| Author: | Bai, Qian |
| Title: | Exploring tourist Chan experience at Shaolin Temple |
| Advisors: | Hsu, Cathy (SHTM) |
| Degree: | DHTM |
| Year: | 2024 |
| Subject: | Tourism -- Religious aspects Culture and tourism Shao lin si (Dengfeng Shi, China) Zen Buddhism Hong Kong Polytechnic University -- Dissertations |
| Department: | School of Hotel and Tourism Management |
| Pages: | viii, 147 pages : color illustrations |
| Language: | English |
| Abstract: | Chan-related tourism has been increasingly recognized not only for its role in providing effective stress relief but also a as growing niche market that attracts both religious and non-religious tourists. Previous studies have explored tourist experience across diverse contexts, including suburban ancient-town tourism, city tourism, and volunteer tourism. However, limited attention has been paid to the tourist experience at cultural destinations, focusing on temples. This research aims to explore the Chan tourist experience at Shaolin Temple. This study has four objectives: (1) explore the nature of the Chan experience and its components, (2) identify the extent and nature of the transformation resulting from the experience, (3) understand visitor and destination attributes relevant to the experience, (4) develop a conceptual model of the Chan experience outlining the underlying mechanism and consequences. This research is based on the Interaction Ritual Chains theory to examine the complex interplay between ritual participation and tourist transformations. The findings from this study contribute to the development of a conceptual model of the Chan experience at Shaolin Temple. Grounded in qualitative research, the investigation involved in-depth interviews with 27 participants who engaged in various Chan rituals and activities at the Shaolin Temple. The researcher also used participant observations and travel dairies to collect data. After the coding process, the study identified key components of the experience, including the initial emotional states of tourists, their ritual engagements, destination and tourist attributes, and subsequent transformation. The findings reveal that ritualistic activities at Shaolin Temple, such as meditation and Kung Fu show and practice, generate significant emotional energy, fostering collective effervescence that contributes to profound personal transformation. The transformation encompasses three principal dimensions: psychological well-being, physical awakening, and perception change. This study contributes to tourism research by extending the application of Interaction Ritual Chains theory into the domain of cultural and religious tourism, offering new insights into the role of rituals in shaping tourist experiences. It also provides practical implications for cultural heritage management by emphasizing the importance of facilitating deep and meaningful interactions that resonate with tourists' spiritual and cultural aspirations. |
| Rights: | All rights reserved |
| Access: | restricted access |
Files in This Item:
| File | Description | Size | Format | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7858.pdf | For All Users (off-campus access for PolyU Staff & Students only) | 15.65 MB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
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