The spatial form of traditional villages in Fuzhou area of Jiangxi Province determined via GIS methods

Abstract

Traditional villages are precious historical and cultural heritage. Here, we investigate Fuzhou area of Jiangxi Province, China, and consider 114 national-level and provincial-level traditional villages, applying fieldwork, historical document searches, GIS spatial analysis, spatial syntax analysis, and other methods to explore the spatial form characteristics of traditional villages in this area on a macroscopic and microscopic (individual) level, and the relationships between scales. It is found that on a macroscopic regional level, the spatial distribution of traditional villages is unevenly distributed at a low altitude and at a close proximity to water systems; while on a microscopic level, traditional villages are mainly small and medium-sized, with landscape environments mainly determined by eight different types of waterfront hills. Among the four types of village boundaries, there are more villages with finger-like characteristics, including finger-like villages with banded features and finger-like villages with cluster characteristics. The living environment patterns mostly determined by four different types of comb settlements due to the limitations of regional environments as well as the topographic and cultural factors. Our results are significant for the improved evolution, protection, and development of traditional villages such as those found in the Fuzhou area.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

GIS technology / traditional villages / spatial form / Fuzhou area

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