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.

1. Introduction

Intangible cultural heritage (ICH) refers to the diverse traditional cultural expressions and cultural spaces intimately linked with the lives of people across various ethnic groups, passed down through generations [1]. ICH serves as the crystallized essence of distinctive regional cultural spirit, playing a crucial role in sustaining cultural continuity and local elements, such as the cultural origins of traditional villages [2]. Traditional villages that were established early and are rich in traditional resources possess significant historical, cultural, and artistic value and thus warrant protection [3,4]. These villages provide the groundwork for the emergence and development of ICH, offering a cultural foundation and life source for the sustainable growth of such heritage. In essence, ICH is the soul of traditional village culture, and traditional villages are vital venues for the generation, transmission, and presentation of ICH. In the context of economic marketization and modern urbanization, the issue of unsustainable development has become increasingly severe for ICH and traditional villages. Consequently, identifying suitable developmental pathways for ICH and traditional villages amidst the pressures of profit-driven motives and virtual networks has emerged as a pressing challenge. Against this backdrop, the report from the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China called to strengthen protections for cultural relics and heritage and reinforced the preservation and inheritance of historical culture in urban and rural planning. The “14th Five-Year Plan for the Protection of Intangible Cultural Heritage” issued by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in 2021 includes a specific mandate to “enhance the protection of ICH in traditional Chinese villages”. This plan marks a new phase in the national effort to safeguard ICH and traditional villages [4], further emphasizing their deep interconnection. Therefore, quantifying the spatial–structural characteristics of ICH and traditional villages regionally, clarifying the heterogeneous factors and mechanisms shaping their spatial relationships, and promoting the comprehensive protection and innovative development of ICH and traditional villages within river basins have become focal points of shared interest among the academic community and relevant governmental bodies. This concerted effort aims to provide valuable insights and reference points for the development of additional river basins in alignment with national and regional priorities for cultural preservation and innovative cultural continuity.

Current domestic and international scholarly research on ICH primarily focuses on its spatial characteristics [5,6], tourism development [7,8], revitalization pathways [9,10], value systems [11], and evolutionary patterns [12], with particular emphasis on the spatial distribution patterns [6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13] and influencing factors [14,15] of ICH. Recently, under the broader context of the national cultural strategy for the creative transformation and innovative development of excellent traditional culture, coupled with rural revitalization, the inheritance and development of ICH have attracted widespread attention in the academic community. Thus, scholars have concentrated on this issue, developing evaluation indices to assess [16] and analyze the degree of transmission [17], regionality [18], vitality [19], and sustainable development of ICH. The spatial structure of ICH is not confined to one specific geographic space and is characterized by imbalance [20] and mobility [21], influenced by a multitude of factors including natural environments, historical culture, and economic conditions [22]. Research on traditional villages from a spatial perspective typically focuses on the spatial distribution of structures in typical regions such as the Southwest [23], Northwest [24], Hunan [25], Guizhou [26], and Huizhou [27] areas. Landscape genes [28], touristic utilization/revitalization [29], and the value reshaping of traditional villages [30] have also become focal points for scholarly analyses. These research efforts are increasingly adopting a dynamic and static analytical process that integrates both temporal and spatial dimensions. This advanced methodology reflects a sophisticated understanding of the complex interplay between cultural heritage and regional development, providing invaluable insights into the sustainable preservation and innovative enhancement of ICH and traditional village landscapes.

Overall, most researchers analyze issues related to ICH and traditional villages independently, viewing them as separate subjects of study. Relatively few scholars have deeply explored the spatial–structural relationships between the two, in practice or in theory. When exploring ways to protect intangible cultural heritage and traditional villages, Wang Xin proposed that there is an interdependent relationship between the two [31]. Li Ruyou analyzed the spatial relationship between ICH and traditional villages in the Yellow River Basin, noting significant spatial clustering and heterogeneity [32]. Shen Ya used the Wuling Mountain area as a case study to explore the spatial positioning and heterogeneity factors between ICH and traditional villages [4]. These findings show that some scholars have investigated the spatial relationships between ICH and traditional villages and published influential results. However, the spatial structures of the two categories and the mechanisms underlying their interrelations have not been fully elucidated, indicating that research on the relationship between ICH and traditional villages remains insufficient. Under this background, the present work uses the Dongting Lake Basin as a typical study area and applies methods such as kernel density analysis, centroid models, coupling models, and quantitative spatial–structural models to explore the spatial–structural characteristics and influencing mechanisms of ICH and traditional villages in the basin. This research aims to provide empirical references for the comprehensive protection and revitalization of both categories, aligning with the new era’s national strategy for rural revitalization and advancing ecological protection and high-quality development in the Dongting Lake Basin. This study implements an analytical process that integrates dynamic and static perspectives, as well as temporal and spatial dimensions, offering a sophisticated, scholarly approach.

2. Materials and Methods

2.1. Study Area

The Dongting Lake Basin, located south of the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and north of the Nanling Mountains, spans from 107°16′ E to 114°17′ E and 24°38′ N to 30°26′ N. The Dongting Lake Basin covers an area of 263,000 km², accounting for 14.6% of the larger Yangtze River Basin. In addition, the Dongting Lake Basin plays a crucial role in regulating the Yangtze River and linking the Xiang, Zi, Yuan, and Li rivers, serving as the core of this hydrological network. The basin encompasses the entire territory of Hunan Province as well as parts of Hubei, Guizhou, Guangxi, Chongqing, and Jiangxi provinces, with a unique spatial structure that opens to the north on three sides. Geographically, the basin transitions from mountains in the west to hills, basins, and plains towards the east, generally exhibiting a topography that slopes from higher elevations in the west to lower elevations in the east, forming a terraced distribution pattern (Figure 1). The region features a typical mid-subtropical monsoon climate with distinct seasons, a dense river network, concurrent high temperature and rainfall periods, and abundant precipitation, with an average annual temperature of 16–17 °C and annual rainfall ranging from 1200 to 1500 mm. As a national-level ecological economic zone and a demonstration area for green development in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, the basin is driven by the strategy of “major protection without major development”. This represents an important way to promote the sustainable development of the Dongting Lake Basin by continuing the intangible cultural heritage that embodies the essence of the regional culture and protecting the authenticity, liveliness, and integrity of traditional villages in the area.

