Identifying cultural heritage corridors for preservation through multidimensional network connectivity analysis — a case study of the ancient Tea-Horse Road in Simao, China

ABSTRACT

Due to the development and evolution of transportation networks, and the destruction and disappearance of cultural heritage in the urbanisation process, it is imperative to protect historical and cultural heritage using various public policy tools. Identifying heritage sites is a critical first step in achieving subsequent successful preservation. However, few extant studies have explored methods to identify heritage corridors using network analysis approaches. This study uses multidimensional network connectivity analysis to identify cultural heritage corridors along the ancient Tea-Horse Road. Based on the theory of occurrence, this paper considers the hierarchical factors such as time, space, ethnic culture, religious culture, and altitude differences in landscape patches to explore how these corridors are connected through a multidimensional network. The study fills a void in current literature and presents a spatially integrated multidimensional approach identifying cultural heritage corridors, making it possible for the protection, preservation, and development of these corridors.

KEYWORDS:

• Multidimensional connectivity
• historical and cultural heritage
• heritage corridor construction
• ancient Tea-Horse Road

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by the National Science Foundation of China through the project “Study on the Protection of the Ancient Tea-Horse Road Heritage Corridor Based on the Space-Time Concept of Landscape Ecology” (Grant No. 51468064).

Notes on contributors

Yanmei Li

Yanmei Li is an Associate Professor in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning at Florida Atlantic University. Her research and teaching interests are housing, community development, planning methods, and the role of social capital in planning.

Hui Li is a professor in the College of Forestry and Landscape Architecture at South China Agricultural University. Her research focuses on the preservation of landscape heritage, ecosystem protection, and landscape planning.

Jing Jing is an associate at Shenzhen Urban Planning and Design Institute. She holds a master’s degree from the School of Architecture and Planning at Yunnan University.

Honghong Fan is an instructor at Yanjing Institute of Technology with teaching and research interests in preservation of heritage corridors and human settlements. She holds a master’s degree from the School of Architecture and Planning at Yunnan University.

Yang Liu is a staff member of Market Monitoring and Management Bureau of Beihu District, Binzhou, Hunan. She holds a master’s degree from the School of Architecture and Planning at Yunnan University.

Jiahao Ren is a staff member of Beipei District People’s Government, Chongqing, China. He holds a master’s degree from the School of Architecture and Planning at Yunnan University.