A national seminar, Better Conservation and Development of Ancient Architecture and Rural Relics, was recently held in North China's Shanxi Province, which boasts abundant rare antiquated buildings. At the seminar, experts as well as government authorities noted that China's conservation of ancient buildings and sites has entered a new phase.  

Illustration: Liu Xiangya/GT

Undoubtedly, with years of promotional efforts, more restoration projects of traditional and ancient buildings have been carried out around China, and after rescuing them from collapse, what should be carefully considered is how to ensure these buildings that are hundreds or even thousands of years old, especially those that are not well known, can coexist with modern society.

This has been one of the goals that Chinese government institutions and academicians in the field of cultural relics conservation have been attempting to achieve in the new phase. 

Ancient Chinese buildings were built and developed in a historical and cultural multi-ethnic environment, and their profound value is represented by their unique styles, structures as well as construction techniques. Shanxi's wooden buildings, which were built during various dynasties, are considered sublime examples of Chinese architecture.

To prolong the life of these non-renewable resources, numerous rescue and restoration projects assisted by advanced techniques such as digital technology have been launched.

The examples in Shanxi alone are numerous. A large-scale restoration of a mural at Yuncheng's Yongle Palace, the largest of all extant Taoist temples from the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368), was carried out in two years, while another project to prevent damage to the 1,500-year-old Wangu Temple from heavy rainfall and natural erosion was just completed in July.

The endeavors have achieved some success, but just restoring ancient buildings is insufficient. 

In the field of sociology, there is a concept called cultural assimilation, which discusses the process a minority group or culture adapting to a society's majority group or assimilating the values, behaviors, and beliefs of another group whether fully or partially. Assimilation can also involve "additive acculturation" wherein, instead of replacing the ancestral culture, an individual expands their existing cultural repertoire. 

The term is also applicable for discussions about the relationship between tradition and modernity and the future of the ancient architecture.

To adapt to modern society, old buildings, representatives of traditional culture that may no longer carry out their original function such as acting as a residence, should turn to cultural assimilation to expand their cultural significance and value. 

Of course, a precondition is to respect and retain their original appearance while finding a way to appropriately incorporate them into modern society.

There are plenty of successful cases around the world.

The Central Axis of Beijing, which was just inscribed to the UNESCO World Heritage List, has become an indelible part in urban planning and local residents' lives. Lots of traditional buildings have been turned into cafés, exhibition halls and museums according to their characteristics, maintaining their roles in the new age and helping the ancient axis continue to support the Chinese capital. 

Shifting focus to the Odeon of Herodes Atticus in Athens, Greece, visitors can be captivated by the remarkable acoustics during a live performance. The management elaborated that this venue, originally an ancient theater, continues to host performances regularly, becoming an exemplary model of heritage preservation through adaptive reuse.

Another ancient temple in Jinchen, Shanxi also remains active by hosting diverse cultural performances. This case exemplifies a commendable method of sustaining the ancient buildings' cultural integrity and represents one of the most effective forms of heritage conservation.

While exploring a sustainable path for preserving ancient buildings, some authorities have taken some missteps, just developing a place's tourism value but ignoring its historical and cultural background. While the arrival of a soaring number of tourists creates the illusion of prosperity, there is the risk sacrificing the vibrant characteristics that define these buildings. 

Ultimately, this approach might yield only relics that exist to be remembered instead of fostering a living heritage.

Chinese scholars have found that one of the effective ways to explore these heritages' modern value is to establish connections with local people and their lives, thereby enhancing public engagement with conservation and development of ancient buildings.

A group of inheritors of local intangible cultural heritage have been invited to establish workshops in the traditional dwellings around Fushan village in Shanxi's Gaoping to showcase how clay figurines, paper-cuttings and opera costumes are made. 

The inheritors sit in the dwellings, make a variety of handicrafts and meanwhile chat with visitors, creating an interactive environment within the buildings and giving them a fresh significance as they witness the daily activities of residents in the village.

All heritage protection fundamentally hinges upon human engagement. People represent the soul of traditional architecture. 

It is also crucial to understand that cultural heritage can fulfill the essential spiritual needs of humanity besides the economic.

The future of traditional Chinese architecture and other forms of cultural heritage is being explored in relation to humanity and the modern society in which these buildings exist.

The author is a reporter with the Global Times. life@globaltimes.com.cn