On December 3rd, 2017, an event to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the Ancient City of Pingyao on the UNESCO World Heritage List was held in Pingyao County, Shanxi Province in the presence of Mr. ZHANG Fuming, Deputy Governor of Shanxi Province. Chinese experts and scholars in the field of conservation and development of historic cities and world heritage gathered in the ancient city of Pingyao with representatives from the World Heritage Site. Dr. Simone RICCA, Vice Director of WHITRAP Shanghai and Prof. SHAO Yong from Tongji University were invited to attend the event and to deliver speeches.

Dr. RICCA underlined that ‘Pingyao has played an important role in the definition of high conservation and management standards that serve as a model for China, Asia and the rest of the world.” And pointed out that: “The contemporary vision of urban heritage preservation requires not only the safeguard of the material architectural and urban heritage, but also the preservation of its residential function, of its social and intangible aspects, and the improvement of the living conditions of its inhabitants. Revitalising the historic city of Pingyao in a sustainable manner requires therefore new holistic strategies capable to creatively integrate preservation, tourism and development.’

During the Forum on Ancient City of Pingyao Protection and Heritage on the same day, Prof. SHAO Yong underlined that in order to improve people’s habitation environment and living conditions in the process of protecting the Ancient City of Pingyao, Tongji University had compiled four tools for daily protection and management. They included the Conservation Plan of the Ancient City of Pingyao, Management Plan of the Ancient City of Pingyao, Practical Guidelines for Conservation of Historic Courtyard Buildings and Environment in the Ancient City of Pingyao, and Incentives for the Conservation of Traditional Courtyard Houses in the Ancient City of Pingyao, which provided legal basis and public policy for the dual objective of heritage conservation and rehabilitation in the new era.