Aesthetic Value Identification And Conservation In Chinese Mountain Scenic Areas

Identification and conservation research of aesthetic values of famous mountains scenic areas based on traditional Chinese landscape aesthetic studies will not only fulfill national demand on conservation of famous Chinese mountain scenic areas within China, but also international demand on the creating a more comprehensive aesthetic evaluation assessment of World Heritage Sites from a Chinese perspective. This Paper summarized and compared domestic and foreign theoretical researches and practices of landscape assessment and conservation, suggesting four aspects to be improved for the recognition of aesthetic values and resource conservation in China’s famous mountain scenic areas. This paper summarized six different aesthetic evaluation systems, providing valuable references in the creation of a more comprehensive conservation framework for famous mountain scenic areas.This Paper is based on a traditional aesthetic perspective, summarized four conclusion points: 1)the aesthetic subjectivity is very pronounced in the process of aesthetic evaluation; 2)the "attaching emotions within the scene" landscape aesthetics mechanisms; 3)The Wandering-Observing appreciating method, 4)Well integration of ―material and immaterial criterions‖ results. The paper illustrates interactions amongst different aesthetic factor, identifying the aesthetic values by interpreting the subject, object, and interactive relationship between the two. Based on the various key elements of landscape aesthetic characteristics and aesthetic values, a framework of Chinese famous mountains scenic aesthetic value identification is established, containing two elements, they are subject discrepant and diachronic traits, and the results of their identification. Subject discrepant aesthetic value is referring to identification of the same object from different individuals at same time periods. Diachronic aesthetic identification is identification of the same object from a collective group of different individuals at different time periods. Discrepant aesthetic identification reveals unique aesthetic values of different subjects, while diachronic aesthetic identification emphasizes more on changes in aesthetic and heritage values of the same subject over time. Through comparing ancient and contemporary cases, this paper establishes a paradigm for the conservation and management of today’s aesthetic values. In addition to building the theoretical framework, this paper also used other methods including the deductive method, comparative studies, content analysis and etc, composing the key steps, methods, and indicators to identify aesthetic values. Identification methods and index for the four aesthetic levels of will also be established. Moreover, poetry analysis and image analysis will be created in the diachronic aesthetic value identification process. Nevertheless, compared with the existing evaluation system for scenic resource areas, the paper developed the more overall comprehensive and systematic framework, based on traditional Chinese landscape aesthetic value identification.A value based conservation framework was built after the value identification system. From a microscope of our national land as well as a microscope of individual scenic areas, this paper brought valuable advices for the conservation management and planning of aesthetic values of famous mountain scenic areas. Paper provides three key steps for the conservation of scenic areas. Aesthetic value-based conservation framework is more specific in providing conservation measures to specific objects, while the current framework is too broad with no clarification of instruction on what exactly is to be protected.In the end, this paper uses the Mount Huangshan Scenic Area as an example, verifying the feasibility and limitation of the aesthetic value identification and conservation framework for the famous mountain scenic areas. And also provides the new aesthetic identification and new conservation methods based on the new frameworks, and makes critic to the Outstanding Universal Values and traditional identification and conservation.