2.2. Data Sources

This study focuses on 118 counties (districts) within the Dongting Lake Basin. The DEM data, administrative divisions, and watershed boundaries were sourced from the Geospatial Data Cloud (http://www.gscloud.cn (accessed on 18 April 2024)). Topographic data were obtained from the Chinese Academy of Sciences Resource and Environmental Science Data Center (http://www.resdc.cn (accessed on 15 March 2024)). River system data were extracted from the DEM dataset. Socio-economic statistical data were derived from the 2022 provincial and city statistical yearbooks, relevant statistical bulletins, government reports, and the Prospective Database for 2023 (http://d.qianzhan.com (accessed on 19 February 2024)). The list of intangible cultural heritage categories is derived from the five national intangible cultural heritage lists published by the China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (http://www.ihchina.cn (accessed on 19 February 2024)) as well as from the websites of various provincial governments (as of November 2023) and included the names, categories, locations, and years of publication [33]. Categories were also determined by referring to the [2008] No. 19 document issued by the state titled “Notice of the State Council on Publishing the Second Batch of National Intangible Cultural Heritage List and the First Batch of National Intangible Cultural Heritage Extended List”. In this study, intangible cultural heritage is divided into 10 categories: folk literature, traditional music, traditional dance, traditional drama, traditional skills, traditional medicine, traditional sports, amusement and acrobatics, folk customs, and folk art [34], among which there are a total of 1209 intangible cultural heritage items (including extended projects) in the Dongting Lake Basin, accounting for 15.47% of cultural heritage at the national level. The traditional villages directory was sourced from six batches of Chinese traditional villages listed by the Ministry of Housing and Urban–Rural Development, totaling 8155 villages, with 1234 located within the Dongting Lake Basin as of April 2023, accounting for 15.13% of the total. Based on the Google Earth coordinate system, according to the birthplace and protection unit of intangible cultural heritage, combined with local county records and genealogies and other historical data (https://dfz.hunan.gov.cn (accessed on 18 April 2024)), we further determined the latitude and longitude information of ICH and traditional villages, connected the locations of ICH and traditional villages with the relevant attribute data, and established a geographic information database for ICH and traditional villages in Dongting Lake Basin region [32,33].

2.3. Research Methods

2.3.1. Nuclear Density

Density analysis is a non-parametric spatial analysis method used to calculate the density of observed targets within their adjacent areas. This method is commonly applied to represent the spatial distribution and variation patterns of point data and can also reflect the degree of aggregation and dispersion of elements. Kernel density analysis provides an intuitive representation of the spatial clustering or dispersion of ICH and traditional villages. The formula for its calculation is as follows [35]:

$$f\left(x\right)=\frac{1}{nh}\sum _{i=1}^{n}k\left(\frac{x-x_i}{h}\right)$$

(1)

where X₁, X₂, …, X_i represent independent distributed samples within the total population density function; f(x) is the estimated value of f at point x; $\mathrm{k}\left(\frac{\mathrm{x}-{\mathrm{x}}_{\mathrm{i}}}{h}\right)$ is the kernel function; h (h > 0) is the bandwidth; and x − xi is the distance from the estimation point x to the sample x_i.

2.3.2. Center of Gravity Model

The centroid model is a critical analytical tool for exploring the spatial evolution of regional geographic elements. This model can clearly reflect spatial differences and dynamic processes of regional geographic phenomena by calculating the deviation distance and direction of geographic element centroids [36]. Geographic coordinates of both ICH and traditional villages were extracted to specifically characterize the spatial forms of the two categories in the Dongting Lake Basin; using this information, the spatial distribution centroids of these spatial forms were also calculated. These centroids were then compared with the geometric centroids of the entire basin and its respective sub-basins and lake areas. The calculation formula is as follows [37]:

$$X=\sum _{i=1}^n{X}_i\times P_i/\sum _{i=1}^n{P}_i; Y=\sum _{i=1}^n{Y}_i\times P_i/\sum _{i=1}^n{P}_i$$

(2)

where X and Y represent the horizontal and vertical coordinates of the centroids for ICH and traditional villages, respectively. X_i and Y_i are the horizontal and vertical coordinates within a sub-regional scope, P_i represents the density of the corresponding ICH and traditional villages, and n is the number of sub-regions.

2.3.3. Coupling Degree Model

“Coupling” refers to a state of interaction between different systems or different elements within the same system. The intensity of this state is expressed by the degree of coupling. If the coupling degree is high, the interaction effect is strong. If the coupling degree is low, the interaction is weak. The coupling degree model was used to calculate the degree of coupling between ICH and traditional villages with the two subsystems involved in this study. The calculation formula is as follows [38]:

$$C=\frac{f\left(x\right)\times h\left(y\right)}{{\left[\frac{f\left(x\right)+h\left(y\right)}{2}\right]}^2}$$

(3)

where C represents the coupling degree index, and f(x) and h(y) are the composite benefit functions of ICH and traditional villages, respectively. The coupling degree, which reflects the strength of the relationship between the systems, ranges within [0, 1]. This study categorizes coupling into five types based on the characteristics displayed at each coupling stage: no coupling (0 = C), initial coupling stage (0 < C < 0.3), advanced coupling stage (0.3 ≤ C < 0.7), highly advanced coupling stage (0.7 ≤ C < 1), and optimal coupling stage (C = 1).

