Planning Analysis and Simulation
Determining How Historical Sites Create Value
An Empirical Study on the Restorative Value of Two Pagoda Courtyards in Xi'an, China
2023 Volume 11 Issue 2 Pages 150-167
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2023 Volume 11 Issue 2 Pages 150-167
Historical sites generally contain cultural and natural elements and contribute to the charm of a city. Their development can also help shape urban branding and boost economic growth. Therefore, this study selects two representative pagoda courtyards in the ancient capital Xi’an to investigate how historical sites can benefit more people. Both of the pagoda courtyards are outstanding cityscapes since they were erected in the Tang Dynasty. They have been continually repaired and maintained by later generations, and the surrounding environment design of the courtyards is organically integrated with the urban structure of the past dynasties. In the wave of urban construction in recent years, the two pagoda courtyards are also facing different environmental design paths. However, both scholars and the public are concerned that large-scale space development will damage the psychological perception of historical sites. The Perceived Restorative Scale (PRS) was adopted to study the courtyards' mental restorativeness. Through semi-structured interviews and thematic analyses, the diverse sources of mental restoration are demonstrated. Overall, PRS results verify the mental restorativeness of the historic pagoda courtyards. Furthermore, the pagodas' varied modern urban designs manifested different restorative perceptions for individuals. This study provides pre-development data for the SW regarding its spatial perception. Secondly, this study provides a scientific basis for urban planning and management strategy, adding to the debate surrounding conservation and utilisation of urban historical/cultural environments. It informs open design principles for the regeneration of historical/cultural environments in the urban fabric.
Historical sites are of great importance, and their historical and cultural charm can make them a representative symbol of a city. Therefore, in the context of globalised urban competition, historical sites are potential sources for economic growth. They also offer psychological benefits such as implied cultural symbolism and spiritual meaning that may evoke positive emotions such as a sense of social belonging and regional pride for city dwellers (Williams, Patterson, et al., 1992; Williams and Vaske, 2003; Peters, Elands, et al., 2010). The aesthetic elements of traditional architectural patterns in historical sites also have a positive psychological impact (Jewell and Crotts, 2002; Tweed and Sutherland, 2007; C. Chen and F. Chen, 2010). However, the development of urban historical sites can also cause problems. For example, homogeneous design space might degrade the authenticity of historical sites, newly created landscapes might descend into cultural symbols of capital expansion, and artificial construction might damage the natural and historical atmosphere. Therefore, it is necessary to trace how physical spaces of historical sites have been developed, study individual environmental perception of historical sites, and determine how historical sites can benefit more people.
Historic sites are the products of the interaction between human beings and the natural environment in a certain historical period according to their own needs and objective laws. They contain the historical information of a certain region or group, and are the space environment with specific cultural value in a specific social environment. People live in these environments. Influenced by their environment and culture, they form impressions, values and other ideologies in people's minds, which affect people's reactions and judgments to problems in life. This invisible "consciousness" originates from the environment and acts on the human response to the environment (Shi and Bian, 2016; Husnéin, 2017). Therefore, the measurement of environmental perception is an important way to evaluate the relationship between humans and the environment in a specific environment, and how to improve the positive effect of the environment on human beings. In recent years, restorativeness has become a powerful tool for measuring environmental perception. A restorative environment refers to an environmental setting that has the effect of restoring the mental resources of an individual (R. Kaplan and S. Kaplan, 1989; Hartig, Evans, et al., 2003; Fornara, 2011; Jang and Son, 2020). Various categories of natural environments and urban fabrics have been studied as restorative settings. For example, the restorative potential of private gardens appears to be rooted in a beneficial garden–user relationship, focusing on green design and detaching from work (Cervinka, Schwab, et al., 2016). In the workplace, green space with diverse vegetation seen from a window could promote opportunities for restorative experiences (Gilchrist, Brown, et al., 2015). The perceived restorativeness of small urban parks may stem from designed natural components and seating that offer a social space and a reprieve from isolating, built-up surroundings (Peschardt and Stigsdotter, 2013). Mixed natural and built settings with varied environmental design, aesthetic preferences, and the consequent attribution of meaning have been shown to be mentally restorative (Ivarsson and Hagerhall, 2008; Galindo and Hidalgo, 2005).
