempt to interpret heritage values, conducting interdisciplinary field investigations towards this goal.
Opening Introduction
· Research Presentations ·
Three Lanes and Seven Alleys Group
Presenters: Jiao Jingran, Xue Yali
Instructor: Wang Siyu
Teaching Assistant: Huang Kang
Group Members: Liu Yuxin, Wulan Tuya, Jiao Jingran, Xue Yali, Wang Xiaoxi
Presentation by the Three Lanes and Seven Alleys Group
The Three Lanes and Seven Alleys Group approached their research from multiple angles, including historical geography, site surveys and documentation of current building conditions, oral history interviews with descendants of prominent families, and interviews with stakeholders involved in protection and management. They analyzed and discussed two core issues: the current state of heritage protection and utilization, and the assessment of heritage value from the perspective of the modern enlightenment dawn. The comprehensive survey documentation of important architectural subjects and in-depth interviews with related individuals and family descendants provided a solid material basis and documentary resources for constructing the historical narrative.
Group Member Xue Yali Presenting
Group Member Jiao Jingran Presenting
Instructor Wang Siyu Reviewing the Group's Work
Yantai Mountain Group
Presenters: Wang Hantao, Xie Zhi'ang
Instructor: Zhang Jianwei
Teaching Assistant: Zhou Qiutong
Group Members: Wang Hantao, Jiang Qian, Liu Shuyao, Zeng Weian, Xie Zhi'ang
Presentation by the Yantai Mountain Group
The Yantai Mountain Group presented cases, reflections, and summaries from their research across five sections: overall status overview, key figures and families, heritage classification, current status and protection/utilization, and recommended heritage sites. The presentation first briefly introduced the distribution scope, functional classification, and developmental phases of the Yantai Mountain historic district, attempting to build a network of connections between buildings through personal relationships. The latter half, based on interview data collected from various stakeholders of historical buildings during field visits, summarized five existing property rights types, seven business types, and three models of protection and utilization. They attempted to analyze the reasons for the poor preservation of unacquired residential buildings and propose potential directions for protection and utilization. Finally, they selected 39 recommended heritage sites from 87 survey points and linked them according to value clues to form heritage tourism routes.
Group Member Wang Hantao Presenting
Group Member Xie Zhi'ang Presenting
Instructor Zhang Jianwei Reviewing the Group's Work
Shangxiahang Group
Presenter: Yang Qianhui
Instructor: Li Guanghan
Teaching Assistant: Wei Xi
Group Members: Yang Qianhui, Ding Zhongmin, Liu Zhaolong, Liu Wanhua
Presentation by the Shangxiahang Group
The Shangxiahang Group structured the historical geography into four periods and three areas. Combined with the local social networks represented by the Ouyang family, they conducted a systematic survey and assessment of all value carriers in the area, ultimately selecting 11 of the most representative cases across four architectural categories for focused study. Through interviews and questionnaires, they investigated the current status of protection and utilization in the district and summarized existing issues from four aspects. Finally, they concluded with a historical narrative, highlighting Shangxiahang's crucial status as a "hub" in Fuzhou's modern development, completing relevant drawings and reports.
Group Member Yang Qianhui Presenting
Instructor Li Guanghan Reviewing the Group's Work
Mawei-Guling Group
Presenter: Lu He
Instructors: Guo Zijian
Teaching Assistants: Shang Chenwen, Cao Jiyang
Group Members: Lu He, Li Qiang, Lu Tianyu, Sarah Brooker
Presentation by the Mawei-Guling Group
The Mawei-Guling Group presented their research methods, processes, and outcomes from five perspectives: work summary, historical evolution, current characteristics, key figures, and preservation and utilization. Through preliminary literature review, they built a foundational understanding of historical evolution and representative structures. Using their 10 days in Fuzhou, they conducted field research on the Fujian Shipbuilding architectural complex, the Maxian Mountain complex, the Guling complex, and others. Through site inspections and personal interviews, they identified and selected relevant recommended heritage sites, linking them through historical accounts and personal stories. Finally, the group collaboratively completed a research report, presenting the current status and value assessments of their survey subjects with clear and accurate analytical diagrams.
Group Member Lu He Presenting
Instructor Guo Zijian Reviewing the Group's Work
Instructor Shang Chenwen Reviewing the Group's Work
· Collective Review ·
Professor Sun Jing from the Quanzhou Cultural Heritage Research Institute at Quanzhou Normal University first praised the workshop's working methods. She believed that members had done extensive work in surveying the current state of buildings and conservation, with solid foundational work and detailed reports. She suggested that the Shangxiahang Group further explore the central role of Shangxiahang in Fuzhou's historical narrative.
Professor Sun Jing's Commentary
Professor Zuo Lala, Associate Professor of Art History at NYU Shanghai, first gave an overall evaluation of each group's presentation from three aspects: past, present, and future. Regarding the Yantai Mountain Group, she suggested further exploring the relationships among architectural style development, communities, and the church, as well as conducting comparative studies with Tianjin, Shanghai, Xiamen, and other treaty ports.
Professor Zuo Lala's Commentary
Professor Lin Zhisen, Associate Dean of the School of Architecture and Urban-Rural Planning at Fuzhou University, noted that the historical span of the Three Lanes and Seven Alleys is broader than the other three groups, and its value narrative need not be limited to modern times. He also suggested that an important thread, namely folk beliefs and community development, could be further explored.