2.3.4. Quantitative Spatial–Structural Model

The quantitative spatial relationship model can measure the correlation between intangible cultural heritage and traditional villages, quantitatively reflecting the spatial structures of the two categories being studied. The formula for its calculation is as follows [39]:

$$\mathrm{R}=\frac{\mathrm{ad}-\mathrm{bc}}{\sqrt{\left(\mathrm{a}+\mathrm{b}\right)\left(\mathrm{c}+\mathrm{d}\right)\left(\mathrm{a}+\mathrm{c}\right)\left(\mathrm{b}+\mathrm{d}\right)}}$$

(4)

where R ranges within [–1, 1], R > 0 indicates a positive correlation, and R < 0 indicates a negative correlation. In addition, ‘a’ represents the number of sample plots that contain both traditional villages and ICH points, ‘b’ represents the number of sample plots that contain only traditional village points, ‘c’ represents the number of sample plots that contain only ICH points, and ‘d’ represents the number of sample plots that contain neither traditional village nor ICH points (the same below). The formula for testing the significance of the ${\mathrm{X}}^2$ value is as follows:

$${\mathrm{X}}^2=\frac{\mathrm{n}\left(\mathrm{ad}-\mathrm{bc}\right)}{\left(\mathrm{a}+\mathrm{b}\right)\left(\mathrm{c}+\mathrm{d}\right)\left(\mathrm{a}+\mathrm{c}\right)\left(\mathrm{b}+\mathrm{d}\right)}$$

(5)

where if |X²| > X²a(1), then the relationship between traditional villages and quantitative spatial association is significant; if |X²| < X²a(1), the association between the two is not significant (n represents the total number of sample plots).

3. Results

3.1. Spatial Structure and Coupling Relationship

3.1.1. Spatial Structure

• Spatial Structure of ICH

Using the kernel density function in ArcGIS, the spatial distribution density at the level of intangible cultural heritage in the Dongting Lake Basin was visualized, and the results are shown in Figure 2. The spatial structure of ICH in the Dongting Lake area exhibits the following characteristics: (1) Overall, ICH in the Dongting Lake Basin displays a spatial structure that is sparse in the east and dense in the west, with clear regional differences. This structure consists of one high-density core area, two core areas with secondary density, and several smaller core areas. The high-density core area is centered around the Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture in Guizhou, covering parts of southwestern Hunan. The two core areas with secondary density are located in the eastern and northwestern parts of the Dongting Lake Basin. The eastern secondary core area centers around Changsha City and its surroundings, while the northwestern secondary core area is centered around the “V”-shaped area of Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture and the southeastern corner of Chongqing, radiating to Tongren City, Zhangjiajie, and Laifeng County in Hubei. The smaller core areas primarily center around Shaoyang City, Chenzhou City, and Hengyang. (2) ICH mainly clusters in mountainous and hilly areas where transport is inconvenient and economic development is limited, in areas populated by ethnic minorities, and around state government centers where cultural enterprises are well-developed, which are also key gathering places for ICH culture.

From the perspective of the different types of intangible cultural heritage, different agglomeration areas exhibit distinct regional characteristics (Figure 3). Folk customs are predominantly found in Qiandongnan Prefecture, Guizhou, and form a cluster in Xiangxi Prefecture, Hunan, with abundant folk resources centered around sacrifices, temple fairs, and rituals related to the beliefs of the Miao and Tujia ethnic groups being observed. Traditional skills, traditional medicine, traditional arts, and traditional drama constitute a “three-point type” and are concentrated in Guizhou’s Qiandongnan Prefecture and Hunan’s Xiangxi Prefecture; Changsha City exhibits the strongest agglomeration in these areas, demonstrating a wide variety of traditional foods, with a primary focus on food processing skills. Xiangxi City serves as an important planting area for materials used in Chinese medicine due to its extensive area, resulting in a concentration of medicinal practices; coupled with the area’s distinctive regional architecture, handmade products made from cloth, carving, and paper-cutting are prominent. Traditional sports and entertainment such as acrobatics are mainly found in Changsha City, Hunan Province, and Qiandongnan Prefecture, Guizhou Province. In contrast to the gathering areas for folk customs and traditional handicrafts mentioned above, folk literature, traditional music, and traditional dance are concentrated within the “one center”—the southeast gathering area in Guizhou Qiandong—which is the main settlement area for the Dong, Miao, and Tujia peoples.

• Spatial Structure of Traditional Villages

The spatial structures of traditional villages in the Dongting Lake Basin are characterized as follows (Figure 4): (1) Traditional villages exhibit two high-density core areas and one core area with secondary density. The two high-density core areas are located in the southwest and northwest areas of the Dongting Lake Basin. The southwestern high-density core area centers around Leishan County and Taijiang County in Guizhou, radiating to Danzhai County, Jianhe County, Rongjiang County, Liping County, and parts of southwestern Hunan. The northwestern high-density core area is centered around Huayuan County and Jishou City in Xiangxi Prefecture, extending throughout Xiangxi Prefecture to Xiushan Tujia and Miao Autonomous County and Youyang Tujia and Miao Autonomous County in Chongqing, as well as Laifeng County in Hubei. The secondary core area is located in the southern part of the Dongting Lake Basin, with Guanyang County in Guangxi and Chenzhou City in Hunan as the core, covering the northeast of Guilin and the regions of Yongzhou and Chenzhou. (2) Regarding the sub-basins and lake areas of Dongting Lake, traditional villages exhibit a clustered spatial structure in the Yuan River Basin and a dispersed but locally concentrated structure in the Xiang River, Zi River, Li River basins, and lake areas, with distinct regional characteristics. Traditional villages in the Yuan River Basin are primarily concentrated in Qianxinan Prefecture and Xiangxi Prefecture. Those in the Xiang River Basin are mainly located in the upper reaches of the Xiang River, and those in the Zi and Li River basins are concentrated in the middle reaches of the Zi River and the upper reaches of the Li River. However, the spatial structures of traditional villages in the lake area present no distinct characteristics. (3) Traditional villages are mostly clustered in areas with a strong cultural representation of ethnic minorities (such as Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture and Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture) and in mountainous and hilly regions with underdeveloped transportation and deep cultural heritage (such as Xiushan Tujia and Miao Autonomous County, Tongdao Dong Autonomous County, and Wufeng Tujia and Miao Autonomous County).

