published_or_final_version / abstract / Conservation / Master / Master of Science in Conservation

published_or_final_version / Conservation / Master / Master of Science in Conservation

“The historic environment is part of everyday life. It is accessible to everyone. It is around us every time we travel to work, drive to the supermarket or go to school. Studying it, being able to read and interpret it, enriches people’s lives as much as literature, music, or history. Access creates interest, interest stimulates understanding, understanding brings enjoyment, enjoyment leads to commitment. All contribute to the quality of life.” Alison Hems (Blockley 2006: 5) What Alison said above is really the author’s passion to study the Architectural Conservation Programme (ACP) and the aspiration for writing this dissertation. The Pak Tai Temple in Wan Chai is a heritage place in urban area where it is accessible to every one. However, many people live in Wan Chai do not know the Temple. As a novice of architectural conservation, the author attempts to explore the tangibles as well as intangibles on a fundamental basis to collect all available data and information for this research. As far as possible, the author collects the primary information from the temple keeper, the local residents, worshippers and other stakeholders. At the same time, the author searches archival documents from public library websites as well as historic records from the Hong Kong Public Records Office. The author hopes that this dissertation would not be an inventory record of the Pak Tai Temple on architecture. He wants it to be a collection of real life stories about the activities occurred in the Temple and its neighbouring community. It is the stories about the people and the changing social life here composite the heritage of the Temple. Of course, the essential tangible items for heritage conservation have been recorded in details. The author regrets that he is not a graduate of architecture, so this dissertation will not provide too much technical information. / published_or_final_version / Conservation / Master / Master of Science in Conservation

China’s dramatic religious revival over the last three decades has defied two dominant theories in the study of religion and politics: the secularization theory and the market theory of religion. Put simply, the former predicts declining religious significance along with economic modernization; and the latter holds that religious vitality is a function of state regulation. Not only is religious observance on the rise despite continued economic growth, but also the upsurge of religion has coincided with the atheist state’s unceasing effort to curb religious expansion. This dissertation focuses on the material dimension of religious revival. It investigates the mixed material and ideational incentives of both state and religious actors in the processes of temple restoration, their interactions, and the resulting variety of temple autonomy. One of the key findings is that mass temple restoration has been greatly driven by state agents acting on their own interests. The atheist state and its local agents encourage temple reconstruction and tolerate priestly autonomy when doing so is expedient to social stability and economic growth imperative to their political survival. This dissertation argues that temple restoration has become a repertoire in local economic development. Local state agents seek to restore temples and redirect their functions to mass tourist consumption. Due to the immobility of temple assets, aspiring religious leaders seek to demonstrate political conformity and the temple’s economic contribution in their struggle for religious autonomy. As a result, Buddhism and Taoism have been battling with constant pressure of local state-led religious commodification. The close tie between temples and the interests of various state agents has resulted in uncertain religious development and a state-religion relationship that is simultaneously cooperative and contentious. The research hence contributes to our understanding of the antinomies of authoritarian state legitimation wherein state-religion enmities are endogenous to the system of economic development and religious governance. More broadly, the research situates the upsurge of religion in the larger cultural and institutional contexts and explores less-studied top-down religious institutionalization and its sociopolitical consequences. It therefore enriches the study of religion and politics by bringing the modernizing state and its local representatives to the forefront as the agent of secularization as well as religious restoration.

 The group cave-temples in Dunguang, Gansu Province of north-western China offer an unparalleled display of grotto art of over a thousand years from the fourth century to the fourteenth century. They represent a microcosm of ancient and medieval civilizations, providing us with enormous opportunities of heritage experience and understanding. However, these grotto treasures are extremely fragile. Over the centuries they have been suffering from serious deterioration and damage due to human and natural causes, and in recent decades the ever-increasing visitor load has posed even greater threat to the murals. The emerging trend of using advanced technology in the preservation and the interpretation of the grotto art offers new possibilities of remote access and interpretation which shall enhance understanding and enjoyment of the cultural treasures. This dissertation sets out to examine such trend of digital interpretation of heritage in off-site scenarios. The research includes a background of the study, the significance of the Dunhuang Caves, the application of new technology, followed by a case study of re-presenting and interpreting one of the Dunhuang caves in Hong Kong. / published_or_final_version / Conservation / Master / Master of Science in Conservation