Managing heritage sites in China. The case of the Guan Lin Temple

This paper is a result of a three-year field research project carried out in Luoyang (Henan Province, China) by two authors in cooperation with Chinese officials. The paper analyzes, from the managerial point of view, the case study of the Guan Lin Temple, a well-established site with historical and religious values which attracts many visitors from all over the country. The analysis, based on a previously developed framework, discusses curatorial and visitors effectiveness and resources efficiency in both human and financial resources. Despite good visitor numbers and economic performance a case of financial mismanagement emerges, with serious problems in terms of governance.