Based on the above information, the overall spatial structures of ICH and traditional villages in the Dongting Lake Basin exhibit strong coupling characteristics. Specifically, the layout structures of ICH and traditional villages within the sub-basins of Yuanjiang, Lishui, and Zishui in the Dongting Lake Basin follow similar patterns. That is, the sub-basin area of Yuanjiang presents a concentrated distribution, while the sub-basin areas of Lishui and Zishui display both dispersed and concentrated phenomena, with distinct regional traits.

3.1.2. Spatial Coupling Relationship

There is a clear spatial coupling relationship between ICH and traditional villages. To quantitatively study the spatial coupling characteristics of ICH and traditional villages in the Dongting Lake Basin, we applied the centroid model, coupling degree model, and quantitative spatial model. These models were used to conduct in-depth measurements and analyses of the spatial coupling relationship between ICH and traditional villages in the Dongting Lake Basin.

• Centroid Deviation Analysis

The center of gravity model was used to calculate the center of gravity of intangible cultural heritage, the center of gravity and the geometric center coordinates of traditional villages, and the center of gravity and center coordinates of various categories of intangible cultural heritage. The offset distance and relative position between them are discussed (Figure 5).

From a locational perspective (

Table 1. The center of gravity dislocation of traditional villages and intangible cultural heritage distribution.

	Geometric Center Coordinates		Traditional Village Center of Gravity Coordinates		Intangible Cultural Heritage Center of Gravity Coordinates		Distance from Center of Gravity to Center of Gravity (km)	Index of Deviation between Centers of Gravity
District	Longitude (°)	Latitude (°)	Longitude (°)	Latitude (°)	Longitude (°)	Latitude (°)
Basin-wide	111.069	27.569	109.967	27.097	110.287	27.528	57.258	0.106
Lishui River Basin	110.646	29.612	110.476	29.586	110.640	29.473	20.181	0.146
Xiangjiang River Basin	112.537	26.602	112.107	25.839	112.703	26.927	134.378	0.423
Yuanjiang River Basin	109.352	27.642	109.181	27.401	108.931	27.417	24.797	0.074
Zishui Basin	111.232	27.383	111.036	27.337	111.328	27.333	25.840	0.144
Dongting Lake District	112.593	29.348	113.119	28.829	112.391	29.536	105.124	0.604

), (1) the centroid of ICH in the Dongting Lake Basin (111.001° E, 36.309° N) is located to the southwest of the geometric center (111.069° E, 27.569° N), falling in Zhongfang County within the Yuanjiang sub-basin. The centroid of traditional villages (109.968° E, 27.097° N) is also in the same direction, positioned in the eastern part of the Yuanjiang sub-basin. In terms of deviation distance, the centers of ICH and traditional villages in the Dongting Lake Basin are approximately 57.26 km apart, with a deviation index of only 0.106. (2) The centroids of ICH and traditional villages in the various sub-basins of the Dongting Lake Basin exhibit certain spatial deviations, with the degree of deviation varying between regions. The Xiangjiang sub-basin features the most pronounced displacement distance, followed by that in the Dongting Lake area, with the Yuanjiang, Zishui, and Lishui sub-basins having smaller deviation distances. The highest deviation index can be found in the Dongting Lake area due to the primary distribution of ICH in the north-central area around Yueyang City and the Hubei region, while traditional villages are concentrated in the southern areas of Miluo City and Yueyang County. The presence of the smallest sub-basin area further results in a larger deviation index. The Xiangjiang sub-basin has the second-highest deviation index, with ICH mainly present in Changsha City, while traditional villages are primarily located in the upstream cities of Yongzhou and Chenzhou. Conversely, the Yuanjiang, Zishui, and Lishui sub-basins have smaller deviation indices. Therefore, considering the entire Dongting Lake Basin, the degree of centroid deviation between intangible cultural heritage and traditional villages is relatively small, indicating a high degree of spatial coupling.

The intangible cultural heritage categories (

Table 2. The location of the center of gravity for the distribution of the 10 types of intangible cultural heritage.

Categories of ICH	Folk Literature	Traditional Music	Traditional Dance	Traditional Theatre	Folk Art
Center of Gravity Coordinates (°)	(108.191° E, 26.650° N)	(107.938° E, 26.673° N)	(108.283° E, 26.554° N)	(109.376° E, 26.874° N)	(111.224° E, 27.586° N)
ICH Categories	Traditional medicine	Folk custom	Traditional fine arts	Traditional skills	Traditional sports, recreation, and acrobatics
Center of Gravity Coordinates (°)	(109.987° E, 27.408° N)	(109.2435° E, 27.693° N)	(110.572E, 27.879° N)	(111.519° E, 27.122° N)	(110.981° E, 26.453° N)

