Identifying Urban Agriculture as Heritage: Traditional Urban Grape Gardens in the Ancient City of Xuanhua, China

Abstract

Urban agricultural heritage is an essential subject when investigating urban history. The preservation of it contributes to inheriting farming traditions, supporting local food, and reinforcing the cities’ cultural identity. To emphasize the significance and urgency of preserving urban agricultural heritage, this article first describes the concept of urban agricultural heritage from historical, ecological, social, and economic dimensions. We then choose the traditional urban grape garden in the Ancient City of Xuanhua as a case study. According to a new method we have developed, we provide a comprehensive description of the existing issues in the grape garden and the external factors that impact the study area. The results show that the traditional farming technique has been inherited; the urban fabric of courtyards containing grape funnels has not changed; the study area still lacks social concerns; and a part of households should optimize their business models.