Hue at an Existential Crossroads: Heritage Protection and Sustainability in an Asian Developing Country Context

Abstract

Universal heritage principles, theoretical generalisations and so-called best international practice are always modified when applied locally. National governance arrangements and policy frameworks are often the key to understanding what heritage protection actually occurs on the ground. These contextual matters all too commonly lead to heritage destruction and prevent or constrain the development of sustainability strategies designed to ensure the survival of heritage assets into the future. They apply to the conservation of all monuments and sites but are especially critical in relation to the protection of broader cultural landscapes and historic urban landscapes. The complex, and often internally contradictory, impact of governance and policy frameworks on heritage outcomes is clearly seen in the developing countries of Asia, where economic and urban development commonly outweighs environmental concerns, including heritage protection. Using a case study of Hue, Vietnam’s last feudal capital and now middle-level city, this chapter shows these factors have impeded the ability of local Hue authorities to formulate a sustainable approach to protecting the World Heritage-listed Complex of Hue Monuments, notably by rethinking the inscription as a cultural landscape in line with UNESCO World Heritage Committee and ICOMOS recommendations. The paper concludes that focusing on sustainability may provide a path through the apparent impasse between local heritage aspirations and national growth imperatives.