CHARACTERISTICS, VALUES AND MANAGEMENT OF CULTURAL SPACE OF SHENHOU LIVING ANCIENT TOWN

Abstract

Introduction: Shenhou Ancient Town is an important living cultural heritage in China, with Jun‑porcelain culture as the core of its cultural space, reflecting the millennium‑old living inheritance of kiln‑firing techniques. Objectives: From the perspective of living cultural heritage, this study investigates the characteristics, values and management modes of the cultural space of Shenhou Ancient Town, analyzes its development obstacles, and puts forward an integrated management strategy covering conservation, revitalization and sharing. Methods: Combining literature research with field investigation in the old‑street district, this study collects data through in‑depth interviews and participant‑observation from 42 respondents, including local residents, business operators, craftsmen, experts and government officials. Content analysis and case‑study methods are adopted for data analysis. Results: The results reveal that the cultural space of Shenhou has three prominent attributes: multidimensionality, dynamics and high interactivity. Multidimensionality is embodied in ancient kiln‑site relics, Jun‑porcelain commercial blocks and Bolingweng Temple. Dynamics stems from the functional transformation of ancient kilns, old factories and historic residences from production‑oriented sites to cultural‑tourism and educational spaces. Interactivity derives from the interplay among craftsmen, local communities, business operators, tourists and government policies. This cultural space possesses historical‑cultural, economic and social values. Nevertheless, it faces challenges including the imbalance between local lifestyles and commercial activities, insufficient community participation, and deviations in policy implementation, which hinder sustainable development. Conclusion: Accordingly, this study proposes the aforesaid management strategy, emphasizing the living inheritance of traditional handicrafts, community capacity‑building and diversified utilization of cultural space. It provides theoretical and practical references for other similar living cultural heritage sites.