In the field of environmental psychology, the restorative environment theory was developed based on four Attention Recovery Theory (ART) components: being away, fascination, compatibility, and extent (R. Kaplan and S. Kaplan, 1989; S. Kaplan, Bardwell, et al., 1993). ‘Being away’ refers to a place that could bring people idiosyncratic experiences different from day-to-day life. ‘Fascination’ may awaken people’s curiosity. For ‘compatibility’, well-maintained places could support personal inclinations contributing to deep thought and self-reflection. Regarding ‘extent’, physical settings have a clear spatial order and multi-layered structures to aid exploration of the environment (R. Kaplan and S. Kaplan, 1989; Nordh, Evensen, et al., 2017). Follow-up restorativeness studies on historical and cultural environments have expanded these four fundamental ART components. For example, the spatial experience of spirituality, beauty, and being away makes visiting a monastery an enriching, restorative experience (Ouellette, R. Kaplan, et al., 2005). Activities related to religious spaces also contribute to the mentally restorative effect of houses of worship (Hartig, Böök, et al., 1996).
Previous studies of restorative environments have predominantly used questionnaire surveys and interviews as psychological measurement tools. The Perceived Restorativeness Scale (PRS) has been used to measure the mentally restorative quality of selected environments (Hartig, Korpela, et al., 1997). The scale was initially developed in English and then translated to different languages, including German (Cervinka, Schwab, et al., 2016), Japanese (Kondo and Takahashi, 2011), and Chinese (Ye, Zhang, et al., 2010). There are 22 items in the Chinese PRS, with five items for ‘being away’, five items for ‘fascination’, seven items for ‘compatibility’, and five items for ‘extent’. Each item was evaluated on a seven-point Likert-like scale, where 1 means ‘not true at all’ and 7 refers to ‘completely true’. In semi-structured interviews, respondents were encouraged to describe their own experiences in the environment, not restricted by restorative vocabulary (Nordh, Evensen, et al., 2017). Researchers decoded the recorded transcripts by reading them reduplicatively and through cross-examination.
In Chinese cities, the pagoda courtyard is an important and typical category of a historical site with significant cultural value. This study selected two pagoda courtyards that were built in the same dynasty for religious functions as the focus for research. The GW and SW selected in this study are two important ancient brick and stone pagodas of the Tang Dynasty that have been preserved in the ancient capital of Chang'an. Although the architectural forms of the two are different, they are both places for translation and storage of scriptures in the Tang Dynasty, and also places for many writers and poets to visit. In 2014, both pagoda courtyards were included in the World Cultural Heritage List as sites in the "Silk Road: the road network of Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor" (Xi'an Municipal People's Government, 2021). Modern urban development has enacted different planning strategies for these two pagoda courtyards, leading to individuals’ diverse restorative experiences of them. This study aimed to verify the mentally restorative effect of the two pagoda courtyards and explain the differences in perceived restorativeness sources between the two. To collect comprehensive perception information in a temporal dimension, a historical literature analysis was first performed using several historical texts regarding people’s perceptions and behaviours related to these environments. The study then proceeded to collect present-day data using a two-stage approach with a questionnaire survey and a semi-structured interview.
The innovation of this paper lies in the establishing a direct link between restorativeness and historical environments. Previous studies only used historical environments as a control group for the perception of natural environments. The qualitative and quantitative methods used in this research provide a multi-layered perspective for designers, policymakers and urban residents to understand historical sites.
Xi’an is the capital city of Shaanxi Province in China (Figure 1(a)), and it has a long history of urban construction. The modern-day Xi’an has been built on top of the overlapping spatial structures of archaeological urban sites from successive dynasties since the founding of the People’s Republic of China (Figure 1(b)).
