Heritage Conservation, Gentrification, and Heritagisation in China: a comparison of Langzhong against the classic case of Lijiang

By looking at the influence of Lijiang on Langzhong, this thesis uncovers both the generalities and the variegated socio-economic, historical, and political dynamics that underpin heritagisation processes in China. Going beyond narratives of success and failure, it shows how even if embedded within the same national context, territorial, economic, and socio-cultural contingences have inevitably shaped the heritagisation process – underlining the complexities of ‘replicating’ heritagisation models from one city to another.

I argue that UNESCO recognition, or the lack of, plays an important role, especially due to its ability to facilitate circulations of capital. Overall, responding to calls for more comparative research in gentrification studies, this thesis focuses on both the temporality and contextuality of gentrification processes, showing how different historical and socio-spatial contexts produce divergent processes. This leads to an array of contradictory impacts in terms of investment, tourism, and urban development, which have repercussions for the everyday lives of residents who are ultimately left to cope with the transformation of their urban spaces.</p>