A Study on the Spatial Structures and Mechanisms of Intangible Cultural Heritage and Traditional Villages in the Dongting Lake Basin

Abstract

This study focuses on 1209 national and provincial intangible cultural heritage items and 1234 traditional Chinese villages within the Dongting Lake Basin. Using kernel density analysis, centroid models, coupling models, and quantitative spatial–structural models, the present research analyzes the spatial–structural characteristics and formation mechanisms of intangible cultural heritage and traditional villages to provide scientific support for their preservation, inheritance, and effective utilization. The results revealed the following: (1) Intangible cultural heritage and traditional villages in the Dongting Lake Basin exhibit a very concentrated spatial distribution, with similar spatial–structural characteristics. (2) High spatial coupling of intangible cultural heritage and traditional villages is observable in the sub-basins of Dongting Lake, such as the Yuanjiang, Zishui, and Lishui basins, whereas the Xiangjiang Basin and Dongting Lake area present relatively lower levels of spatial coupling. In terms of the categories of intangible cultural heritage, four of them—cultural heritage, folk literature, traditional music, traditional dance, and traditional drama—have the smallest deviation distance and index values from traditional villages. The coupling degree was higher than 0.70, and there were some differences in the coupling degree between the other six categories of intangible cultural heritage and traditional villages. (3) The spatial–structural characteristics of intangible cultural heritage and traditional villages in the Dongting Lake Basin emerged from the combined effects of multiple factors, including internal connections between the two, as well as external factors such as the natural environment, socio-economic conditions, and cultural policies, all of which play crucial roles in the formation processes of these characteristics.