Two representative pagoda courtyards in Xi’an were selected as the subject of this study for several reasons. Firstly, the GW (Figure 2) and the SW (Figure 3) are perceived as cultural and architectural landmarks of Xi’an. They were built in the same period for religious purposes and bear witness to the most splendid Tang Dynasty in Xi’an's history. Secondly, both are located in the current city centre of Xi’an (Figure 1(c)) and are thus closely connected with urban living. The GW and its surroundings occupy an independent block in the city, with several commercial facilities and public spaces adjacent to it, such as a large fashion commercial complex, a city square, and heritage parks (Figure 1(c)). On the other hand, the SW is located in a residential area among apartment buildings (Figure 1(c)).
Both pagodas were erected to enshrine Buddhist texts brought back from India by eminent monks of the Tang Dynasty. The Great Ci’en Temple, where the GW is now located, was designated as the venue for state activities of the Tang Dynasty. Because of this, we have access to historical descriptions of the GW's environment, which was the centre for many folk festival activities. However, compared with the GW, which has been repaired many times, the SW has a stronger historical charm. More than 1,300 years have passed since the completion of the pagodas. These have witnessed continuous repairs and renewals by several generations, which have contributed to the historical and cultural inheritance of the two pagoda courtyards. The physical features of both pagodas and courtyards are compared in Table 1. In the process of urban development, the rich cultural carriers show the overall form of urban style. Therefore, the Great Wild Goose Pagoda and the Little Wild Goose Pagoda, as the spiritual landmarks bearing the development of the region, are worthy of better protection and utilization of the cultural spirit conveyed.
| Features | GW | SW |
|---|---|---|
| Time of construction | 652 B.C. | 707–709 B.C. |
| The pagoda | A multi-story pagoda with a wood-like brick structure; seven floors (64.5 m) | A multi-eaved pagoda; fifteen levels of tiers (43 m) |
| The courtyard | 5.94 ha | 6.03 ha |
| Axis | north-south axis | north-south axis |
| Entrances | Only one entrance at south end | One at north side and several access points to museum garden at west side |
| Plants | Open space along central axis with some pine and cypress trees on the east and west sides | A rich layer of ancient plants, including pines trees, cypresses, ginkgo trees, etc. |
| Ticket | 50 RMB (roughly 8 USD) for peak season and 30 RMB (roughly 5 USD) for off season | Free |
| Current function | Religious function | Permanent/contemporary exhibition |
| Surrounding environment | An independence block with heritage park and north & south squares | Hidden in residential block, next to the museum on the west side |
To investigate the temporal information regarding historical sites, this study applied a historical literature analysis. The researchers collected 127 ancient poems and articles about people's perceptions and behaviours towards both pagodas and their environments to examine whether the descriptions of the environment conform to the restorative components. The study adopted a thematic analysis following the methodology of previous studies on cemeteries as restorative settings (Nordh, Evensen, et al., 2017; Braun and Clarke, 2008) and Chinese historical literature research (Wang, 2016). For accuracy, two researchers re-read the documents repeatedly, marked words and sentences that might relate to restorative components, and cross-examined them (Nordh, Evensen, et al., 2017). However, it should be noted that the number of historical documents collected about the SW was too small to support a thematic analysis.
Questionnaire survey and semi-structured interviewTo collect data, a two-stage approach was conducted through a questionnaire survey and semi-structured interviews, following an established methodology (Hoyle, Hitchmough, et al., 2017; Skår, Nordh, et al., 2018). The experimental design was approved by the university academic committee, and verbal consent was obtained from each participant before starting. In the first phase, post-graduate students (usually 22-26 years old) from Xi'an University of Architecture & Technology were selected as the sample to reduce cognitive biases caused by diverse disciplinary backgrounds. The Chinese version of the PRS (Ye, Zhang, et al., 2010) was applied, and participants were required to complete the questionnaire on their mobile device by scanning a QR code. It took about 5–8 minutes to finish the questionnaire. The survey was powered by www.wjx.cn (an online questionnaire survey company), and the data were analysed through www.spssau.com (an online SPSS tool for statistical analysis). A total of 451 valid questionnaires were collected (298 on the GW and 153 on the SW).
