“Wind” and “Earth” Dialogue: A Study on the Connotation and Protection Strategy of “Water-Distributing Shrine” Landscape Structure—Taking Taiyuan City as an Example

Ruijie Zhang, Xinyuan Jiang, Haoran Li and Zhe Zhang ()
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Ruijie Zhang: Department of Architectural, Building Construction and Urbanism Technology, Escola Tècnica Superior d’Arquitectura de Barcelona, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, 08034 Barcelona, Spain
Xinyuan Jiang: School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
Haoran Li: Department of Philosophy, Universitat Autònoma of Barcelona, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
Zhe Zhang: Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia

Land, 2025, vol. 14, issue 4, 1-21

Abstract: In the dialogue between “wind” and “earth”, terroir-built heritage and the natural environment together construct the cultural landscape of agrarian civilization. Understanding historical heritage within the broader landscape system and recognizing the cultural connotations and collective spatial memory embedded in this dialogue are crucial for identifying the value of heritage, excavating urban history, and promoting high-quality development. This article examines the Water-distributing Shrine landscape structure (WSLS)—a Japanese model comprising four spatial elements: focus, boundary, direction, and domain—and explores its relevance for interpreting the spatial logic of Chinese historical cities. The study adopts a visual-analytical method combining literature review, historical document analysis, field observation, and diagrammatic interpretation. Through a case study of Taiyuan, a city shaped by the Fen River and surrounding mountain systems, this study analyzes the historical characteristics of WSLS elements, reconstructs Taiyuan’s cultural landscape structure, and proposes integrated heritage conservation strategies. Rather than treating cultural relics as isolated objects, the approach emphasizes structural relationships between nature and culture, revealing how spatial configuration encodes collective values. This study aims to preserve the spatial logic and symbolic landscape system of agrarian civilizations and offers a reference for other Chinese cities seeking to rediscover and protect their historical landscape heritage.

Keywords: terroir landscape; heritage conservation; landscape elements; landscape structure (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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