Lijun Zhang is an Assistant Professor of Folklore whose new book, Living in Heritage: Tulou as Vernacular Architecture, Global Asset, and Tourist Destination in Contemporary China, was published by Indiana University Press in September 2024. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008, Tulou— translated as “rammed earth building”—are multistory communal buildings in southeast China. According to University of Indiana, this new study “introduces readers outside of China to this classic example of local Chinese architecture in the context of contemporary heritage preservation and tourism.”
Some of Zhang’s previous publications include: Chinese Folklore Studies Today: Discourse and Practice (2019), Quilts of Southwest China. Nanning: Guangxi People’s Press (2016), “Basketry Craft Practice in Southwest China: The Case of Defeng Village” in the Journal of Ethnology and Folkloristics, and "Material Culture and Heritage Safeguarding in Southwest China” in the Museum Anthropology Review. Her work can be found in the Asian Ethnology, Museum Anthropology Review, Journal of Folklore Research, Chinese Folklore Studies Today: Discourse and Practice, and more. Zhang will continue sharing her passion for Folklore with Mason students in the fall in her course, Folklore and Folklife.
Below, Zhang provides insight into how she navigated field research, explains how she investigated the preservation of heritage and its impact on tourism, and discusses her decision to present case studies by young scholars in her recent publication.
You recently published Living in Heritage: Tulou as Vernacular Architecture, Global Asset, and Tourist Destination in Contemporary China. What drew you into studying Chinese architectural heritage preservation and tourism? How has your study challenged or surprised you throughout the research process?
Selecting a field site is a critical step in any ethnographic research project. My study of tulou (rammed-earth buildings) is rooted in a longstanding interest in material culture, heritage, tourism, and community life. Tulou as a form of vernacular architecture and its inscription as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site—coupled with the rapid growth of heritage tourism—make it an ideal field site to closely examine the relationship between material culture, everyday practices, heritage, and tourism.
Throughout the research process, I encountered several challenges, including language barriers when communicating with consultants who spoke only the local dialect and limited access to certain cultural spaces. I am deeply grateful to the family who hosted me, as well as to many other community members who generously welcomed me into their homes and lives. Their openness allowed me to observe, participate in, and study not only their residential houses and daily routines but also special occasions such as festivals and wedding ceremonies.
While preserving heritage is important and tourism can economically sustain a community, what, in your experience, does it take to respectfully balance preservation of culture and tourism?
Balancing cultural preservation and tourism is a key concern in the study of cultural tourism. As my research on tulou demonstrates, the transmission of culture and traditional practices is complex and constantly evolving. Folklorists, along with scholars in related fields, explore the factors that shape the continuity, vitality, transformation, and, at times, the discontinuity of community culture and traditions.
How does your work interact with contemporary or ancient Chinese politics? What roadblocks did you encounter when it comes to accessing information due to political or societal limitations?
During my fieldwork, besides observation and interview, I also conducted library and archival research at local repositories, examining historical materials such as lineage genealogies, stone inscriptions, and texts related to community-based rituals and scripts of dramatic performances. I also engaged with tourism agencies, the Bureau of Cultural Relics, former members of the World Heritage Nomination Committee, and local officials. While access to certain consultants and documents was at times challenging, I was fortunate to have the support of a cohort who was a local resident. She and her family provided invaluable assistance by connecting me with key local contacts and resources.
How do you bridge that gap between historian and writer in your research? How do these two roles influence your process and ultimately work together to inform your writing?
Folklore often intersects with historical study, and I incorporate historical data into my research when needed. However, I don't consider myself a historian. My work is grounded primarily in ethnographic fieldwork, relying on methods such as participant observation and interviews. Through this approach, I systematically document community culture and activities in a detailed and objective manner. In my writing, I draw on both the data collected in the field and relevant historical documents to understand, present, analyze, and interpret a culture, social group, or phenomenon.
You are also the co-editor of Chinese Folklore Studies Today: Discourse and Practice and Quilts of Southwest China. What unique challenges do you face as an editor when it comes to co-editing Chinese folklore?
Both of my books were the result of bi-national scholarly collaboration and were published to promote cross-cultural academic and professional exchange. Chinese Folklore Studies Today: Discourse and Practice seeks to introduce Chinese folklore studies to a broader audience and to highlight recent trends within the discipline in China. One of the main challenges we faced was selecting contributors and topics that effectively represent both the theoretical discourse and disciplinary practices of contemporary Chinese folklore studies. Ultimately, we chose to feature case studies by emerging scholars on topics that have traditionally been central to Chinese folklore—such as mythology—reexamined within contemporary sociopolitical contexts, alongside newer but increasingly significant areas of study, including urban folklore and women’s folklore.
April 24, 2025