In the second phase, data were collected through on-site and semi-structured interviews using a non-dominant interview method following Nordh, Evensen, et al. (2017). The interview data collection lasted for 12 weeks from April 9 to July 1, 2018, during comfortable outdoor walking temperatures between 16℃ and 25℃. Interviews were conducted on two weekdays and one weekend day, distributed during the morning, mid-day, and afternoon, to study users' experiences at different times of the day and week. In total, 87 respondents participated in the semi-structured interview (49 at the GW and 38 at the SW).
The participants were visitors at the two pagoda sites, and they were informed that the study was part of a research project. They were asked if they had time for a brief interview, and all interviews were conducted separately, with most lasting 8-15 minutes. The content of each interview was audio recorded with the interviewee's permission. Open-ended questions were formulated about the overall experience of the pagoda courtyard, rather than specifically focusing on restorativeness, to ensure that no thoughts were imposed on the interviewees as regards restoration (Nordh, Evensen, et al., 2017). The questions included visiting purpose, behaviour, and assessment about the environment. Specifically, 'Why are you here today?, How often do you visit the GW/SW?, What do you usually do here?, How would you describe the environment/space/atmosphere of both the GW and SW?, Would you recommend GW/SW to your family or friends?, How would you describe the feeling of the whole environment?'.
The interview focused on the description of visitors' feelings about the two pagoda sites and encouraged them to think about the relationship between visitors and the pagoda site, as well as related topics. When sorting out the data, interviewees were numbered and the recorded conversation data was transcribed into text data. From the conversation, the keywords described by the interviewees to the two pagoda sites were counted as well as the frequency those keywords occurred. These words reflect people's emotional reaction to the courtyard environment.
After reviewing the historical descriptions of the GW, it was found that they align with the definition of a restorative environment and its four components. However, it should be noted that the SW's history of mental restoration has not been studied due to material limitations. This does not mean that there were no psychological benefits in GW's history. The mental restorative benefits of GW's history mainly stemmed from its historical and cultural significance, such as the royal activities, experiencing natural elements, and exploring the spatial structure of the city and the courtyard. Being in the pagoda courtyard could cultivate individuals' inner mind, relax them, and promote self-reflection and consideration of national history, life, death, and other profound issues.
Regarding "fascination," historical literature describes that the environment of the GW could bring freshness and draw one's attention. The most mentioned aspects regarding the fascination of the site were natural elements, the image of the pagoda, and religious objects at the GW. Participating in social and cultural activities exclusive to the GW was another significant contributing factor for fascination, including participating in royal activities in the Tang Dynasty and inscribing one's name after achieving a top rank in the imperial examinations, according to local customs, as seen in the following texts:
"Inside, there are exquisite carpets strewn with chrysanthemums. […] The Buddha’s music hovers in the air, like a song from heaven" (Song Zhiwen, 656 A.D.–712 A.D.; Climbing the Pagoda and Writing with Friends, Peng, 1999)
"On the Double Ninth Festival, thousands of carriages came to the royal garden. All the ministers wore dogwoods, presented chrysanthemums, and cheered to wish the emperor a long life. The pagoda is cutting into the sky, while the door is waiting for the Buddha to open" (Shangguan Zhaorong [Shangguan Wan’er], 664 A.D.–710 A.D.; Climbing the Pagoda with Emperor on the Double Ninth Festival, Peng, 1999)
Second, as for ‘being away’, the historical documents demonstrate that the environment of the GW was regarded as a fairyland, a place to withdraw to. The silent environment and ancient beauty triggered a process of self-reflection, nurturing one’s heart and provoking a sense of life, as evident in the following:
