Traditional Villages’ Cultural Tourism Spatial Quality Evaluation

Abstract

In recent years, traditional villages have vigorously developed as a phenomenon of the cultural tourism industry. In order to cope with the rapid development of the industry and changes in market demand, cultural tourism spaces urgently need to improve in quality, highlight cultural characteristics, and enhance cultural expressions. In the current tourism evaluation system, although it covers many dimensions such as environmental evaluation, sustainability evaluation, farmers’ participation, and adaptability evaluation, there is relatively little evaluation of the key element of spatial quality. Based on scene theory, this paper establishes a traditional village cultural tourism space quality evaluation system with the three main dimensions of authenticity, theatricality, and legitimacy, and fifteen sub-dimensions by drawing on the relevant theories of cultural tourism space evaluation. Then, the evaluation system is applied to three traditional villages in the suburbs of Beijing, China, for practice and verification. The study concludes that the authenticity of traditional villages is the core source of competitiveness of the cultural tourism industry; the excavation of non-heritage values should be strengthened; the spatial theatricality should be innovatively designed and planned to enhance the cultural experience; and legitimacy needs to be combined with renovation and operation to establish a mechanism for consultation and promote sustainable development. This paper hopes to enhance the scene benefit of traditional village cultural tourism spaces through the scene-theory-oriented space quality evaluation system, and deepen the understanding of rural space so as to provide relevant designers with more comprehensive design ideas to guide actual rural cultural tourism space design. At the same time, this article puts forward proposals such as strengthening the protection of intangible cultural heritage, innovating spatial experiences, and building a mechanism for consultation. The purpose is to accurately guide the optimisation of traditional village cultural tourism spaces, promote the improvement in spatial quality and the sustainable development of the cultural tourism industry, and contribute to rural revitalisation and cultural heritage.

1. Introduction

For a long time, the construction of the countryside has often overly imitated the urban ‘modern public space’ [1], ignoring the characteristics of the countryside itself, resulting in the gradual disappearance of the traditional cultural tourism space [2]. In addition, the natural and cultural landscape of the countryside has been damaged [3] and the function of public space has been weakened [4]. Currently, public service facilities and infrastructure in villages are still insufficient [5], and the protection and inheritance of intangible cultural heritage are also facing challenges [6]. This lag in spatial construction has become an important factor restricting the further development of villages.

The composition of traditional villages mainly contains two aspects: on the one hand, the village which formed initially; and on the other hand, there is the research value of the village in terms of its historical and social resources, among others, which require a certain degree of protection [7]. The landscape environment of traditional villages together with the organic organisation of social space and spiritual space form the cultural tourism space, which presents a rich cultural spatial structure and cultural value through the clustering scene of architectural dwellings, plaza gardens, and life scenes [8]. Literature and tourism spaces constitute an important space carrier for rural villages to realise their mode of cultural tourism development and to create cultural tourism products. Their spatial quality refers to the ‘quantity’ and ‘quality’ required to meet the comprehensive needs of the relevant population and the demand for the use of activities in the space [9]. The spatial quality studied in this paper is combined with scene theory [10] to evaluate and optimise the value performance of the space, guiding the user to engage in place cognition, and derive an understanding of its cultural connotations.

In the context of rural revitalisation [9] and the integrated development of culture and tourism [11], traditional villages have ushered in new opportunities for the development of cultural tourism. Traditional villages have a heavy task of protection and face problems such as rapid restructuring, desertion, and idleness in the process of urbanisation [12]. Currently, China is implementing a listed protection system for the protection of traditional villages; however, for traditional villages, listed protection is only the beginning. The road to the sustainable development of traditional villages has a long way to go [8]. At the same time, the traditional village itself is also a unique type of cultural tourism space through innovative space use, improved space quality, and other strategies to promote tourism revitalisation, promote the symbiosis and integration of traditional protection mechanisms and modern development, and promote the revitalisation and sustainable development of traditional villages [13]. Current research on traditional villages mainly focuses on the formation of settlements at the geographical level, the protection of historical and cultural values, and the protection and adaptive use of architectural landscapes [14]; the existing evaluation index system includes research on the value of traditional villages, and through the study of the liveability functions, human habitat, and other characteristics of traditional villages [15], gradually focuses on the directions of spatial evolution, open access, and potential for development [16]. With regard to the tourist evaluation system, which includes environmental evaluation, sustainability evaluation, and an evaluation of farmers’ participation and their adaptability level, there is less of an evaluation of spatial quality [17]. In this paper, scene theory is used as the basis for the construction of the evaluation system of the spatial quality of cultural tourism in traditional villages, expanding the application field of scene theory. At the same time, this paper focuses on the improvement in the spatial quality of cultural tourism and the evaluation strategy from the perspectives of wholeness and sustainability.

