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The necessity of taking a community approach in a historical cultural landscape conservation: a case of the Jianan Irrigation System in Taiwan

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Abstract

Cultural landscape has become a new category of cultural heritage since the late twentieth century. However, the conservation interventions usually used in regard to a conventional cultural heritage need to be changed and adapted to preserve the cultural landscape because the nature of landscapes differs to those of conventional cultural heritage, in which monumental buildings and other structures are essential. It is argued that the conservation approach should be broadened; in particular, “people” and “function” are critical factors. The community approach highlights the importance of people and their environment; thereby, the local identity of their life and environment, which comprises the whole nature of a cultural landscape, may be confirmed, and the threats from tourists or external cultural impact may be eased. The Wushantou Reservoir and Jianan Irrigation System were designed by Hatta Yoichi, and built in the 1920s. The reservoir was built under the conditions of the natural environment, and the conservation of an irrigation cultural landscape should not be limited to the structure, i.e., objects or channels. The agricultural production opportunities provided to the local people through the community approach should have a beneficial effect on local identity and the conservation of the cultural landscape.

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Source: http://webgis.sinica.edu.tw/map_irrigation/Canal_B21.html, Access Date: July 14, 2018

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Source: Jianan Irrigation Association. (ed), 1930

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Notes

  1. According to the operational guidelines, the five “C”s are Credibility, Conservation, Capacity-Building, Communication, and Community.

  2. The detailed record may be accessed from the website. (Website address: https://nchdb.boch.gov.tw/assets/overview/culturalLandscape/20091005000001, access date: October 26, 2018)

  3. An education union of an irrigation system consisted of five local elementary and junior high schools; it was founded under the conservation program of cultural landscape of the Jianan Irrigation System. In this sense, conservation works of cultural landscape were shifted from the preservation of the irrigation system elements to the farming and community. (http://tmach-culture.tainan.gov.tw/page.asp?mainid=%7B2BCD288B-85ED-4AC7-9697-7D9B6D936C7A%7D, access date September 18, 2018)

  4. In the introduction website of Siraya National Scenic Area, only the destination of “Wushantou Reservoir Scenic Area” is recommended;table the whole area of the Jianan Irrigation System wasn’t introduced. (Website address: http://www.siraya-nsa.gov.tw/MainWeb/article.aspx?L=2&SNO=04000671, access date: July 11, 2017).

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  1. Graduate Institute of Folk Art and Cultural Heritage, National Taipei University, New Taipei City, Taiwan

    Chun-Hsi Wang

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Wang, CH. The necessity of taking a community approach in a historical cultural landscape conservation: a case of the Jianan Irrigation System in Taiwan. GeoJournal 85, 107–126 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10708-018-9950-8

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