Professor Lin Zhisen's Commentary
Professor Shen Huiqing from the School of History at Hebei University pointed out that narrative is both a right and a limitation of historical research. When conducting overarching narrative research, some details might be overlooked. While the workshop's narrative logic was rich, aspects such as folk beliefs in Guling and Yantai Mountain, settlement development, and foreigners coming to China could still be further enriched.
Professor Shen Huiqing's Commentary
Mr. Liu Jiangyuan, Director of the Fujian Shipbuilding Culture Management Committee, provided commentary on the Mawei-Guling Group's presentation. He believed that systematically organizing the genealogy of Shipbuilding figures is crucial for telling the Shipbuilding story well, representing the core cohesive force of Shipbuilding culture. The kinship ties among the naval families scattered throughout the Three Lanes and Seven Alleys deserve attention and form an important part of the World Heritage nomination research.
Director Liu Jiangyuan's Commentary
· Overall Narrative Presentation ·
During the research period, the four groups of the workshop, in addition to completing their own specialized studies, also conducted integrated research on the historical narrative of Fuzhou city under the guidance of the instructor team. Representatives from the four groups reported on their research progress, analyzing the value carriers and narrative angles of each architectural complex from three aspects: thought, social structure, and urban function.
Overall Narrative Presentation
Collaborative Narrative Presentations by the Groups
· Concluding Remarks and Review ·
Mr. Chen Yubiao, Director of the Museum and Cultural Heritage Safety Division of the Fuzhou Municipal Bureau of Cultural Heritage, noted that each group's field research was very solid and the presentation ideas clear, with each group having done extensive work on their primary research subjects. Director Chen expressed anticipation for further research results from the Peking University team.
Director Chen Yubiao's Commentary
Mr. He Jingping, Director of the Cultural Relics Protection and Archaeology Division of the Fujian Provincial Bureau of Cultural Heritage, gave the final commentary. He stated that the presentations from the four groups were very well-prepared. Within just ten days, they had clearly sorted out heritage carriers, heritage values, and heritage management. Their work approach and methods were commendable. Regarding the Three Lanes and Seven Alleys Group, Director He believed their analysis of key figures and existing issues was accurate and worthy of attention, suggesting that future steps should propose improvements for the identified issues. For the Shangxiahang Group, Director He suggested that the embodiment of commercial culture in architecture and the district's characteristics could be further explored; additionally, the relationship between Min merchant culture and Shangxiahang's connotations should not be overlooked. For the Yantai Mountain Group, Director He suggested continuing to clarify the relationships between property rights, the international community, and architectural characteristics. Regarding the Mawei-Guling Group, Director He pointed out that Fujian Shipbuilding holds immense value and recommended further in-depth analysis of the genealogy of key figures and the articulation of its industrial heritage value. Finally, Director He Jingping noted that Fuzhou's modern golden moment had a profound impact on China's development. If conducting preliminary research for a World Heritage nomination, attention should be paid to aligning with World Heritage criteria and further refining the sites' Outstanding Universal Value.
Director He Jingping's Commentary
· Successful Conclusion ·
Finally, Li Qiang, a graduate student from the School of International Studies at Peking University and a workshop participant, delivered reflections on behalf of all participants. Drawing from her own academic background, she shared the impact this field investigation had on her. From initially doubting whether students from different majors could truly collaborate, to experiencing the energy of interdisciplinary joint research during the fieldwork, she believed the lectures from the instructors and the exchanges with teachers and peers during the field investigation pushed her beyond her limits. She found this workshop experience extremely rewarding.
Participant Representative Sharing Reflections
The ten-day field research in Fuzhou came to an end. Over these ten days, students from diverse backgrounds and universities across China gathered in Fuzhou, working together and dedicating their efforts to this blessed city, completing the workshop tasks while forging deep friendships. The significance of the Cultural Heritage Protection Joint Workshop lies precisely in understanding our cultural heritage from a multidisciplinary perspective, while also cultivating students' cross-disciplinary thinking and team spirit. Hereby, the organizers express their heartfelt gratitude to all the instructors, guest speakers, teaching assistants, as well as the leaders and staff of relevant Fuzhou municipal departments who provided support, the interviewees, and the enthusiastic netizens who contributed to the workshop!
Group Photo of Workshop Participants, Organizing Team, and Review Guests
· Special Acknowledgements ·
Graduate School of Peking University
Fuzhou Municipal Bureau of Cultural Heritage
Fuzhou Lin Zexu Memorial Hall
(The following institutions and individuals are listed in no particular order)
Fuzhou Guling Tourist Resort Management Committee
(Fuzhou Gushan Scenic Area Management Committee)
Fujian Shipbuilding Culture Management Committee
Fuzhou Cangshan District Yantai Mountain Management Committee
Fuzhou Taijiang District Shangxiahang Historic District Management Committee
Fuzhou Historic City Management Committee
Three Lanes and Seven Alleys Community, Nanjie Street, Gulou District, Fuzhou City, Fujian Province
Fuzhou Gucuo Group
Fuzhou Three Lanes and Seven Alleys Protection, Development, and Operation Co., Ltd.
Chengyin Sinology Hall
Ms. Zheng Fang
Ms. Ouyang Fen, Inheritor of Fuzhou Shengshun Tea Industry
Mr. Guo Qing, Guling Resident
Mr. Chen Yue, President of Mawei Shipbuilding Culture Research Association
Dr. Lin Yinan
Section Chief Jiang Yanglin, Fuzhou Cangshan District Yantai Mountain Management Committee
Pastor Chen An-di, Fuzhou Christian Tian'an Church
Friends from the Fuzhou Old Architecture Encyclopedia Website
