Field Philosophy and the Chinese National Park System

Abstract

This is an essay in environmental philosophy on the way toward field philosophy, using the Chinese National Park System (CNPS) as a case study. The CNPS was initiated in 2015, which began with the assumption of state ownership, to be passed down from generation to generation, with the aim of addressing the problems such natural reserves traditionally have and will continue to face, put into a Chinese context. The CNPS makes it possible to unify the current multiple management structure and correct the practice that has given priority to economic benefits. One key element of the CNPS is the resettlement of local residents from parklands. This revives perennial questions of the nature of the human-land relationship, and parallels the history of the US National Park system. I claim that three ethical principles should be used for the migration of people out of parks: informed consent, participation, and sufficiency. I also analyze four pilot projects’ plans of CNPS, and find that the three ethical principles were already present, albeit in a limited and indirect fashion. In future plans for individual national parks, this situation should be improved. Finally, I identify other opportunities and challenges for doing field philosophy on CNPS.