Chinese Destinations Related to Martial Arts Tourism from the UNESCO Perspective

Abstract

The aim of this article is to investigate the authenticity of Shaolin Temple and Chenjiagou Village in the context of intensified martial arts tourism and UNESCO documents. Desk research, structured interviews and participant observation were used to investigate the issue. The issue of cultural and natural heritage has become part of the modern image of a powerful new China. They particularly use these resources in cultural tourism, where boasting of heritage listed on UNESCO’s tangible and intangible heritage list is certainly an appropriate impression. The UNESCO intangible and tangible heritage list also includes objects related to martial arts tourism (Shaolin Temple, Chenjiagou Village). The article presents how Western (American, European) preferences and expectations are visible in the way of preserving and using these objects with an attempt to maintain UNESCO standards. It has been noticed that the added objects/events/shows are accepted by the Chinese as increasing the attractiveness of the place, even if they are not thematically and historically related to it. The authors checked whether a certain cultural compromise is possible or whether these places are a completely Westernized product, taking the form of theme parks or ethnoparks. For Western tourists, such phenomena are often synonymous with the commercialization and falsification of the authenticity of a place, which is why the role of cultural education is very important, both in China and in Western countries.

Spatial-Temporal Distribution Pattern and Tourism Utilization Potential of Intangible Cultural Heritage Resources in the Yellow River Basin

“…Conservationists believe that ICH tourism gains benefits by compromising conservation goals [4]. Markowska and Nowakowska pointed out that the development of martial arts tourism has greatly reduced the authenticity of ICH [6]. In fact, ICH tourism undoubtedly is a method to revitalize ICH with the largest social and economic benefits.…”

“…Due to the diversity of regional culture, intangible cultural heritage has become a new engine to drive the growth of the tourism economy [3]. At present, there are some disputes on the commercialization of ICH tourism in academic circles [4][5][6]. In fact, if a protection mechanism to mobilize the protection power of stakeholders is built and the authenticity, integrity and inheritance of ICH are adhered to, a large number of successful practices can be carried out to promote the living heritage protection and heritage value inheritance driven by economic values and the realization of cultural and social values [7][8][9][10].…”

Taijiquan, genius loci and tourism: a participant observation about Chenjiagou

“…This risk has already been noted in the broader sector of sports tourism (Ramshaw & Gammon, 2005, 2017Van Rheenen & Cernaianu-Sobry, 2017), and it is especially evident in studies pertaining to the young sector of martial arts tourism. Martial arts tourism is still in search of its epistemological status, as demonstrated on an international scale by the heterogeneity of the topics dealt with to date (see e.g., Raimondo, 2011;Cynarski, 2017;Porchet, 2019;Skowron-Markovska, 2019;Figueiredo, 2020;Pawelec et al, 2020;Johnson, 2021;Skowron-Markovska & Nowakowska, 2021). It is therefore essential to stimulate a reading capable of exalting the experiential dynamics as crucial characteristics of the whole tourist phenomenon, even more of the cultural, sporting (Standeven & De Knop, 1999) and martial arts phenomena.…”

Research on the Power of Supply-Side Reform for the Sustainable Development of Cultural Industry in Jiangsu Province, China under the Background of Domestic Dual Circulation

“…By studying "Martial Arts Tourism: Meta-Analysis of Publications from 2005-2020", the study found that there are thematic relations between the main destination, and the destination country; martial arts are treated by researchers as both primary and secondary threads, the differences between travel destinations and the types of events attended by people interested in martial arts. Stefania and Marta (2021) [35] investigate martial arts tourism and UNESCO documents, the authenticity of Shaolin Temple and Chenjiagou Village and find that cultural and natural heritage issues have become a powerful representation of the modern image of new China. Munsters and Melkert (2015) [36] study anthropology as a driving force for tourism research; tourism anthropology discovers the development of anthropology through the impact of tourism on destinations and the impact of tourism on tourists drives tourism research.…”