"After visiting the temple, […] I became lazy when I got home. Suddenly, my secular anxiety went away" (Cen Sen, 718 A.D.–769 A.D.; Visiting Ci’en Temple with Friends on a Snow Day, Peng, 1999)
"I felt a vast world beyond the clouds. I felt I could hold my inner heart separate from the outside world" (Emperor Gaozong of Tang, Li Zhi, 628 A.D.–683 A.D.; The Chant of Ci’en Temple, Peng, 1999)
As for the third restorative component, 'extent', we found two popular viewpoints. Firstly, visitors could stand at the north end of the axis and look south towards the pagoda. The pagoda was surrounded by a bamboo forest, and the mountains in the background appeared shorter than the pagoda. Another viewpoint was from the top of the pagoda, where visitors could climb and look out at the spatial pattern of the city. These two scenarios facilitated an experience of scope, order, and coherence, as demonstrated in the following:
"I climbed the only high pagoda. […] I can see the palace buildings. I can see the mountains and rivers". (Gao Shi, 04 A.D.–765 A.D.; Climbing the Pagoda with Friends, Peng, 1999)
"Beyond the bamboo forest, the distant South Mountain appears to be lower than the pagoda" (Cen Sen, 718 A.D.–769 A.D.; Visiting Ci’en Temple with Friends on a Snow Day, Peng, 1999)
Lastly, regarding ‘compatibility’, some recorded activities promoted individuals’ sense of belonging and personal inclinations. Visitors often came to the temple alone and stayed for a long time. Issues of disease, life, and death touched ancient visitors’ inner hearts, thus generating a deep understanding of the philosophical being. For those who lived in times of national peril, visiting historical and cultural sites awakened a deep nostalgia for the motherland:
PRS analysis PRS scores of the two pagoda courtyards"I ask myself melancholic things. Why do I go back home late as I step into the temple? Nothing more than who is crying or got sick. I will come back alone when the persimmon leaves turn red" (Bai Juyi, 772 A.D.–846 A.D.; Sentiment in Ci’en Temple, Peng, 1999)
Results show that the PRS scores of the two pagoda courtyards had excellent reliability, with Cronbach's α = 0.94. As illustrated in Table 2 and Figure 4, the overall PRS score of the SW is slightly higher than that of the GW. Here, the 'being away' score represents the biggest difference among the subscales. In relation to the 'extent', the GW scores are relatively higher than the SW scores. For 'fascination', the performance of both sites is similar. This result demonstrates that the common psychological perception about 'being away' makes the SW more restorative than the GW.
| Item | GW | SW |
|---|---|---|
| Fascination | 4.461 | 4.504 |
| Being away | 3.896 | 4.127 |
| Compatibility | 4.030 | 4.283 |
| Extent | 4.238 | 4.050 |
| Overall PRS score | 4.157 | 4.241 |
The PRS scores for both the GW and the SW fell within the range of 4.1 to 4.3 on the seven-point Likert scale. Figure 4 displays a comparison of natural, built, and mixed environments (Ivarsson and Hagerhall, 2008). While there is no specific score to define whether a site is restorative or not, the median score of 3.5 is used as a central criterion (Ivarsson and Hagerhall, 2008). Environments with PRS scores greater than 3.5 are considered more restorative, whereas those with scores lower than 3.5 are deemed less restorative. As depicted in Figure 4, natural environments and pagoda courtyards are perceived as more restorative, thus validating historical pagoda courtyards as restorative environments.
To further investigate the restorativeness of pagoda courtyards, the four restorative components were compared according to scenery type in the sequence of overall PRS scores. The rankings of the four restorative components display slightly different trends than the total score (Figure 5). The scores of ‘being away’ and ‘extent’ were greater than 3.5, thereby indicating their positive contribution to the mental restorative effect. Conversely, for ‘fascination’ and ‘compatibility’, the historical site pagoda courtyards are at the same level as natural environments (small lake and lawn) and have higher scores than the plaza and walkway. Therefore, compared to ‘being away’ and ‘extent,’ the potential restorativeness of historical site pagoda courtyards is mainly reflected in ‘fascination’ and ‘compatibility’.
