Introduction: Heritage and religion in East Asia

Abstract

In the past decades around the world, cultural heritage and religion have been recognized as co-dependent in various ways. This chapter recognizes that terms like "heritage" and "religion" are not absolutes, which have only been disseminated through the power of Western discourse. Religious sites such as temples, churches, and mosques are the most visited heritage sites in the world. They are often regarded as sites of communal and historical value that is connected with local customs and traditions. Heritage policies have been subject to the profound interaction between heritage and religion through conservation, cultural revitalization, and commercialization. The interactions between heritage and religion are not only about governance and administration. The boundary between heritage and religion has always been blurred. Show more