The temples are threatened by pollution from coal-mining activities in and around Yungang. A holistic approach to conservation here would have to balance the complex conflicts between preservation and industrial development. Management of resources is a basic part of today's world. Implicit in the idea of management is a holistic perspective.
Good management is holistic.
Underlying management, like science, is the reductionist process. While each of these elements requires particular expertise, the preservation of sites demands, in the end, a vision that is encompassing and holistic. The reductionist process is only the beginning of good management. To preserve the past, it must be followed by a holistic synthesis. There does seem to be a trend in that direction, and if it continues the dangers are grave.