Genetic Information Coding and Mapping of Traditional Settlement Landscapes in Northern Shaanxi

Abstract

Traditional settlements represent typical rural landscapes that have emerged from specific historical and cultural backgrounds. They are also important spatial carriers for the transmission of regional cultural heritage. As the historical source of traditional Chinese culture, traditional settlements exhibit stable and harmonious development, with unique features. The Loess Plateau in China nurtures the unique cave dwelling culture of northern Shaanxi. It is characterised by distinct architectural features such as traditional cave dwellings. However, the cave settlements in northern Shaanxi, which exhibit Chinese culture, face a habitat crisis due to rapid urbanisation. Based on the kernel density distribution of traditional settlements in Shaanxi Province, one of the core distribution zones centred at Suide County and Mizhi County appear in the Southeast region of Yulin City and the eastern region of Yan’an City. It is a major distribution zone involving cave settlements and their characteristic landscapes. Settlements mainly extend along river valleys and gullies, accompanied by water and soil loss as well as harsh ecological environment. However, it is marked by a severe shortage of construction  land  and narrow  space for development. Over the years, the hills and gullies of the Loess Plateau  in northern Shaanxi constrained the development of settlements in the region. Therefore,  the traditional settlements in the Loess hills and gullies of northern Shaanxi were selected for further investigation. Landscape genetics and construction mapping were studied by combining with local settlement status. Appropriate protection and inheritance mechanisms of traditional settlements in Shaanxi Province were analysed. Based on the theory of landscape genetics, 46 national traditional settlements in northern  Shaanxi were selected. First, the typology of traditional settlement was used to establish landscape gene information codes in northern Shaanxi. The numerical codes of "Shaanxi E-M1/2XXXX " were acquired using the combination of "area code + gene category code + Class-1 element + Class-2 element + Class-3 element + landscape gene element". Second, further analysis revealed that the traditional settlements in northern  Shaanxi were mainly based on family inheritance and small-scale peasant economy, and depicted in terms of location layout, clansman and residential buildings. Hence, the genetic pedigree of traditional settlements in the region can be built by combining internal and external environmental elements, information associated with traditional residential and subjective public buildings as well as landscape genes with similar cultural significance, that is, the "A+  B+C+D " mode. Third,  this  study presents the material landscape map of cave settlements in northern Shaanxi symbolically and provides a twoand three-dimensional graphical expression of landscape elements including site  selection pattern,  spatial layout,  street layout and architectural form of cave settlements in northern Shaanxi. The abstract symbols have been extracted based on morphological features and cultural connotation of elements, and abstract internal connotations based on graphical expression. Finally, a landscape gene map of 15 typical settlements in northern Shaanxi was built by combining with landscape gene code structure and extraction of landscape gene prototype. Based on the results of landscape genetic analysis of traditional settlements in northern Shaanxi, this study explored the landscape gene code and established a landscape gene map. Results have practical implications for sustainable development of different types of traditional settlement and ecological restoration of traditional dwellings. Although the landscape genetic map of traditional settlements provides a practical basis for their historical and cultural transmission, genetic "mutations" and functional transformations within the settlements as well as new demands of local residents for modern living space after development over a long period have been identified. The hierarchy of regional characteristics and the delineation of settlement zones in the landscapes provides further direction for subsequent research. The findings provide a comprehensive insight into the natural and human characteristics of traditional settlements in a particular landscape and the construction of a regional landscape map eventually. This system provides a layer-by-layer analysis of specific areas using a set of maps. The hierarchical regional map corresponds to large areas, sub-areas, subsub-areas and even individual settlements in the traditional landscape systems. It not only facilitates a comprehensive, scientific and accurate understanding and representation of the unique characteristics of traditional settlement landscapes from a macroscopic to a microscopic perspective, but also enhances the analysis of traditional settlement landscapes in China.