Towards Sustainable Rural Revitalization: A Multidimensional Evaluation of Rural Vitality in China’s Traditional Villages

Anqiang Jia, Xin Yun, Xiaowen Zheng, Xuan Wen, Xiaoxu Liang () and Yingxia Yun
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Anqiang Jia: School of Architecture, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
Xin Yun: Department of Urban and Rural Construction, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding 071001, China
Xiaowen Zheng: Department of Urban and Rural Construction, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding 071001, China
Xuan Wen: Department of Urban and Rural Construction, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding 071001, China
Xiaoxu Liang: Department of Architecture and Design, Politecnico di Torino, 10125 Turin, Italy
Yingxia Yun: School of Architecture, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 13, 1-26

Abstract: Traditional villages constitute a significant component of China’s rural heritage. In the context of national efforts to achieve sustainable rural revitalization, there is a lack of comprehensive assessments of rural vitality that can evaluate the balance between the competing demands of heritage conservation and rural development. This study addresses this gap by introducing an innovative evaluation index system, the rural vitality assessment (RVA). The RVA comprehensively evaluates both protective and developmental aspects while integrating natural and cultural ecological factors. This study leverages data from 206 traditional villages in Hebei Province and employs a hybrid model that combines subjective evaluations collected through interviews and questionnaires with spatial data analysis. This study shows that over 90% of traditional villages in Hebei Province exhibit an imbalance between protection and development, which could lead to gradual deactivation. Additionally, the spatial distribution of RVA outcomes shows polarization, with higher levels observed in the north and lower levels in the south. This study concludes that the RVA framework is an effective tool for analyzing the vitality level, spatial distribution, and disadvantage indicators of villages at different zoning levels. The results can provide a reference for the formulation of targeted heritage protection and development planning strategies and further aid in the rational allocation of resources, helping to narrow the development gap between urban and rural areas.

Keywords: traditional villages; rural vitality assessment; rural heritage conservation; rural revitalization; GIS (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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