Historic Towns in Sichuan (English-Chinese Edition): Cultural Heritage Protection & Utilization Through Multidimensional Comparison

What is this book?

A bilingual (Chinese-English) illustrated guide to the historic towns of Sichuan. It focuses on 10 representative towns on the Chengdu Plain — Luodai, Pingle, Anren, Huanglongxi, Luocheng, Luoquan, Liujiang, Shangli, Jiezi, and Lizhuang — examining them through the lenses of architecture, cultural heritage, and conservation-28.

What will you get from it?

You'll understand why these towns matter, what makes them different from other historic settlements, and how heritage conservation actually works in practice. The book goes beyond case studies: it compares Sichuan's towns with Jiangnan water towns (Suzhou, Wuzhen, Zhouzhuang), and compares Chinese historic town management with American approaches, using Alexandria, Virginia as a case study-26. These comparisons give readers a broader perspective on both the shared challenges and the different strategies in cultural heritage protection.

Who is this for?

• Students and professionals in architecture, urban planning, or cultural heritage

• Readers interested in Chinese regional culture and traditional settlements

• Travelers planning a trip to Sichuan who want cultural context before they go

• Researchers in cross-cultural studies or Chinese studies

Why trust this book?

Zhao Chunlan teaches at Sichuan University's College of Architecture and Environment. She holds a PhD in Architecture and Urban Theory from KU Leuven, Belgium, and has long focused on the conservation and renewal of historic towns and architectural heritage. Huang Yunsheng graduated from Tsinghua University's architecture program, earned his PhD at Princeton, and has taught at Cornell and the University of Virginia, devoting his career to Sino-American architectural exchange-25. The book also includes field research reports written by high school students from Sichuan University's affiliated international program, adding genuine on-the-ground observations from a younger generation