Zhao Xiaomei
Associate Professor
Born in Dalian, Liaoning Province. She is currently Associate Professor at the School of Future Design, Beijing Normal University.
She received her Bachelor of History in Architectural Heritage from the School of Archaeology and Museology, Peking University. She earned her Master of Engineering and Doctor of Engineering in Architectural History and Theory from the School of Architecture, Tsinghua University. She previously worked at the School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, and the Department of Cultural Heritage and Museology, Fudan University.
Her teaching, research and professional‑service activities focus on architectural anthropology and compound cultural heritage of settlements.
Major Academic Appointments
2025‑present: Expert, Expert Panel for the Conservation and Management of the Old Town of Lijiang World Cultural Heritage, Administration Bureau for the Protection and Management of the Lijiang Ancient City World Cultural Heritage
2024‑present: Expert, Expert Database for Rural Revitalization, Shanghai Rural Revitalization Research Center
2023‑present: Member, Academic Committee of the Chinese Architectural History Branch, Architectural Society of China
2018‑present: Peer Reviewer for research projects, National Natural Science Foundation of China
Courses Taught
- Undergraduate: Academic Writing
- Postgraduate: Writing Skills of Dissertation
Representative Research Projects
- Research Project funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China
• The Historic Evolution and Interaction Mechanism of the Rural Rites and Ritual Architecture in the central Zhejiang since the Ming and Qing Dynasties from the Perspective of Paradigm Fusion
- Research Project funded by the National Social Science Fund of China
• Coordinating multiple types of heritage: Research on the typological system of cultural heritage conservation and inheritance from the perspective of "grand heritage concept", a sub-project of the Major Projects on Cultural Heritage “Research on promoting high-quality development of cultural heritage conservation and inheritance with people as the center”
- Publication Grant funded by the National Social Science Fund of China
• "Settlements, Houses and Heritage Practices in the Sangjiang River Basin in Northeast Guangxi"
- Publication Grant funded by the National Social Science Fund of China
• "Settlements, Houses and Heritage Practices in the Sangjiang River Basin in Northeast Guangxi"
- Decision-making Consulting Project funded by Shanghai Municipal Government
• A Study on the contemporary value and scene construction of Shanghai culture
- Research Project funded by Shanghai Planning Office of Philosophy and Social Science
• Presenting Waterway Heritage and Constructing Memory from the Perspective of Historical Urban Landscape
- Research Project funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China
• A Research on How Interactions Among and Within the Ethnic Groups Shape and Influence the Characterization of Social Relations of Settlements along the Gui River in Nanling Ethnic Corridor
Representative Book Publications
Zhao, Xiaomei, Jin Xu, and Tong Chen eds. 2024. Jinhua Village: Clans, Towns and Heritage in the Basin of Wuyi and Yongkang Rivers. Beijing: Cultural Relics Press.
Du, Xiaofan, and Xiaomei Zhao. 2018. Core value of rural heritage: A case study of Loushang Village in Guizhou (Granted with National Publishing Fund). Chengdu: Bashu Publishing House.
Zhao, Xiaomei. 2014. Cultural Interpretations of Space in Living Rural Settlement in China: A case study of Dong villages in southeastern Guizhou. Nanjing: Southeast University Press.
Zhao, Xiaomei. 2025 (expected). Living in Harmony in the Transitional Times: Settlements, Houses and Heritage Practices in the Sangjiang River Basin. Beijing: Social Sciences Academic Press (China).
Representative Journal Articles
Zhao, Xiaomei, and Xueyang Sun. 2025. “The Mingting and the Xuanjian: Changes of the Ritual Spaces in the Rural Central Zhejiang Province since the Ming and Qing Dynasties.” Heritage Architecture (CSSCI-Extended source journal), 3.
Zhao, Xiaomei. 2025. “A Comparative Interpretation of the Paopai (Daoist Ordination) Rituals among the Hong Yao (Red Yao) and Qingyi Miao (Blue-Clad Miao) in the Sangjiang Region of Northeastern Guangxi.” Journal of Chinese Ritual, Theatre and Folklore (TSSCI/THCI source journal), 229, 147-208.
Zhao, Xiaomei. 2024. “Cultural Rights in Complex Urban Heritage: Concept and Practice.” Review of Space and Society, 3(3), 113-123.