), which include folklore (108.191° E, 26.650° N), traditional music (107.938° E, 26.673° N), traditional dance (108.283° E, 26.554° N), and traditional drama (109.376° E, 26.874° N), are situated in the southwest of the geometric center of the Yuanjiang River Basin in Qiandongnan Prefecture of Guizhou Province (111.069° E, 27.569° N). The center of gravity for traditional villages is also located to the southwest, at a position of (109.968° E, 27.097° N) in the eastern part of the basin. In terms of deviation distance, these four categories of intangible cultural heritage have a deviation distance from the center of gravity of traditional villages that is less than 48 km, with a deviation index as low as 0.102. Regarding offset distance, quyi and traditional skills exhibit the most significant deviations, followed by traditional sports and amusement arts, traditional medicine, folk customs, and traditional arts, with quyi having the highest deviation index due to its relatively random and discrete distribution mainly being concentrated in the western Dongting Lake Basin, resulting in a large deviation index. The second-highest deviation index belongs to traditional skills. This category shows a large distribution in Changsha City, leading to an overall shift eastward within the river basin. Therefore, from the perspective of intangible cultural heritage, there are generally small deviations between each category’s center of gravity and those for traditional villages within the Dongting Lake Basin, indicating a clear spatial correlation.

• Coupling Degree Model

We determined the spatial distribution coupling degree of ICH and traditional villages in the Dongting Lake Basin and its sub-basins using a coupling assessment model based on the statistical data of ICH and traditional village distributions across the 118 cities (counties). The results are shown in

Table 3. Coupling degree of spatial distribution between ICH and traditional villages in the watershed.

District	Dongting Lake Watershed	Xiangjiang River Basin	Yuanjiang River Basin	Zishui Basin	Lishui River Basin	Dongting Lake District
Coupling degree (C)	0.78	0.46	0.89	0.81	0.77	0.53

.

Overall, the coupling coefficient between ICH and traditional villages in the Dongting Lake Basin is 0.998, indicating a strong coupling relationship between the two. However, there are regional differences in the coupling coefficients between ICH and traditional villages across the various sub-basins within the Dongting Lake Basin. The coupling coefficients in the Yuanjiang, Lishui, and Zishui sub-basins all exceed 0.70, demonstrating a relatively strong degree of coupling, whereas in the Xiangjiang sub-basin and the Dongting Lake area, the coefficients are below 0.70 but above 0.40, indicating a slightly weaker coupling degree. Thus, at the sub-basin level, the spatial distribution and scale of coupling between ICH and traditional villages in the various areas of the Dongting Lake Basin are relatively high, with clear spatial coupling.

From the perspective of intangible cultural heritage (

Table 4. The coupling degree between the spatial distribution of various categories of intangible cultural heritage and traditional villages.

Categories of ICH	Folk Literature	Traditional Music	Traditional Dance	Traditional Theatre	Folk Art
Coupling degree (C)	0.86	0.79	0.82	0.78	0.39
ICH Categories	Traditional medicine	Folk custom	Traditional fine arts	Traditional skills	Traditional sports, recreation, and acrobatics
Coupling degree (C)	0.71	0.69	0.59	0.44	0.65

), the distribution trend of folk literature, traditional drama, traditional music, traditional dance, and traditional medicine is basically the same as that of traditional villages in the study area. The coupling degree between them is also higher than 0.70, indicating a high coupling degree. However, there is a strong coupling degree between folk customs, traditional arts, traditional sports, and amusement, falling between 0.50 and 0.70. However, due to their own attributes, the coupling degree of quyi and traditional skills is less than 0.5 but greater than 0.3, and there is obvious coupling in the small-scale range. The coupling strength is sometimes enhanced and sometimes weakened.

• Quantitative Spatial Relationship

Using the ArcGIS software, the 1234 traditional villages and 1209 ICH projects within the Dongting Lake Basin were marked on the map, creating a layer that represents the spatial distribution of ICH and traditional villages in the basin. Additionally, the administrative map of the Dongting Lake Basin was divided into grid plots with a spacing of 10 km in both length and width. These grid plots were overlaid with the distribution layer, thus generating a spatial distribution and grid decomposition map of ICH and traditional villages in the Dongting Lake Basin (Figure 6).

Figure 6 clearly demonstrates a high degree of congruence in the spatial distribution of intangible cultural heritage (ICH) and traditional villages within the Dongting Lake Basin. Specifically, areas with a high concentration of ICH also feature densely populated traditional villages. Conversely, areas with sparse distribution of traditional villages also exhibit a sparse distribution of ICH. Statistical analysis of the grid plots revealed 111 plots containing both traditional villages and ICH, 569 plots containing only traditional villages, 173 plots containing only ICH, and 1775 plots containing neither, corresponding to a = 111, b = 569, c = 173, d = 1775, and n = 2628. The spatial relationship index between the two is calculated as follows:

$$\mathrm{R}=\frac{111\times 2628-569\times 173}{\sqrt{\left(111+569\right)\left(173+2628\right)\left(111+173\right)\left(569+2628\right)}}=0.1049.$$

Here, R > 0 indicates a positive correlation. Entering the numbers into Formula (4) yields the following:

$${\mathrm{X}}^2=\frac{3841\left(111\times 2628-569\times 173\right)}{\left(111+569\right)\left(173+2628\right)\left(111+173\right)\left(569+2628\right)}=19.565.$$

Consulting the X²a(1) distribution table shows that at a significance level of α = 0.05, X²a(1) = 3.68. When |X²| > X²a(1), the quantitative spatial coupling relationship between intangible cultural heritage (ICH) and traditional villages in the Dongting Lake Basin is significant.

3.2. Mechanism Analysis

The spatial structure of ICH and traditional villages in the Dongting Lake Basin is the result of adapting to the region’s unique geographical environment and achieving sustainable development through the optimization and self-regulation of natural and human environments. Based on related studies, we further explore the factors influencing the spatial–structural coupling of ICH and traditional villages in the whole basin and sub-basins of Dongting Lake from three perspectives: the natural environment, socio-economic factors, and cultural policy (Figure 7).