Figure 6 shows the reasons people visited the courtyards given in the interview phase. Interviewees did not only come to the courtyards for a simple visit but also for daily use and recreation. Four main visiting purposes were determined for both courtyards, but in different proportions. Specifically, the vast majority (over 80%) of interviewees visited the GW to spend time in the courtyard and climb the pagoda. Some were simply walking through, and others visited for recreation. However, almost half of the interviewees in the SW were there for recreation or were passing through, as crossing the SW is a shortcut. Additionally, access to the GW is ticket-controlled, making it more exclusive.
Contrasting environmental perceptions related to the purpose for visiting are provided in Figure 7. For interviewees with the purpose of visiting courtyards and climbing the pagoda, the GW was associated with being ‘awesome’ and ‘magnificent’, while the SW was ‘tranquil’ and ‘mysterious’. For those exploring cultural heritage, both pagoda courtyards triggered deep spiritual experiences strongly related to cultural perception, such as self-reflection and inner sustenance. Furthermore, climbing the pagoda could enhance cultural experiences, as interviewees referred to ‘touching history’ and ‘seeing the city structure’. For recreational purposes, interviewees in both courtyards mentioned human activities and spatial arrangements. People who walked across the courtyards referred to elements about environmental quality, such as safety, gardening, and the well-maintained space.
Figure 8 depicts visitors' descriptive words regarding the two pagoda courtyards with reference to the circumplex model of affect (Hoyle, Hitchmough, et al., 2017; Russel 1980). This model proposes that all human reactions or affective states arise from two overlapping systems: one related to valence (‘pleasure’ to ‘displeasure’) and the second related to a degree of arousal or alertness (‘activation’ to ‘deactivation’) (Russel, 1980). Both pagoda courtyards could induce intrinsic attractiveness (positive valence in the circumplex model). Words such as ‘excited’, ‘elated’, ‘serene’, and ‘relax’ describing both the GW and the SW appear in a ‘pleasure’ direction on the valence system. Therefore, the results of the emotional reaction also verify the mental restorativeness of the historical pagoda courtyards.
The study focused on analysing two pagoda courtyards in Xi'an from a spatiotemporal perspective. The researchers conducted on-site interviews and used the PRS to verify the mentally restorative benefits of these courtyards in both ancient and modern cities. The study will now proceed to discuss the correlation between the restorative effect, cultural connotation, urban planning, and design of each site to consider the scientific basis of design theories. The similarities and differences in the environmental perception of the two pagoda courtyards will be examined, and the challenges in the development of the SW will be discussed. Finally, the study will present its limitations and future research directions.
Similarities in the perception of the two pagoda courtyardsAs discussed, historical sites can support mental restoration, encouraging relaxation, deep thinking, and mental cultivation. Besides natural elements, cultural factors of historical sites also inspire mentally restorative benefits. The cultural setting is capable of supporting the experiences of the four ART components: fascination, being away, extent, and compatibility. Beyond dynamic products such as activities, cultural products—such as historical figure sculptures, religious objects, and relics—can also facilitate mental restoration from historical and cultural environments.
Differences in the perception of the two pagoda courtyards The GW’s sources of mentally restorative benefitsPopularity. As the landmark of Xi’an, the GW is the most representative image of the city and its cultural identity. In the past two decades, several urban design and regeneration projects have been carried out around this area. North and south of the GW pagoda, two large-scale city squares have been arranged with sculptures and urban furniture based on historical and cultural themes (Figure 9 (b)). The GW courtyard is closed at night, while the north and south squares are without boundaries, providing venues for night-time public life. The changing light on the GW pagoda also enhances the aesthetic appeal of the squares (Figure 9 (a)).
