Government, Residents Take Pride in Preserving Heritage in Gulangyu

Laws and regulations concerning protection of world heritage and scenic areas are providing guidelines for the conservation of historic roads, layouts and structures on Gulangyu Island.

Gulangyu hopes to leverage its cultural history and diversity by protecting its historical heritage and cultural scenes, according to Cai Songrong, deputy director of Kulangsu Cultural Heritage Monitoring Center.

A total of 931 sites have been defined as historic, including 19 national heritage sites, eight provincial heritage sites and 24 county level sites on the island.

"Gulangyu is a heritage site comprising of complex ... elements, such as historical buildings, yards, roads, natural landscapes and cultural relics," Cai said.

Government, residents take pride in preserving heritage

As guided by the principle of retaining the original state and style of such elements, a scientific and effective management scheme has been set up to lead the dedicated authorities to take appropriate protection measures.

Guidelines on Protection and Utilization of Gulangyu's Historical Buildings give suggestions on the layout of buildings, structures and construction, facade and decoration, daily maintenance, material and structural performance.

Laws contained in the Protection Plan of Gulangyu's Historic Buildings, The Conservation and Management Plan for Gulangyu Cultural Heritage Site and other regulations lay a good foundation for the heritage conservation.

Gulangyu belongs to the subtropical maritime climate zone, so architecture with a history of more than one hundred yeas can be easily corroded by the climate and plentiful rainfall, according to Cai.

Traditional crafts on the buildings have added difficulties to repair work, while local administrative authorities insist on employing local craftsmen to take over the restoration of the historic buildings.

The carrying capacity of the tiny island is calculated based on the ecology, space, social psychology and capacity of facilities.

The local government suggests that the maximum number of visitors at a specific time should be fewer than 30,000 per day.

"Gulangyu is not only a famous scenic spot but also the community of more than 2,000 native islanders," Cai said. "Controlling the number of daily tourists is an efficient way to ensure the comfort of the locals' daily life and the travel quality of tourists."

Currently, there are several different risk-prevention systems on Gulangyu to guard against disasters, such as emergency communication network, emergency rescue team and contingency plans and safety rules for typhoons, other storms and fires.

In addition to the efforts of governments and administrations, many volunteer groups are dedicated to conservation of the cultural heritage on Gulangyu.

The groups initiated by local residents work with local administrative authorities and communities to solicit public opinion, collect data, conduct academic research and monitor the progress, which won full support from the public.

"The best way of protection is to utilize rationally," said Wei Qing, director of a consulting team that worked on Gulangyu's application for UNESCO World Cultural Heritage status. The houses on the island can be used as household hotels, bookshops and coffee shops. A future plan for themed museums will use the vacant houses and former residences to showcase the islet's historic cultures, Wei added.