Spatial analysis of the Great Wall Ji Town military settlements in the Ming Dynasty: research and conservation

ABSTRACT

Collectively representing a super large-scale settlement space, the Great Wall’s military settlements have a long history and cover a large area, and are thus associated with a huge amount of information. Based on spatial analysis of data gathered on the Great Wall military settlements in the Ming Dynasty, this paper fills the gap in quantitative research on the Great Wall, establishes a specific connection between the spatial and environmental characteristics of Ji Town’s military settlements, and enhances understanding of their spatial distribution and historical development. The paper also provides more effective data-based support and management tools for research on and conservation of the Great Wall and its military settlements through quantitative analysis of the Ji Town settlements, their surrounding landscape, and other factors. The concept of a Great Wall military buffer zone is proposed as an important bridge between the design of zoning policies for the Great Wall’s preservation and the overall conservation of its heritage value.

KEYWORDS:

• Ji Town
• military settlements
• spatial analysis
• Great Wall military buffer zone
• Great Wall conservation

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1. Slope-level classification data values refer to Architectural Design Materials Collection. Second Edition (Volume 6) 《建筑设计资料集》第二版（第六册）. Beijing北京: China Construction Industry Press中国建筑工业出版社, (1994). P223.

1. Flat slope (slope value 3% or less, degree 0°–1°43′) is the ideal land for construction.

2. Gentle slope (slope value 3–10%, degree 1°43′–5°43′) is not affected by topography.

3. Mid-level slope (slope value 10–25%, degree 5°43′–14°02′) is subject to certain restrictions, and the layout needs to set a platform and lots of earthwork are needed.

4. Steep slope (slope value 25–50%, degree 14°02′–26° 34′) is basically unsuitable for construction, and the layout is subject to greater restrictions.

5. Hard slope (slope value 50–100%, degree 26°43′–45°) needs special treatment for construction.

6. Cliff slope (slope value 100%, degree 45° or above) needs huge construction costs.

2. The local government announced the Beijing Great Wall Protection and Management Measures (Beijing 2003), which provided for a 500-m non-construction area and a 500–3000-m limited construction area ‘on both sides of the Great Wall’ for temporary protection. However, 3000-m buffer zones cannot cover overall protection for the military settlements, thus the buffer zone is expanded to 5000 m for statistics.