2025 Theses Master's

Properly Preserving Cultural Landscape Authenticity in Xijiang Miao Village: A Tourism-Driven Cultural Landscape Heritage (TDCLH) Framework

Meng, Wenqin

This thesis examines how tourism affects the authenticity of cultural landscapes in historically significant indigenous communities, focusing on Xijiang Miao Village in Guizhou, China. Through a new analytical framework—the Tourism-Driven Cultural Landscape Heritage (TDCLH)—this study evaluates the complex relationship between tourism, cultural preservation, and commodification.

Drawing on fieldwork, interviews, and policy analysis, the research explores how tourism has reshaped both tangible and intangible heritage, including traditional festivals, music, and oral traditions. The TDCLH framework incorporates theoretical insights from MacCannell, Cohen, and Smith to assess the impacts of tourism on local identity and cultural continuity. Findings inform more context-sensitive, community-centered preservation strategies.

Key Words: Miao Village, Preservation, Cultural Landscape, Authenticity