A study on the spatial dislocation relationship and influencing factors between the ICH and traditional villages in the Xiangjiang River Basin.

Traditional villages are gathering places for intangible cultural heritage. To clarify the actual relationship and formation mechanism of the spatial distribution of traditional villages and intangible cultural heritage (referred to as "ICH") within the Xiangjiang River Basin of Hunan Province, a total of 399 national and provincial intangible cultural heritages and 291 traditional Chinese villages in the Xiangjiang River Basin were studied. Various methods, including kernel density analysis, the spatial centre of gravity model, the spatial dislocation index, and geographic detection, have been employed to analyse the spatial characteristics and formation mechanism of intangible cultural heritage and traditional villages in the Xiangjiang River Basin. The results indicate the following: 1) The spatial distributions of intangible cultural heritage and traditional villages in the Xiangjiang River Basin are unbalanced, with a significant spatial dislocation relationship. The spatial structure of intangible cultural heritage is generally "dense in the north and sparse in the south", whereas traditional villages present a distribution structure consisting of one high-density core area and four subhigh-density core areas. 2) The dominant distribution areas of traditional villages are concentrated in the upper reaches of the Xiangjiang River Basin, whereas advantageous distribution areas for intangible cultural heritage are concentrated in economically developed regions located in the lower reaches. 3) The spatial distribution of intangible cultural heritage in the Xiangjiang River Basin is more influenced by human environmental factors than by natural environmental factors. In contrast, response patterns for different factors affecting traditional villages are not only comprehensive but also exhibit scale differences and spatial heterogeneity. These findings contribute to clarifying practical relationships and mechanisms governing the spatial distribution of intangible cultural heritage as well as traditional villages. Furthermore, they can provide theoretical guidance for coordinated protection efforts aimed at preserving both traditional villages and intangible cultural heritage within this region.