Cultural heritage site selection characteristics and the impact of the natural environment in Jinan city, China

Table of Contents

Overall spatial distribution of cultural heritage sites in Jinan

A visual analysis of the spatial distribution of cultural heritage sites in Jinan was conducted using ArcGIS 10.6. In terms of the number of cultural heritage sites, Zhangqiu District and Lixia District rank as the top two among all districts and counties (accounting for 15% and 14% of all sites, respectively), with each accounting for more than 55 sites, followed by Licheng District, Laiwu District, and Changqing District. The location with the lowest number of sites was Gangcheng District, with only 14 sites (Fig. 5a). The results of the kernel density analysis of cultural heritage sites show that the spatial distribution of cultural heritage sites in Jinan has a high-density area—the intersection of Lixia, Shizhong, Huaiyin, and Tianqiao District (Fig. 5b). Centered around this area, many cultural heritage sites are gathered in a circular pattern, showing a general characteristic of “a wide distribution with few cores”.

Spatial distribution and site selection characteristics of cultural heritage sites in different periods

Studies on archaeological sites in China^31,32 and other countries^33,34 have shown that the locations of cultural heritage sites are closely related to factors such as topography, water systems, politics, and the economy. This study utilizes ArcGIS software to integrate Jinan’s spatial data of cultural heritage sites with elevation, slope, and maps of the river system, revealing the distribution of cultural heritage sites in the natural environment in each period. For better analysis, we used the equal interval method³⁵, combined with the topographical conditions of Jinan city, to divide the elevation data, slope data, and water system maps into nine, seven, and five levels, respectively, and the results are shown in Fig. 6. Moreover, a kernel density analysis tool is adapted to visualize the site selection and clustering characteristics of cultural heritage sites in each period (Fig. 7).

Before the Qin dynasty

The analysis revealed that more than 50% of the cultural heritage sites from before the Qin Dynasty are located in areas with an elevation of 50 m, a slope of 5°, and a distance of less than 1 km from the river system. In terms of spatial distribution, they are mainly situated in the northern and central plains. This is because in ancient China where agricultural society was dominant³⁶, the human ability to transform nature was weakened by limited economic activities and construction techniques. In this context, early humans in China tended to settle in wide plains, an ideal choice for grain cultivation, and built villages there^37,38, leaving behind a great deal of heritage. Nuclear density analysis also confirmed the presence of multiple high-density cultural heritage zones in the plain area of the Zhangqiu District.

From the Qin to Tang dynasties

As before the Qin dynasty, the locations of cultural heritage sites from the Qin to Tang dynasties are characterized by low elevation and slope. However, an increase in the distance from water systems was observed, with the proportion of cultural heritage sites located within 2–5 km of river systems increasing to 25.6%. Regarding spatial distribution, cultural heritage sites began to concentrate in the south, forming a high-density area in Lixia District and Licheng District. In the year 201 B.C., the construction of Lixia County was begun on the west side of the tributary of the Xiaoqing River; thereafter, it was expanded in the North and South Dynasties and the Tang Dynasty, and by 820 A.D., a mature city form had been created. Urban construction attracted a large population and abundant resources, which helped establish a prosperous economic and cultural hub²¹, thus explaining why cultural heritage sites are gathered in the surrounding areas.

During the Song and Yuan dynasties

During this period, Jinan, as a military post in northern China, was in a state of war and social unrest. As a result, fewer cultural heritage sites remain, all of which are distributed in the plains in front of the mountains on the south bank of the Yellow River and in the hilly and mountainous areas in the south. Moreover, as architectural technology advanced, the number of cultural heritage sites in mountainous and hilly areas increased to 34.6%, and their distance from river systems showed less variation. This reflects the fact that changes in living and production conditions led to a gradually expanded scope of human activities and the transformation of hilly areas by humans. The kernel density analysis revealed that the core areas of cultural heritage shifted to the northwest, collecting in Lixia District, which has been assumed to be the location of Qizhou city in the Song dynasty.