Zhao, Xiaomei. 2024. “Cult and Exhibition of Monuments and Artworks: A discussion based on Benjamin’s Value Paradigm of Cultural Hertiage and its Contemporary Implications.” Cultural Heritage (CSSCI source journal), (4), 113-119.
Zhao, Xiaomei, and Yiwen Zou. 2024. “The Presence of the Past: Exhibiting and Constructing Urban Memories of New York City.” Study on Natural and Cultural Heritage, 9(3), 72-84.
Zhao, Xiaomei. 2023. “Boundaries within a community: Social changes of the Red Yao in Guangxi in the Qing and the Republic Times. ” History Review (CSSCI source journal), (6), 129-141.
Zhao, Xiaomei. 2023. “Constructing and Applying a Thematic Framework for the Interpretation of Rural Heritage on its History and Culture.” Southeast Culture (CSSCI source journal), (5): 6-18.
Zhao, Xiaomei. 2023. “A Path to the Cultural Experience of Rural Heritage.” China Cultural Heritage, (5): 20-23.
Zhao, Xiaomei. 2022. “A Settlement and Its Houses: Changes of Settlement Pattern and Social Grouping of a Miao Mountainous Village in Northeast Guangxi.” Fudan Journal (Social Sciences Edition) (CSSCI source journal), 68(5): 68-81.
Zhao, Xiaomei. 2021. “A Valley on the Boundary: Heritage Interpretation of the Houses of the Yao and the Zhuang in the Northeastern Guangxi from the Perspective of Regional Social History.” Study on Natural and Cultural Heritage, 6(5): 61-75.
Zhao, Xiaomei. 2020. “Expanding Rural Heritage Value Through Heritage Practice: Interpreting the ‘Clan-State’ Relation of the Ancestral Temples in Zhuge Village.” Study on Natural and Cultural Heritage, 5(7): 64-73.
Zhao, Xiaomei. 2020. “Changes of Spatial Pattern of the Hearth and the Hall in the House along the Sangjiang River Valley.” Journal of Guangxi University for Nationalities (Philosophy and Social Science Edition) (CSSCI source journal), 42(4): 29-36.
Zhao, Xiaomei. 2020. “Ancestral Sacrifice and Spatial Changes: Obtaining Symbolic Meanings of the Second Post in Ethnic Miao and Yao Houses in North Guangxi.” Architectural Journal (CSSCI source journal), (6): 16-21.
Zhao, Xiaomei. 2020. “Post-disaster Rebuilding and Continuity of Ethnicity in the Yao house in North Guangxi.” Archicreation, (2): 98-103.
Zhao, Xiaomei. 2019. “Negotiating Contestations for Community-Oriented Heritage Management: A Case Study of Loushang in China.” Built Heritage (CSCD source journal), 3(4): 58-71.
Zhao, Xiaomei. 2019. “Research on the Space of the Bridge-and-Temple in the Popular Processions in the Marketing Towns in Jiangnan Region: Taking the Birthday of Notable Shi in North Fengjing as an Example.” Zhuangshi (CSSCI source journal), (8): 86-89.
Zhao, Xiaomei. 2019. “A Study on the Architectural Forms and Spatial Representation of the Dong Drum Towers Influenced by Ethnic Interactions.” Architectural Journal (Special issue for academic papers), (S1): 53-58.
Zhao, Xiaomei, and Xiaofan Du. 2018. “An Integral Planning for Heritage Village: A case study of the conservation plan for Loushang.” China Cultural Heritage, (6): 53-58.
Zhao, Xiaomei. 2018. “The Integration of Multi-Leveled Values of World Cultural Heritage, its Significance and Approaches: A case study of the Western Qing Tombs.” Southeast Culture (CSSCI source journal), (3): 6-14.
Zhao, Xiaomei. 2017. “Dutch hofje and a comparative study in the typology of urban courtyard housing.” Architectural Journal (Special issue for academic papers), (S2): 63-68.
Zhao, Xiaomei. 2016. “A Study on Theories of Living Heritage Approach.” China Cultural Heritage, (3): 68-74.
Yue, Qing, Xiaomei Zhao and Yitao Xu. 2009. “Research on the Origin and the Communication of the Bending Roofs of the Southern Chinese Wooden Structural Buildings in Ming and Qing.” Journal of National Museum of China (CSSCI source journal), 78(01):71-79+88.