The Management of Cultural Heritage in China. General trends and a micro-focus on the Luoyang municipality

Few countries boast a history which is as long and rich as China’s; at the same time, few countries are undergoing economic transformation processes comparable to that which China is currently experiencing. New managerial problems accompany the modernization of activities along the “archaeological chain” (from archeological discovery and research, conservation and promotion), partly linked with dynamics inside professional communities, partly with trajectory of change of Chinese public administration. The subject of this research project – carried out in 2005-2008 – is the analysis of change processes regarding managerial aspects in the processes of archeological discoveries, restoration, museum definition and access to cultural heritage in Luoyang City, China. The focus is not per se on the archeological discoveries in their historical and artistic meanings, nor on the conservation and restoration in their technical, scientific, and methodological repercussions; nor finally on the evolution of the museology per se. Rather the core of the analysis, the specific perspective is on how these discussions and their evolutions pose managerial and operational problems that present new and specific aspects.