Exploring the Transformation in the ‘Spirit of Place’ by Considering the Changed and Unchanged Defensive Spaces of Settlements: A Case Study of the Wugoushui Hakka Settlement

Abstract

Over generations, economic development has accelerated traditional settlements in Taiwan while losing traditional culture. In Hakka villages, this is manifested in the changes in defensive spaces, the ‘spirit of place,’ and land use. Although some progress has been made through research into related issues, a correlated view has been missing. To explore the connection between the ‘spirit of place’ and defensive spaces in Wugoushui, a traditional representative settlement in Taiwan, this paper probes three questions: What are the changes in defensive spaces? What are the changes in the spirit of place? What are the connections between them? Taking the sixteen criteria of secure defensive space as the theoretical foundation, through more than a year of structured observations and in-depth interviews with ten representative residents, and based on context analysis and site analysis of the information collected, this paper has concluded that, although the actual functionality of Wugoushui settlement’s spiritual, behavioural, and physical defences have disappeared, cultural characteristics related to the settlement traditions, including religious beliefs, trust, sense of belonging, street network, nodes, institutions, territory, and social networks, constitute a concrete manifestation of the defensive space and the spirit of place as of today. This research contributes to developing a theory of the relevance of the spirit of place to the defensive space of settlements from a sustainability perspective and improving the cultural preservation and land management of traditional settlements.

Spatial Distribution Characteristics and Influencing Factors of Hakka Traditional Villages in Fujian, Guangdong, and Jiangxi, China

“…Architecture research into Hakka villages has involved the study of historical value [18], architectural culture [19], building type [20], erosion resistance [21], thermal insulation capacity [22], and the nature and distribution of traditional Hakka dwelling styles [23]. The study of landscape characteristics and spatial features has considered the characteristic street system [24], landscape genes [25], architectural water environment [26], case sample analysis [27], spatial type and deep structure analysis [28], and village defense system analysis [29]. The only studies that have analyzed the distribution of Hakka villages are those conducted in Ganzhou [30] and Meizhou [31], which have been city-based and focused only on village distribution and not on factors influencing the distribution.…”

Water-Town Settlement Landscape Atlas in the East River Delta, China

“…Examining the landscape spatial characteristics of water-town settlements through both temporal and spatial lenses offers a remedy to the prevalent issue where research predominantly fixates on typical relics, disregarding the shared features of water-town settlement clusters. Present investigations into delta water-town settlements frequently zero in on individual cases [56], choosing subjects primarily from nationally recognized traditional villages or approaching research from anthropological and historical viewpoints [57]. Despite these case studies yielding abundant settlement samples for related research on delta water-town settlements, they have yet to transcend to a comprehensive perspective, neglecting the influence of regional backgrounds on settlements.…”

Regional Architecture Building Identity: The Mediating Role of Authentic Pride

“…As the center of daily life for family members, the courtyard often serves as the venue for various family activities and social ceremonies, such as festival celebrations and clan gatherings, reflecting the deep familial sense and collectivist spirit of the Hakka people [25]. He et al pointed out that this layout facilitates communication and cooperation among clan members [26]. For tourists, Hui-style and Min-style architectures are not only windows to appreciate the aesthetics of Chinese traditional architecture but also pathways to deeply understand China's rich history and culture [27].…”