01439nas a2200169   4500000000100000000000100001008004100002260000800043100001400051700002100065700001600086700001300102245008900115490000700204520104400211022001401255       2020                            d  cmay1 aXiao Song1 aKee-Cheok Cheong1 aQianyi Wang1 aYurui Li00aDevelopmental Sustainability through Heritage Preservation: Two Chinese Case Studies0 v123 aCultural heritage is a vital part of a society s existence. This role has particular relevance for China, with arguably one of the largest stocks of cultural assets, tangible and intangible, in the world. Recognizing the tension between cultural preservation and economic development as a general context, this paper examines the specific additional challenges China faces in its rush towards economic development. In providing both generic and China-specific contexts, this paper has as its objective to understand how Chinese policy-makers, both central and local, attempt to resolve the contest between cultural preservation and economic development, specifically rural rejuvenation. Through two case studies-of Lijiang in Yunnan province and Rizhao in Shandong province-this paper shows contrasting strategies to leverage local intangible cultural assets. Comparing these strategies reveals both the advantages and challenges inherent in each. A successful strategy captures the benefits of cultural tourism while minimizing its costs.  a2071-1050