ABSTRACT This paper aims to explore the use of heritage – or, rather, heritages – in place-making in the Chinese context, through the lens of a case study of Liangzhu Culture Village (LCV), a newly built residential community near a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Based on archival research and ethnographic fieldwork conducted from 2019 to 2022, this study finds that not only Liangzhu heritage but also Buddhist and Confucian intangible heritages are used in place-making. The findings show that Liangzhu heritage functions through a top-down mechanism by which stakeholders such as the government and heritage experts formulate policies and strategies concerning urban development and heritage conservation and the real estate developer uses heritage to promote its projects. Some tangible and intangible heritage attributes are used to enrich the community’s cultural flavour and foster residents’ attachment to the community. Tangible elements of Liangzhu’s heritage are expressed in the built environment, such as the layout and naming of key roads, public spaces and cultural facilities. The local residents’ meaning-making of Liangzhu heritage is related to their national identity and national pride. Also, Liangzhu heritage provides the residents with tourism and leisure opportunities. The residents tend to use traditional Chinese heritages in their daily lives as a way of fostering attachment to the community and enhancing their relationships. The study contributes to a better understanding of heritage’s complex role in urban development.