Village Fengshui Forests as Forms of Cultural and Ecological Heritage: Interpretations and Conservation Policy Implications from Southern China
Using field survey data gathered from seven villages in Youxi County in southern China and a list of famous and ancient trees and groves, this study explored the cultural roots and ecological interpretations of village fengshui forests. The results show as follows: the species of fengshui trees sele...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-11-01
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| Series: | Forests |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/11/12/1286 |
| _version_ | 1797546263076405248 |
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| author | Jianling Chen Weiming Lin Yaoqi Zhang Yongwu Dai Bixia Chen |
| author_facet | Jianling Chen Weiming Lin Yaoqi Zhang Yongwu Dai Bixia Chen |
| author_sort | Jianling Chen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Using field survey data gathered from seven villages in Youxi County in southern China and a list of famous and ancient trees and groves, this study explored the cultural roots and ecological interpretations of village fengshui forests. The results show as follows: the species of fengshui trees selected by Chinese rural villagers bear a symbolic meaning, including health, longevity, flourishing population, fortune, and wealth. Fengshui belief, clan system, village rules and regulations, fengshui worship tradition, and customs have all played important roles in villagers’ planting and conservation of fengshui forests. It is suggested that the government should recognize the cultural and ecological value of fengshui forests and integrate the local rules and village regulations into the current policy frameworks to improve fengshui (culturally preserved) forests management with favourable polices such as subsidies and conservation strategy. China’s fengshui forests suggest the cultural importance of ecosystem services from forests, and the role of culture in forest conservation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T14:27:33Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-cc7401428b034b668bf6c243e2664196 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-4907 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T14:27:33Z |
| publishDate | 2020-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Forests |
| spelling | doaj.art-cc7401428b034b668bf6c243e26641962023-11-20T22:54:49ZengMDPI AGForests1999-49072020-11-011112128610.3390/f11121286Village Fengshui Forests as Forms of Cultural and Ecological Heritage: Interpretations and Conservation Policy Implications from Southern ChinaJianling Chen0Weiming Lin1Yaoqi Zhang2Yongwu Dai3Bixia Chen4School of Economics, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, ChinaSchool of Jinshan, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, ChinaSchool of Forestry and Wildlife Science, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USASchool of Management, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, ChinaFaculty of Agriculture, University of the Ryukyus, Nishihara Town, Okinawa Prefecture 903-0213, JapanUsing field survey data gathered from seven villages in Youxi County in southern China and a list of famous and ancient trees and groves, this study explored the cultural roots and ecological interpretations of village fengshui forests. The results show as follows: the species of fengshui trees selected by Chinese rural villagers bear a symbolic meaning, including health, longevity, flourishing population, fortune, and wealth. Fengshui belief, clan system, village rules and regulations, fengshui worship tradition, and customs have all played important roles in villagers’ planting and conservation of fengshui forests. It is suggested that the government should recognize the cultural and ecological value of fengshui forests and integrate the local rules and village regulations into the current policy frameworks to improve fengshui (culturally preserved) forests management with favourable polices such as subsidies and conservation strategy. China’s fengshui forests suggest the cultural importance of ecosystem services from forests, and the role of culture in forest conservation.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/11/12/1286culturally preserved forestvillage rules and regulationsforest culturescared forestsmall-scale forestsocioecological systems |
| spellingShingle | Jianling Chen Weiming Lin Yaoqi Zhang Yongwu Dai Bixia Chen Village Fengshui Forests as Forms of Cultural and Ecological Heritage: Interpretations and Conservation Policy Implications from Southern China Forests culturally preserved forest village rules and regulations forest culture scared forest small-scale forest socioecological systems |
| title | Village Fengshui Forests as Forms of Cultural and Ecological Heritage: Interpretations and Conservation Policy Implications from Southern China |
| title_full | Village Fengshui Forests as Forms of Cultural and Ecological Heritage: Interpretations and Conservation Policy Implications from Southern China |
| title_fullStr | Village Fengshui Forests as Forms of Cultural and Ecological Heritage: Interpretations and Conservation Policy Implications from Southern China |
| title_full_unstemmed | Village Fengshui Forests as Forms of Cultural and Ecological Heritage: Interpretations and Conservation Policy Implications from Southern China |
| title_short | Village Fengshui Forests as Forms of Cultural and Ecological Heritage: Interpretations and Conservation Policy Implications from Southern China |
| title_sort | village fengshui forests as forms of cultural and ecological heritage interpretations and conservation policy implications from southern china |
| topic | culturally preserved forest village rules and regulations forest culture scared forest small-scale forest socioecological systems |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/11/12/1286 |
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