Living Inheritance of Traditional Knowledge and Practical Wisdom of Severe Cold-Region Traditional Villages: A Case Study of Jinjiang Chalet Village in the Changbai Mountain Area

Hongyu Zhao (), Jiandong Fang, Zhanlve Lin, Jiajun Tang, Shinan Zhen, Huijia Shi, Xiaoyu Hui and Yuesong Liu
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Hongyu Zhao: School of Architecture and Planning, Jilin Jianzhu University, Changchun 130118, China
Jiandong Fang: School of Architecture and Planning, Jilin Jianzhu University, Changchun 130118, China
Zhanlve Lin: Architectural and Urban-Rural Design Energy Conservation Research Center, Sub-Laboratory of Ministry of Education MOE Key Laboratory of Building Comprehensive Energy Conservation in Cold Region, Changchun 130118, China
Jiajun Tang: School of Architecture and Design, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150006, China
Shinan Zhen: Yangquan High-Tech Industrial Development Zone, Yangquan 045000, China
Huijia Shi: Huludao Nanpiao District Confidential Technology Support Center, Huludao 125027, China
Xiaoyu Hui: School of Architecture and Planning, Jilin Jianzhu University, Changchun 130118, China
Yuesong Liu: School of Architecture and Planning, Jilin Jianzhu University, Changchun 130118, China

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 9, 1-35

Abstract: Despite traditional knowledge’s (TK’s) potential to mitigate climate-induced vulnerabilities across diverse climates, cold-region communities remain critically understudied. To bridge that gap, this study adopts the pressure–state–response (PSR) framework to analyze how Indigenous knowledge in China’s Jinjiang Chalet Village—a 300-year-old cold-region settlement—embodies dynamic resilience across ecological, climatic, social, and economic dimensions. Combining semi-structured interviews with Indigenous Elders, UAV-based multispectral analysis, and environmental simulations, we identify strategies rooted in sustainable wisdom: ecosystem stewardship, climate-responsive architecture, community governance, and adaptive economic practices. A key innovation lies in the Eco-Wisdom Laboratory—a pilot project operationalizing TK through modern passive design and participatory education, demonstrating how traditional woodcraft and microclimate management can be integrated with contemporary technologies to achieve scalable, low-carbon solutions. Crucially, we advance the concept of living inheritance by showcasing how such hybrid practices decolonize static preservation paradigms, enabling communities to codify TK into tangible, future-oriented applications. This study provides a replicable framework for embedding TK into global sustainability agendas, particularly for severe cold regions facing similar stressors. Our findings advocate for policy reforms centering Indigenous agency in climate adaptation planning, offering actionable insights for architects, policymakers, and educators working at the nexus of cultural heritage and ecological resilience.

Keywords: severe cold regions; traditional knowledge and practice; practical wisdom; living inheritance; PSR model (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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