During the Ming and Qing dynasties

Cultural heritage sites from the Ming and Qing Dynasties are mostly located at an elevation of 2.6–100 m and a slope of 0–5°. Compared with the previous two periods, the distance from river systems is shorter, with the proportion of heritage sites below 500 m increasing significantly to 33.3%. Despite their wide distribution in various districts and counties of Jinan, these sites are mostly concentrated on the plains and hills on the southern bank of the Yellow River, sharing the core areas with sites from the Song and Yuan dynasties. This is because the Jinan prefectural city expanded based on the city of Qizhou during the Ming and Qing dynasties, when the Lixia District became the political, economic, and cultural center of Jinan, thus laying the foundation for the “single core” distribution pattern of Jinan’s cultural heritage.

After the Qing dynasty

After the Qing dynasty, despite the gradual maturation of technology, humanity slowed the process of exploring and transforming nature. The proportion of cultural heritage sites at low altitudes and slopes increased, with more than 70% concentrated in areas with an elevation of 2.6–50 m and slopes of 0–5°. Moreover, the percentage of cultural heritage sites within 1 km of river systems increased to 58% due to increasing dependence on river systems. At the end of the nineteenth century, Qingdao and Yantai in Shandong Province were forced to open ports one after another, becoming trading hubs for ships. The resulting economic rise also had a certain impact on Jinan³⁹. At the beginning of the twentieth century, as the Jiaozhou–Jinan Railway opened to traffic, the government decided on its own to build a commercial district on the west side of the former Jinan prefecture. Just a few decades later, Jinan became a major commercial and transportation hub of North China, second only to Beijing and Tianjin. The kernel density analysis confirmed that regions with high density slightly shifted to the west where more than 50% of the cultural heritage sites from this period are concentrated.

Spatial distributions and selection characteristics of different types of cultural heritage sites

As with construction time, the selection of different types of cultural heritage sites is influenced by a variety of factors. Accordingly, this study adopted ArcGIS software to integrate spatial data on the various cultural heritage sites of Jinan with height, slope, and river system maps to further explore the selection characteristics of these sites via the Kernel Density tool (Fig. 8).

Ancient sites

The 109 ancient sites in Jinan include five specific types: village sites, ancient city sites, architectural sites, mining and smelting sites, and ancient military sites. They are mainly distributed on alluvial plains characterized by flat terrain below 50 m in elevation, with the majority being located within 1 km of river systems (accounting for 61.5%) (Fig. 9). Therefore, it can be seen that topography and water sources were important factors influencing site selection in Jinan during ancient times. The locations of national-level heritage sites, such as the Daxinzhuang and Liutaizi sites can indirectly confirm this. After exploring the spatial distributions of specific types of sites, we found that villages, old cities, and architectural sites are mostly distributed in relatively flat areas, while mining and smelting sites and ancient military sites are concentrated on hills with heights greater than 200 m in Laiwu District. The kernel density analysis revealed that several core areas of ancient sites appear in the Zhangqiu District, similar to the pre-Qin period. This low variability in the spatial distribution is due to the fact that most of the sites in Jinan are remains of human activities in primitive societies.

Ancient tombs

Jinan has a total of 38 ancient tombs, consisting of three specific types: royal tombs, tombs of nobles and celebrities, and ordinary tombs. Judging from the location characteristics, these tombs are situated at low elevations and on low slopes, with fewer variations in the distance from river systems (Fig. 10). Royal tombs and tombs of nobles and celebrities are mainly distributed around Mount Tai in the south (such as the Han dynasty tomb of the king of Jibei and the Ming dynasty tomb of prince De), consistent with the pattern that “tombs are built against mountains” noted in the Book of Burial. In contrast, most common tombs are family tombs and are primarily located near villages and cities in the central or northern plains. Overall, the distribution of ancient tombs is relatively scattered, without obvious spatial characteristics. Similarly, the results of the kernel density analysis show that compared with other types of cultural heritage, ancient tombs form more core areas with wider distributions.

