Qualitative Research on Place Identity and Place Issues in Lili, Suzhou, a Historic Canal Town in China

Xiaoxin Zhao (School of Architecture, University of Queensland)
Kelly Greenop (School of Architecture, University of Queensland)

Historical settlements are a form of living heritage with their continuing community life. In the past few decades, cultural tourism has brought economic profits in China. This trend has caused many resident communities in historical towns to be forced out by commercial pressures and a loss of place identity in which only the physical features of a place are conserved, but its social networks, activities and affective attachment are threatened or destroyed.

This paper takes a historic canal town, Lili, in Suzhou, China under the process of tourism development as an example and aims to investigate the formation of its place identity of the town through qualitative research methods. Lili was once a town with characteristic vernacular architecture and historical urban patterns, now, beyond its central historic area, its periphery has been expanded with modern urban patterns of buildings. The paper discusses the results of interviews with local residents who mapped their homes and significant places and explained the importance of these places. Additionally, interviews with local residents about changes to the town before and after the tourism development are used to reveal the current issues of this historic town. Lastly, four specifics place in Lili, the Dongbao barbershop, a historic bridge and two handicraft shops, are discussed as examples of the transferring of places from their original use and significance into ‘multi-use’ places, which sustain community life for local residents within Lili.

In conclusion, the author suggests that urban regeneration in historical settlements should consider an entire place, including both social andphysical attributes. Failure to do so can result in social problems which the examples reveal. Fieldwork results also include that the community members care for the function of a place more than physical characteristics and create a multi-use place to sustain the social life of their community.