This book investigates how the reconstruction and management of temples in contemporary China serve as sites for the negotiation of local identity, memory, and the commodification of tourism. The authors, Graeme Lang and Selina Ching Chan, utilize extensive ethnographic fieldwork to examine how diverse social actors—including local villagers, government officials, and business interests—interact to shape the physical and symbolic landscape of religious sites. By analyzing the intersection of state policy and grassroots religious practice, the text argues that temple building is a dynamic process of reclaiming history while simultaneously adapting to the pressures of a modern market economy.

Experts in Chinese sociology and religious studies highlight this work as a significant contribution to understanding the complexities of post-Mao cultural revival. Readers frequently note the detailed empirical evidence provided, which offers a nuanced view of how local communities navigate the tension between tradition and modernization.