Chinese cosmopolitanism (Tianxia He Shijie Zhuyi) in China's heritage tourism

Abstract

This chapter explores how cosmopolitanism, a complex of ideas about global citizenship that encompass ethical, political, and trans-cultural issues, is reconstituted in China as tianxia (Confucian, heritage-based worldview) and shijie zhuyi (outward-looking engagement with the changing world). Drawing from case studies in the Stone Forest and Northwest Shangri-la regions of Yunnan, both lauded for strong indigenous cultural identity and ecological sustainability, the chapter argues Chinese cosmopolitanism is a strategic concept useful for all tourism practitioners. It demonstrates that ethnic and ecological heritage tourism development is shaped by Chinese cosmopolitanism, adding a global dimension to discussions of cosmopolitanism and local heritage.