On one hand, the GW and surrounding squares serve as one of the main public activity venues, making it the third most important place in residents' lives, after work and home. This social value contributes to the GW's restorative potential (Fornara, 2011). On the other hand, with the help of new media tools and online networks, the popularity of the GW has increased even further. Along with spreading its reputation online, meeting visitors' expectations and preferences can also lead to a restorative experience (Fornara, 2011; Galindo and Hidalgo, 2005).
Culture. The GW, as a historically and culturally significant site, is the subject of many famous stories. Cultural elements can be used to spark curiosity and add to a site's appeal (Nordh et al., 2017). Additionally, cultural perception can be enhanced through urban design strategies, such as recreating traditional cultural scenes based on historical literature. In the modern urban design of the GW, two historical viewpoints are particularly important as visitors frequently choose these spots for taking pictures. These viewpoints have accumulated rich cultural connotations, and their images are regularly used in media and publications.
Religion. We found that rituals, traditional activities, and prayer were the strongest predictors of mentally restorative benefits. The Great Ci’en Temple is the birthplace of the Buddhism branch of Wei-shi-zong; therefore, it has a strong religious atmosphere (Figure 9 (c)). Many pilgrims come to the GW temple to pray and ask for a bright future. The decoration of religious elements (part of the ‘fascination’ component) has been described as interest-catching (Nordh, Evensen, et al., 2017). Various activities are also frequently held in the GW, including religious rituals, open lectures by Buddhist priests, and traditional folk festival activities.
Nature. The SW includes a large green area (Figure 10 (a), (b), and (c)). There are tall and ancient pines and cypresses (Jiang, Larsen, et al., 2015; Gilchrist, Brown, et al., 2015), and the natural environment is perceived as restorative (R. Kaplan and S. Kaplan, 1989).
Serenity. Buildings separate the SW from the city’s main road, cutting off the noisy traffic. A long boulevard connects the SW pagoda and the main road. The pagoda can only vaguely be seen from the entrance. West of the SW, there is a museum and a courtyard, which enhances the quiet atmosphere. There is no entrance fee, and residents come daily to exercise, dance, and practice traditional Chinese martial arts and tai chi. Thus, in the quiet and calm atmosphere, the site acts as a shelter from hectic urban life (Nordh, Evensen, et al., 2017; Grahn and Stigsdotter, 2010).
Approachability. The SW has a smaller spatial scale than the GW, allowing visitors to closely observe various ancient stone tablets and trees. The traditional building of the SW provides numerous interactive opportunities, including outdoor steps and traversable doorways (Figure 10 (a) and (c)). Many interviewees reported exploring the delicate architectural details, such as traditional wooden eaves, tiles, and handrails (Nordh, Evensen, et al., 2017; Jeong and Lee, 2006; de Rojas and Camarero, 2008).
At present, the SW and its surrounding area are undergoing a large-scale renewal project named Small Wild Goose Pagoda · Taikoo Li. The urban regeneration project of the SW historical/cultural district covers a total area of 188 acres, involving stadiums, museums, hotels, and more (see Figure. 1(c)). The planning period stretches over four years, from 2017 to 2021. In December 2020, the construction of a historical and cultural site park was completed. The planning schedule shows that the construction of a culture and art zone would be completed by December 2022, and the construction of a business district (urban living room) will be completed by December 2024.
Although the project has a magnificent vision of improving the city's image, contributing to economic development and cultural heritage, there is no denying that the ongoing large-scale demolition has damaged the social cohesion and social networks that have been integral to the area for decades, raising concerns among the public. In addition, the published space design shows that the SW will be developed with a similar spatial approach as the one used for the GW two decades ago, with a large square and fountain on the north-south axis of the pagoda courtyard (Figure 11 (a) and (b)). Although scholars may better recognize grand planning visions than the public, similar space schemes worry them and raise concerns regarding the homogeneity of space, superficial cultural symbols, and fake heritage.
