Spatial and temporal distribution characteristics and evolution of traditional villages: the Qi River Basin, China

Abstract

The Qi River Basin, renowned as one of the cradles of Chinese civilization and it's also a river that flows in the Psalms, boasts a rich cultural heritage. Traditional villages within this region play a pivotal role in preserving its cultural legacy and are of great importance for sustainable development. This research focuses on investigating the temporal and spatial transformations of traditional villages in the Qi River Basin. By conducting a thorough literature review, consulting local chronicles, and undertaking field surveys, historical information on the ancient Qi River and its significant tributaries was collected and validated using ArcGIS 10.8. Spatial analysis techniques, such as nearest neighbor index, kernel density estimation, standard deviation ellipse, geographic concentration index, and buffer analysis, were applied to analyze the spatiotemporal dynamics of traditional villages. Through a detailed exploration of various factors influencing village evolution, especially the role of rivers in driving changes, several key findings emerged: (1) Traditional villages in the Qi River Basin exhibit a clustered distribution pattern; (2) The shifting centroid of traditional villages over six historical periods demonstrates a directional trend from southwest to northeast, with contemporary villages facing the risk of disappearance; (3) Factors like proximity to water, elevation, slope, and socio-cultural elements are intricately linked to traditional villages, with water proximity emerging as a primary influencer. This study enhances our comprehension of the interplay between traditional village development and river basin, providing valuable theoretical insights for promoting the sustainable development of traditional villages in China.