Local inhabitants key to preserving heritage

Experts emphasized the importance of local inhabitants in preserving the living heritage of historical neighborhoods and cultural cities, and putting protection ahead of tourism development.

"While we can restore old houses, it is challenging to encourage residents to return once they have moved elsewhere," Zhao Yanjing, a professor of architecture from Xiamen University, said at a forum focusing on protection of cultural heritage and safeguarding living heritage on Friday in Shenzhen, Guangdong province. It is a sub-forum of the Forum on Building up China's Cultural Strength 2024.

According to the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, there were 142 State-listed historical and cultural cities as of last year.