Source: www.justxa.com
The concerns of the public and academics may be hard to address in the near future. However, results from the current study show that even after the revamping of the GW, the public was able to obtain psychological benefits related to its history and culture, which addresses some of the concerns raised about the development project regarding the SW.
From another perspective, Xi'an was once a famous ancient capital representing the most glorious periods of the Han and Tang Dynasties. However, currently, it is just a regional central city located in the northwest. In an attempt to increase its competitive advantage, the ambitious government of Xi'an has decided to make history and culture the core elements of its urban development strategy. The most representative of these initiatives is the Imperial City Renaissance Plan put forward by the government in 2005 (Sun, 2005) and the Conservation Plan of Historic Cities of Xi'an initiated in 2020. In recent decades, several historical sites that overlapped with Xi'an's built fabric have been explored using an approach combining conservation and functionality (Figure 1(b)) (Wang, Jiang, et al., 2019). While on the positive side, these practices can be interpreted as contemporary creative practices of urban public history, the negative aspects cannot be ignored. For example, the development of the GW was initially positioned as a tourist attraction, while that of the SW is as an urban park. The current GW and its surroundings have formed a collection of historical and cultural symbols in the public space, coupled with cultural, commercial, and real estate flagship projects. It is possible to speculate that after the SW is developed, an extended avenue will be created, resulting in a huge square with a fountain that connects various public spaces (museum, stadium) with cultural heritage sites (city wall, the pagoda). Such an environment may mean more people will benefit from the SW, but at the price of losing its serenity.
Limitations and future researchThe perception of historical sites is influenced by subjective social and individual factors, such as regional cultural symbols, social belonging, and local pride, among others. Additionally, the location of a site can define attributes related to urban tourism or daily life. Therefore, it is necessary to use a combination of various environmental perception measurement techniques to research specific historical sites. The psychological significance of historical and cultural environments is closely related to the cultural context, and although the PRS is generally applicable to non-linguistic and non-typic environments, it does not consider the perception of historical and cultural factors to some extent.
It is not possible to compare the restorative value before and after the development of the GW due to a lack of data. However, according to the current study's results on people's perception of the GW, historical culture is the main source of its restorativeness. In future research, a psychological measurement method could be used to verify environmental perception before and after the development of the SW.
This study provides some overarching ideas regarding heritage conservation research and the restoration of historical sites. Firstly, it highlights that urban historical sites have positive psychological value for citizens and that psychological evaluation techniques can be used to explore the positive benefits of historical and cultural environments. Additionally, studying sites like the Great Wild Goose Pagoda and South Wenyi Road could help initiate historical and cultural restorative environmental research not only in Xi’an but also in other locations.
Secondly, the study emphasizes the dialectical relationship between conservation and utilization, which provides a scientific and social foundation for the regeneration of historical environments. Xi’an is an ancient city with a rich history and architectural heritage. In the study of ancient poems and articles, it is not difficult to see that public space similar to the pagoda courtyard can be a "restorative environment" that soothes the mood and promotes mental health. Poems and articles created by people to express their feelings and customary activities in public spaces, like the pagoda courtyard, make it a "special place" with high cultural value in the city. People can obtain a special psychological feeling that can relieve their psychology when they are in these historical relics. This feeling is complex, including the psychological feeling brought by history and culture and the intuitive feeling brought by the material environment. Whether from the perspective of tourism resource development or urban renewal, therefore, the development of historical sites can increase the number of people with historical and cultural knowledge, who derive psychological benefits from these sites. To improve the development of historical sites, the study suggests strengthening the spatial connection between historical culture and public life, reinforcing the core role of historical culture in the expression of public space, and using more flexible planning and fiscal tools.
Conceptualization,SS. W and LJ.Z.; methodology,YQ.X. and Y.J.; field survey, LJ.Z and YL.L.;result analysis,Y.G.;data curation,LJ.Z; writing,LJ.Z; supervision,SS.W and Y.G. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of the paper.
The study was supported by National Key R&D Program of China, Grant No.2019 YFD1100904.
