Sociocultural concepts for the Chinese settlement resilience in Lasem

Abstract

This paper presents the resilience phenomenon of Chinese Settlement that faces the political policies and economic activities in Lasem. The political and economic conditions that have lasted for centuries do not influenced the resilience of the culture and architecture of Lasem Chinese Settlement. The resilience of Lasem Chinese Settlement is reflected in several temples with their original and unique architectural design that has been around for hundreds of years. They become artefacts that remain resistant to change and have their own meaning for Lasem Chinese community. The purpose of this study is to determine the resilience phenomenon of Lasem Chinese Settlement. This research is expected to provide knowledge about the activities, functions, and values of space and form that play a role in maintaining human existence as its inhabitants. This study employed a qualitative approach that was based on the naturalistic paradigm with an inductive method. The end of the research conclusion was to build local knowledge from the field of study. The result of the research showed that the Chinese Settlement was able to adjust to the political and economic development. The resilience of space and form of Lasem Chinese Settlement can be viewed by the ability of settlement, public and religious spaces in maintaining human existence as its inhabitants. The resilience grows from the socio-cultural values and gives Lasem city sense of place and local identification that remains resistance.