Problems Regarding the Re-mounting and Restoration of Chinese Hanging Scrolls – Local Traditions versus Globalisation

ur times highlight the need for determining wchich values concerning heritage protection would be appropriate for different cultures. International documents of great importance, like the Nara Document of Authenticity (1994),1) UNESCO Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity (2001)2) and the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (2003),3) all drew attention to the importance of maintaining the local traditions and local attitude to the issues of safeguarding and conservation, including cultural differences in the perception of authenticity. The end of the twentieth century saw an increase in understanding of the problems related to the protection of the cultural wealth of humanity, as well as a general appreciation of the importance of the role of world heritage conservation, in its immense complexity. However, on the other hand the tendencies of globalisation within the area of heritage protection could be observed in terms of the unification of techniques, materials and aesthetics. The problems connected with the remounting and restoration of Chinese hanging scrolls are a perfect example, in which local tradition clashes with global standards of heritage safeguarding.4)