3.2.1. Dongting Lake Basin, Yuanjiang River Basin, Zishui River Basin, and Lishui River Basin

Overall, the coupling coefficient of intangible cultural heritage and traditional villages in the Dongting Lake basin is 0.998, and the coupling coefficient of the Yuanjiang River, Lishui River, and Zishui River basins is more than 0.70, indicating a strong coupling degree. Moreover, the deviation distance and deviation index of these three sub-basins are almost the same. Therefore, we analyzed the coupling factors of traditional villages and intangible heritage in the three sub-basins and the whole region from the perspective of commonality.

• Inherent Coupling

As the external manifestations and material carriers of ICH, traditional villages are one of the main sites achieving the birth and growth of ICH, thereby providing a cultural foundation and life source for the continuity and expansion of that heritage. For example, village rules, customs, ceremonial rituals, local dialects, local operas, and related artifacts and handicrafts all rely on the ongoing presence of thriving residents. Without the native environment of traditional villages, intangible cultural heritage would be like a tree without roots, greatly complicating cultural continuity. As a type of heritage that encapsulates regional cultural spirit and features, ICH fulfills cultural, social, economic, educational, service, and governance functions. Thus, ICH is crucial for maintaining local elements such as the cultural veins of traditional villages and remains central to achieving comprehensive rural progress, including the development of industry, cultural prosperity, talent revitalization, environmental protection, and improvements to organizational structures. ICH also forms the spiritual foundation that stimulates the endogenous revitalization of traditional villages. As traditional villages develop alongside economic expansion, population growth, and increased resource consumption, there may be impacts or damage to the environment of ICH. However, as the industrial structure is continuously adjusted and optimized through the emergence of scale effects, technological advancements, and increased environmental investments, the development of traditional villages will play a role in improving the environment of ICH. Therefore, ICH and traditional villages complement each other in their existence and development, forming a dynamic and impermanent coupling state. Considering the significant integration of their fundamental concepts, clarifying the structural coupling logic between ICH and traditional villages and improving existing mutual construction paths to achieve deep integration could advance the comprehensive strategy for rural revitalization.

• Impact of the Natural Environment

ICH and traditional villages are both products of interactions between humans and nature, and their development processes show strong adaptability to the natural environment, which is a key factor influencing the coupled nature of their spatial structures. The terrain of the Dongting Lake Basin gradually lowers from southwest to northeast, presenting a unique “open on three sides” spatial structure; this complex terrain significantly impacts ICH and traditional villages. Coupling an analysis of elevation, slope, and terrain with an analysis of the spatial distribution of ICH and traditional villages reveals that most such areas are clustered at moderate elevations on gentle slopes, with a minority on low slopes at low elevations. This distribution is primarily due to the continuity of traditional villages and the inheritance of ICH requiring relatively independent environments, with the mountainous gorges and basin hills of western Dongting forming natural barriers against external cultural impacts. Water resources are essential for human survival and an important channel for external interactions. Historically, Dongting Lake was unstable, with the downstream plains frequently facing floods and droughts. These areas have become more suitable for inheriting ICH and establishing traditional villages due to cultural exchanges and the development of village continuity, along with ample rainfall and the strong monsoon climate impacting regions along the upper and middle reaches of the Xiang River, as well as the canyon areas of the Yuan River Basin and regions like Xiangxi. This relationship forms a coupling mechanism between ICH and traditional village spatial structures, laying the foundation for a self-sufficient small-farm economy. ICH culture also gradually grows and is preserved relatively intact over time. Conversely, in cold high mountain tops, plains that often experience warfare, and flood-prone lake areas and their downstream sub-basins, traditional villages are sparsely distributed due to the unique ethnic living habits of their inhabitants or poor living conditions, making the inheritance and protection of ICH increasingly challenging.

• Socio-Economic Impact

The formation and development of ICH and traditional villages depend on a shared socio-economic environment. ICH coexists with people who are characterized by mobility, traditionality, and locality. Protecting the rights of ICH bearers and their audiences is key to ensuring the vitality of ICH. For various types of ICH, such as folk performances and traditional crafts, traditional villages serve as the primary bearers of ICH culture, providing stages and environments for their existence. As a reorganization process of social space, rural revitalization has improved the environments of temples, ancestral halls, residences, and streets in local villages, thereby enhancing the economic development and stability of livelihoods. This improvement has provided a stable foundation for the survival and development of ICH activities such as festivals, music, drama, rituals, and dances, as well as their bearers, thus fostering the spatial–structural coupling of ICH and traditional village distribution. Economic development has altered production and living styles and needs, thereby impacting the vitality of ICH and the living background of traditional villages, forming the basis for the spatial–structural coupling between the two. ICH activities such as festival rituals and performing arts remain closely linked to the daily lives of traditional village residents. With improved economic environments, not only has public cultural and spiritual demand increased, but also the attention, awareness, and protection of ICH activities have grown, providing financial support for ICH protection, thus promoting development of the spatial coupling relationship between intangible cultural heritage and traditional villages.

