The prevalent global heritage discourse has been primarily Euro-centric in its origin, premise, and praxis. Diverse cultural, historical, and geographical contexts, such as that of Asia, call for more context-specific approaches to heritage management. This book explores this complexity of managing the cultural heritage in Asia.Case studies include sites of Angkor, Himeji Castle, Kathmandu Valley, Luang Prabang, Lumbini, and Malacca, and the book uses these to explore the religious worldviews, heritage policies, intangible heritage dimensions, traditional preservation practices, cultural tourism, and the notion of cultural landscape that are crucial in understanding the cultural heritage in Asia. It critiques the contemporary regulatory frameworks in operation and focuses on the issues of global impact on the local cultures in the region. The book goes on to emphasize the need for integrated heritage management approaches that encompass the plurality of heritage conservation concerns in Asian countries.Themes are discussed from the vantage point of heritage scholars and practitioners in the South, Southeast, and East Asia. This book thus presents a distinctive Asian perspective which is a valuable source for students and practitioners of heritage within and beyond the Asian context.

Introduction: Contexts and Concerns in Asian Heritage Management Neel Kamal Chapagain Part 1: Contexts 1. Jiirnnoddharana: The Hindu Philosophy of Conservation Binumol Tom 2. Heritage Conservation in the Buddhist Context Neel Kamal Chapagain 3. Islamic Perspectives and Malay Notions of Heritage Conservation Syed Iskandar Arrifin 4.The Conflict of Ideologies and Ambiguities in Conservation Policy:A Legacy of Shared Built Heritage in Pakistan Anila Naeem 5. A Comparative Analysis of Three Heritage Management Approaches in Southern China: Guangzhou, Hong Kong, and Macau Fred Lee and Hilary du Cros 6. Managing the Sacred Garden of Lumbini Kai Weise Part 2: Concerns 7. The Himeji Castle World Heritage Site: Challenges of Sustaining Memories of a Revered Heritage in Japan Yushi Utaka 8. Traditions Overlooked: Re-thinking Cultural Heritage Conservation in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal Vibha Bhattarai-Upadhyay 9. Cultural Heritage and Sacred Landscapes of South Asia: Reclamation of Govardhan in Braj, India Amita Sinha 10. The Challenge of the Cultural Landscape Construct and Associated Intangible Values in an Asian Context Ken Taylor 11. Angkor on the World Stage: Conservation in the Colonial and Postcolonial Eras William Chapman 12. Commodification of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Asia Wantanee Suntikul 13. Issues of Sustainable Tourism at Heritage Sites in Asia Sharif Shams Imon Part 3: Prospects 14. A Community-based Approach to Heritage Management from Ladakh, India Tara Sharma 15. Heritage Impact Assessment as a Tool in Managing Development in the Historic City of Melaka, Malaysia Syed Abidin Idid and Dilshan Remaz Ossen 16. Developing an Alternative Paradigm for Asian Heritage Conservation: A Buddhist-Systemic Perspective Jamie MacKee 17. The City Imageability: A Framework for Defining Urban Heritage Dimensions Kapila D. Silva 18. Epilogue: Prospects for Asian Heritage Management Kapila D. Silva