Aspects In Success And Failure Of The First Generation Ecomuseums In China And Proposals On Their Sustainability

As a production of new museology movement which occurred in1970s, the concept of"ecomuseum" and its theory have been introduced to China in mid-1980s. The idea ofecoumuseum has been put into practice in Guizhou province to protect ethic culturalheritages after about ten years' theoretical studies. In1998, the first ecoumuseum ofChina-Suojia Qingmiao Ecomuseum opened. Thereafter, other three ecomuseums, e.g,Zhenshan Buyi Ecomuseum, Tang'an Dong Ecomuseum and Longli Han CastleEcomuseum were established, which consisted of the first generation ecoumuseums groupin China.In this thesis, four aspects of ecomuseum were included. Fristly, the social, historicaland philosophical background of ecomuseum, the developmemt of concept andphilosophy, as well as its practice in China and abroard were presented. Secondly, theprocess of introducing ecomuseum theory into China, construction of the firstgeneration Chinese ecoumuseums and application of the theoretical guides-liuzhiprincinples were discussed. Thirdly, Suojia and Zhenshan ecomuseums were taking asexamples, to get some aspects of success and failure during more than ten years'management. And finnally, some proposals were stated on the sustainability of the firstgeneration ecomuseums.Based on field investigation of Suojia and Zhenshan ecoumuseums, I concluded thatsustainable development of ecomuseum should be emphasised, and pointed outfollowing aspects of success and failure in the first generation ecoumuseums: Aspectsof success:1)highly efficency of construction model. In the first stage of construction,the model of government initiattion, sholars direction and local community participantintegrated sources and speeded up the building of infrastrcutures.2) Theory achievements.Liuzhi Pricinples were concluded, and baed on those pricinples, some rules such aslocalization of ecomseum, constructed by government, shcolars and local people,protection in harmony with economic developent were also highlighted. All theseprincinples and rules are advanced ideas and satisfied the realities of China. In contrast of its sucesses, however, the failures are quite obvious and should not be negligble, whichmaily existed in the management of ecoumuseums. For example, good rules were notwell being implemented. In fact, local people have no right to manage and explain theircultures themselves, which impaired the core idea of ecumseum.Sustainability ofecoumuseum：Sustainability, as a trend in evolution of ecomuseum theory in the world,is also suitable for ecoumuseums in Guizhou. Some advantages in Guangxi ecomuseummodel-which has been considered as the second generation of Chinese ecomuseums,such as emphasis of roles of specialists and participants of local residents and theirfrenqently interpaly could also be learned. In addtion, economic development shouldalso be taken into account when protective actions were done.