• Cultural Policy Impact

ICH and traditional villages are both valuable expressions of human heritage, holding immense cultural, historical, artistic, and economic value. Provincial institutions have developed precise ICH protection strategies in line with the “Intangible Cultural Heritage Law of the People’s Republic of China” considering local realities. For many ICH cultures such as Tujia’s traditional “Shuizi” music and black-tea-making craft, which suffer from severely damaged ecological environments and a lack of living heritage environments, local governments have suggested establishing cultural ecological protection areas for comprehensive ICH protection. The purpose of these protection areas is to provide environmental systemic restoration to protect intangible cultural heritage and thus optimize restoration and maintenance efforts related to the cultural ecosystems upon which ICH depends, ensuring stability between cultural ecosystems and their overall integrity. Since the national special survey on traditional villages began in 2012, the protection of traditional villages has experienced sustained development in the creation of relevant laws and policy provisions. Various provinces within the basins have introduced regulations or guidance for the protection of traditional villages. For example, the “Notification by the Office of the People’s Government of Hunan Province on Truly Strengthening the Protection and Development of Traditional Villages” explicitly lists the requirements for the in-depth research, excavation, organization, and protection of the intangible cultural heritage of traditional villages while also protecting their original cultural styles and ecological environments, respecting the authenticity and cultural connotations of ICH, and defending the physical entities and sites that constitute ICH. The collection, screening, and research of cultural heritage items in traditional villages, such as customs, arts, and architectural skills, are explicitly regulated in the “Regulations on the Protection and Development of Traditional Villages in Guizhou Province”, which strives for the orderly inheritance, maintenance, and rational development and utilization of traditional village cultural heritage. Thus, thanks to national and local policy guidance, traditional villages in the Dongting Lake area have been effectively protected, enabling intangible cultural heritage to be further maintained and passed down. The interactions between the two within integrated protection instruments provide the key driving force behind their structural coupling.

3.2.2. Xiangjiang River Basin and Dongting Lake Area

The Xiangjiang River Basin is the most obvious in terms of deviation distance, followed by the Dongting Lake District. The deviation index is the highest in the Dongting Lake District and second-highest in the Xiangjiang River Basin. Additionally, the coupling coefficient of the Xiangjiang River Basin and Dongting Lake region is lower than 0.70 but higher than 0.40, indicating a slightly weak coupling degree between ICH and traditional villages in these sub-basins

The Xiangjiang River Basin is the largest in the Dongting Lake Basin, with significant differences in its natural and cultural environment. The factors influencing the spatial distribution of ICH and traditional villages are significantly greater than those in the Lishui, Zishui, and Yuanjiangzi basins, with the leading factors similar to those in the whole area. The main factors affecting the spatial distribution of ICH are the convenience of transportation, while the main factors affecting the spatial distribution of traditional villages are the distance between villages and rivers and the GDP of the region. Chenzhou, Yongzhou, and Hengyang are the three cities in the middle and upper reaches of the Xiangjiang River and are typical areas populated by ethnic minorities, as well as low-value areas of urban economic development. The relatively closed economic environment in these cities affords traditional agricultural production an important role in the process of economic development. Moreover, traditional villages are preserved as carriers in the process of development, which has a direct impact on the spatial distribution of traditional villages. The unique minority culture in the region has also become an important element of support for regional development. As a component of culture, non-heritage works occupy an important position in the process of industrial transformation. The cultural tourism industry has become a leader in regional development. Indeed, the increase in per capita disposable income introduced by tourism development provides capital support for the excavation, continuation, and activation of ICH and has an impact on the spatial distribution patterns of ICH within the region. At the same time, topography also has strong explanatory power. The terrain of this area is highly complex, and the layouts of traditional villages show preferences towards high-quality natural environments. Due to the rugged terrain, there are few contacts between villages, making it difficult to carry out communication activities with the outside world. Areas in the Xiangjiang River Basin with good natural environments and certain natural barriers increasingly feature a high distribution density of traditional villages.

The spatial distribution of ICH in the Dongting Lake area is influenced by traffic, per capita disposable income, and altitude, with traffic playing the dominant role. The spatial distribution of traditional villages is affected by regional economic development, in which GDP and per capita disposable income possess roughly the same explanatory power.

3.2.3. Various Types of ICH and Traditional Villages within the Entire Region

The spatial distribution of intangible cultural heritage and traditional villages is influenced by natural factors such as elevation, slope, and water systems as well as human factors such as transportation, land use, ethnic settlement, and the inherent characteristics of intangible cultural heritage categories. Comparative and quantitative analyses revealed that in the Dongting Lake Basin, all types of intangible cultural heritage are concentrated in the Xiangxi Prefecture of Hunan Province or the Qiandongnan Prefecture of Guizhou Province, indicating clear overall coupling.

According to the proportion of the coupling degree between each category of intangible cultural heritage and the traditional villages, the coupling degree can be divided into three levels. There are significant differences between the three levels, which show obvious type diversity and distribution structure characteristics. The first level includes folk literature, traditional music, traditional dance, traditional drama, and traditional medicine, and the second level includes folk customs, traditional arts, traditional sports, acrobatics, and competitions. In these two levels, the coupling degree between intangible cultural heritage and traditional villages is higher due to the Dongting Lake Basin being located in the southwest of China, which is a hilly area. This area is rich in natural resources and folk culture, and the transportation conditions also provide the foundation for and guarantee of intangible cultural heritage being inherited, which is conducive to the continuation of national traditions and intangible cultural heritage activities. In terms of rivers, the region is home to important rivers such as the Yuanjiang River and Lishui River, and the source and flow areas of these rivers represent important resources for intangible cultural heritage and traditional villages. The third level includes two categories: quyi and traditional skills. Most of quyi’s intangible cultural heritage is the accumulation of long-term experience during the course of the development. It mainly relies on oral transmission and inheritance across generations. The abundance of quyi and its special properties such as liveliness, ecology, and variability have greatly increased the difficulty of protecting it, and there has been a decline in this type of intangible cultural heritage. Traditional skills involve the transmission of know-how from generation to generation through words and actions, forming an intergenerational inheritance relationship, specific behavior patterns, and social and cultural norms in the interaction between man and nature as well as society and self, gradually forming a specific community environment that is highly dependent on the distribution of people. This type of intangible cultural heritage is thus widely distributed. Therefore, the coupling between quyi, traditional skills, and traditional villages is lower than that of other intangible cultural heritage categories due to the attributes inherent to those categories.