Caves and stone carvings

The category of caves and stone carvings includes religious temples, statues, inscriptions, and other features that are carved into cliffs or stones⁴⁰. In Jinan these features are classified into four specific types: caves, stone carvings, stone tablets, and stone statues (Fig. 11). Caves, stone carvings, and stone statues are mostly examples of religious cultural heritage, such as the Lianhua cave and the Laozhuang Great Buddha Temple stone carvings. These are mainly distributed in the southern mountains or foothills on gentle slopes, with an elevation of 150 m and a distance of more than 1 km from river systems. In comparison, the inscriptions are mainly concentrated in the northwestern and central areas of Mount Tai, which has an elevation of 200 m and a slope of < 10°, where the terrain is low and gentle. Overall, caves and stone carvings occur in a number of core areas in Laiwu District and southern Licheng District. The strong religious nature of this type of cultural heritage also reflects the high status of Mount Tai in traditional Chinese beliefs.

Ancient architecture

The ancient architecture of Jinan consists of 13 specific types: city walls, residential buildings, Buddhist/Taoist architecture, folk religion-related architecture, ancestral halls, pavilions, educational buildings, commercial buildings, courtyards, administrative agencies, and bridges, which vary in site selection characteristics (Fig. 12). City walls, dwellings, pavilions, ancestral halls, educational buildings, government offices, commercial buildings, and courtyards, as important parts of settlements and cities, are mainly distributed on the central plains with an elevation of 200 m, a slope of 5° and a distance of less than 1 km from river systems. This distribution is considered a result of the dense river network in the central plain area and the natural ecological barrier in the southern mountainous area, and it is characteristic of an ideal settlement and development area influenced by the ancient Chinese art of Feng Shui. Buddhist/Taoist and folk religion-related buildings have similar spatial distributions and site selection characteristics and are distributed in plains and mountainous areas with gentle slopes on the southern bank of the Yellow River. The difference is that the locations of folk religion-related buildings vary depending on the gods worshipped. The City God Temple, for instance, is dedicated to the guardian god of ancient cities. These buildings developed with the founding of cities and mainly appeared in urban areas. Dragon King temples, on the other hand, are sites of worship for the Dragon God, where people pray for a good harvest, and are mainly located along rivers. Only two bridges in Jinan show obvious functional characteristics in site selection; these are distributed above the tributaries on the southern banks of the Yellow River and the Yufu River. The kernel density analysis indicated that ancient buildings form a core area in Lixia District. As mentioned above, with the construction and development of the city after the Song dynasty, this district gradually became Jinan’s core area, where a large number of resources and facilities were gathered.

Important historical sites and architecture in modern times

Important historical sites and architecture in modern times can be subdivided into 12 categories: important institutional sites, memorial sites for important events, former residences of celebrities, modern residences, modern religious buildings, modern commercial buildings, modern industrial buildings, modern educational buildings, modern medical care buildings, modern defense facilities, transportation facilities, and water conservancy facilities. They are concentrated in plain areas with an elevation of 50 m, a slope of 5°, and a distance of < 1 km from river systems, and they have lower elevations and slopes and shorter distances from river systems than the other types of cultural heritage (Fig. 13). In terms of spatial distribution, they mainly appear in Lixia District. This is because Lixia District is the development center of Jinan in modern times, and Jinan Station, an important railway hub in Shandong, is also situated there. Therefore, emerging industries such as modern commerce, industry, and health care have become aggregated in this district. Additionally, it is the location of government agencies and consulates of various countries, attracting numerous foreign immigrants to settle there and thus leading to a high density of cultural heritage. This is confirmed by the results of the kernel density analysis, which shows that this type of cultural heritage, compared to ancient buildings, is more obviously clustered in Lixia District, with small dispersion.

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Cultural heritage site selection characteristics and the impact of the natural environment in Jinan city, China

Overall spatial distribution of cultural heritage sites in Jinan