Tourism to Lu Gou Qiao: enduring scenic qualities of a landmark bridge and a difficult legacy of a conflict site

Abstract

ABSTRACT The research about Lu Gou Qiao examines two tourist attractions in close proximity on the southwestern periphery of Beijing: the landmark ‘Marco Polo’ Bridge and the Museum of the War of Chinese People’s Resistance against Japanese Aggression in neighboring Wanping City. A survey conducted at both sites had the result that the large majority of the interviewed visitors tour both sites. The bridge and the museum are thematically connected as it was an incident at the bridge started the Second Sino-Japanese War 1937–1945 which is reconstructed in great detail at the museum, a ‘red tourism’ site where patriotic education according to the agenda and guidelines of the Communist Party of China (CPC) plays a major role. A main motivation for the visitors is to learn about the Chinese people’s resistance against Japanese aggression. The survey results also confirmed a high interest in war related information including the grim and horrific crimes committed by the Japanese Imperial Army, an indication of an evolving ‘dark tourism.’