Buddhist heritage landscape evolution of Mount Wutai: a path dependence approach

Abstract

An adequate understanding about the evolutionary process, mechanism and influencing factors of cultural landscapes is crucial for their efficient preservation and sustainable development. The theoretical framework of self-reinforcing sequence in path dependence analysis appears applicable but has not yet been well explored as a tool for broader historical landscape analysis like the evolution of cultural landscapes that may last thousands of years. Within such a framework, an empirical case of Buddhist heritage landscape of Mount Wutai is used to account for the institutional genesis, reproduction and change associated with landscape evolution over time. The findings suggest the framework provides an essential toolkit to reveal the specific ways in which path dependence shapes the evolutionary trajectories of cultural landscapes and, based on that, to detect management options that steer development and change of cultural landscapes into a direction that aligns with desired outcomes.

Keywords:

• Cultural landscapes
• landscape evolution
• path dependence
• self-reinforcing sequence
• Mount Wutai

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank the editor for her invaluable suggestions and the anonymous referees for their thoughtful feedback. We would also like to thank Miss Jiamin Zhou for her assistance in field research.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Availability of data and materials

The datasets used and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Notes

1 An image held in a public domain repository. This hand-coloured map was engraved by Gelonglongzhu in 1846, with scale not given. It is a wood block print on linen. It depicts the locations of about fifty monasteries of Mount Wutai and illustrates pilgrims in worship.

2 The number(s) in parenthesis indicates the specific year of the associated event or the historical period of the corresponding dynasty. All years are in Common Era.

Additional information

Funding

This research was funded by the National Social Science Foundation of China (17BGL115) and the Postgraduate Innovation Special Foundation of Jiangxi Province (YC2023-S046).

Notes on contributors

Wenhui Wang

Wenhui Wang is currently an associate professor at School of Tourism, Nanchang University. He received a PhD in Geography from the University of Hong Kong in 2020. He is interested in sustainable development of cultural heritage, especially in tourism terms.

Zixian Lu

Zixian Lu was a bachelor student at School of Tourism, Nanchang University and is currently doing master of tourism management at Management College, Ocean University of China. Her research interests include heritage tourism and world heritage protection.

Zhuting Zhang

Zhuting Zhang is a master student at School of Tourism, Nanchang University. She has published a few peer-reviewed articles in esteemed journals of heritage studies. Her research interests include heritage tourism and world heritage protection.

Jianqin Zhou

Jianqin Zhou is a master student at School of Tourism, Nanchang University. Her research interests include heritage tourism and world heritage protection.

Zhiqiang Gong

Zhiqiang Gong is an adjunct professor at School of Tourism, Nanchang University. He received a PhD in history from Jinan University. He has hosted quite a few tourism research and planning projects like the general project of National Social Science Foundation of China. His research interests include tourism planning, heritage tourism, and world heritage protection.