4. Discussion

This study quantitatively analyzed the spatial relationship between ICH and traditional villages in the Dongting Lake Basin, indicating a high degree of spatial coupling and revealing their mutual dependence and intertwined structures in space. However, from a micro perspective, the spatial interactivity between ICH and traditional villages is low, which not only affects the active inheritance of ICH but also poses a threat to the integrity of the cultural ecosystem of traditional villages and presents challenges in achieving their mutual protection and development. To address this problem, we propose several solutions:

• Holistic Protection of ICH and Traditional Villages.

The residents of ancient villages, with their cultural heritage and local memories, provide a fertile ground for the continuation and development of traditional culture. Therefore, while protecting traditional villages, we should not only repair tangible cultural relics such as residences and courtyards but also adopt a comprehensive protection approach for ICH. This approach involves preserving all elements, processes, techniques, and materials related to ICH projects, as well as safeguarding the interconnected projects within the cultural heritage community. By reintroducing ICH that originated from traditional villages back to these locales and protecting ICH in a multi-dimensional, diversified, and characteristic manner at the village level, we could create a suitable environment for growth, enabling ICH to return to the public and support the development of traditional villages.

• Leveraging the Inheritance Mechanisms of ICH and the Cohesive Power of Traditional Villages.

On the one hand, we should support and assist the heirs of ICH in transmitting living heritage within traditional local environments, creating an atmosphere suitable for both the ICH itself and its inhabitants, while improving training among the populace to uphold and promote traditional culture. On the other hand, by selecting symbolically significant material and immaterial elements from the village’s cultural genes, local traditional festivals, rituals, temple fairs, and other folk activities could be re-established. This revitalization would cultivate the collective memory of villagers, stimulate cultural identity among traditional village residents, and increase village cohesion. This measure would not only create conditions for the localized protection and inheritance of ICH but also provide strong support for the interactive development of ICH and traditional villages.

• Formulating Flexible Policies for the Protection of ICH and Traditional Villages.

Based on the integration of elements from both ICH and traditional villages, which is the premise underlying the effective transformation of ICH and village governance, governments in regions with strong spatial coupling between ICH and traditional villages should fully leverage their resource attributes. Governments should propose corresponding development plans or strategies to find sustainable development paths for the revival of traditional villages and ICH, aiming to promote the deep integration of “ICH + Tourism” in ethnic minority areas, thereby enhancing the cultural, economic, and social value of ICH. Additionally, by closely aligning ICH inheritance with the development of traditional villages and implementing appropriate resource allocation models, we could leverage the strong resource elements of both to create an effective environment for progress and mutual benefit.

Due to limitations in data acquisition, this study conducted only a macro analysis of the spatial structures of ICH and traditional villages, without exploring their misaligned geographical characteristics at the local level. Furthermore, this study did no deeper processing on the data examining how factors influence the coupling processes between ICH and traditional villages in the Dongting Lake Basin, thereby hindering a comprehensive understanding of the formation processes and underlying mechanisms of their spatial–structural coupling. Future research could further explore these aspects.

5. Conclusions

This study utilized tools such as ArcGIS alongside the extensive application of analytical methods such as kernel density, centroid models, coupling degree models, and spatial quantity relationship indices to conduct an in-depth investigation of the spatial–structural properties and formation rationales for ICH and traditional villages in the Dongting Lake Basin. The main findings are as follows:

• The spatial structures of both ICH and traditional villages in the Dongting Lake Basin exhibit a trend of aggregation, with a relatively high coupling degree at their distribution centers. Specifically, the spatial structures of ICH show clustering within a small area and dispersion over a larger area, forming one high-density core area and two secondary-density core areas. Among them, folk customs, traditional music, traditional dance, traditional drama, and traditional medicine are highly clustered, showing a spatial distribution form of “two groups of cores” and “three points”. The spatial structures of traditional villages present two high-density core areas, one secondary-density core area, and several smaller core areas, with the Yuanjiang River Basin having a clear advantage in the distribution number and density of ICH and traditional villages.
• At different spatial scales, the spatial coupling structures of ICH and traditional villages in the Dongting Lake Basin exhibit distinct characteristics. Overall, the centers of distribution for ICH and traditional villages in the Dongting Lake Basin have a small degree of centroid shift, with a distance of 57.26 km and a shift index of only 0.106. From the perspective of sub-basins, the spatial–structural coupling of ICH and traditional villages in the Dongting Lake Basin is high, with a coupling degree of 0.998. In terms of quantity, there is a significant positive spatial correlation between the spatial structures of ICH and those of traditional villages in the Dongting Lake Basin, although the degree of spatial correlation is relatively low, with a spatial quantity relationship index of only 0.105. From the perspective of various types of intangible cultural heritage, the deviation distance and index values between four categories of intangible cultural heritage—namely folk literature, traditional music, traditional dance, and traditional drama—in traditional villages are the smallest. The coupling degree for those categories was higher than 0.70, and the coupling degree between the other six types of intangible cultural heritage and traditional villages showed a certain deviation. The coupling degree was different among different categories.
• The spatial–structural coupling of ICH and traditional villages in the Dongting Lake Basin is the result of multiple converging influences. ICH serves as the spiritual heritage and symbolic core of traditional villages, while traditional villages act as the environmental and spatial carriers for the origin of ICH. Their mutual interaction comprises the intrinsic operational logic of spatial coordination between ICH and traditional villages. The spatial–structural coupling of ICH and traditional villages in the Dongting Lake Basin is also influenced by external factors such as natural conditions, social development, and cultural strategies. These interacting factors tighten the linkages between the two.