Scene theory is a theoretical framework that explores the relationship between urban space and residents’ lives from a cultural and sociological perspective. It emphasises the comprehensive role of hardware facilities and software systems within a specific space, including elements such as architecture, crowds, cultural activities, and public spaces, which together form a scene rich in cultural significance and aesthetic value. This theory not only focuses on the layout and design of material space, but also emphasises the cultural values, lifestyle, and emotional experiences behind it. The reason for applying scene theory to traditional village evaluation is that it can comprehensively and extensively reveal the cultural connotations and vitality of villages. As carriers of historical and cultural heritage, traditional villages have unique village scenes composed of their architectural style, residents’ lives, folk activities, and public spaces. Through the analysis of scene theory, we can more accurately grasp the cultural characteristics and value orientation of villages and evaluate their adaptability and development potential in modern society. In addition, scene theory emphasises the important role of excellent human resources such as creative groups in regional development, which provides new ideas for the revitalisation and revival of traditional villages. By attracting and cultivating innovative residents and tourists, the internal vitality of villages can be stimulated, promoting their cultural heritage and economic development. Therefore, scene theory provides a comprehensive, in-depth, and inspiring perspective for evaluating traditional villages.

As a multidimensional analysis tool, scene theory is gradually revealing its potentialities in promoting the traditional village’s culture protection, revitalisation, and community development. Xuebing R et al.’s research deeply analysed the vitality of typical historical districts in Beijing from the perspective of scene theory, demonstrating how to enhance the attractiveness and social function of traditional spaces through scene creation [10]. Ying D’ s case study focused on the protection and utilisation of industrial heritage, taking the North District of Shougang High-End Industry Comprehensive Service Zone as an example, revealing the practical value of scene theory in guiding the transformation of industrial sites into cultural tourism destinations [18]. In addition, Zhang Y’s exploration of the post-industrial urban development of Jing Dezhen further expands the application field of scene theory, emphasising the possibility of cultural revival and economic transformation in industrial decline areas through scenario reconstruction [19]. The collaborative research between Terry N. Clark and Li Lu systematically expounds the concept and analytical framework of scene theory, providing insights for Chinese scholars from a transnational perspective, emphasising the core role of cultural identity, social networks, and economic activities in scenario formation [20]. These studies indicate that scene theory not only offer new ideas for the protection of cultural heritage in traditional villages, but also provides a theoretical basis and practical path for achieving sustainable development and community participation in the context of globalisation. Future research should further explore the applicability and innovation of scenario theory in different regions and cultural backgrounds, in order to better guide the protection and revitalisation practices of traditional villages [21].

In order to solve the problems and dilemmas faced in rural construction, this paper focuses on the study of rural cultural tourism space, introduces scene theory, and explores the mechanism of its role in rural cultural tourism space so as to explore appropriate cultural tourism space design strategies, with a view to using these strategies as an important means of coping with the problems and challenges of rural construction. At present, most of the research on rural cultural tourism space focuses on the design performance of material space elements and forms and pays less attention to the relationship and synergy between material space elements and other elements [22]; this paper introduces scene theory and analyses the constituent elements and mechanism of rural cultural tourism space under the perspective of the scene, which provides a new perspective for the research of rural cultural tourism space and enriches its theoretical system.

Rural cultural and tourism space is an important part of rural construction and development; excellent rural cultural and tourism space design can improve the rural social vitality, promote rural economic development, and improve the production and living environment of rural residents. This study can help to promote the development of the countryside and the improvement of the living standards of the residents, thus helping in the implementation of the rural revitalisation strategy. Introducing scene theory to study rural cultural tourism space not only pays attention to the physical space itself, but also emphasises the cultural connotation behind the physical space, which helps to enrich the connotation of rural cultural tourism space, thus achieving the enhancement of spatial connotation. At the same time, the evaluation of the quality of rural cultural tourism space is of great significance to the construction and development of the countryside. As an important platform for carrying rural cultural characteristics, the quality of rural cultural tourism space is directly related to the attractiveness and competitiveness of the countryside [23]. High-quality rural cultural and tourism space can attract more tourists to come for sightseeing, leisure, and holiday, thus promoting the prosperous development of rural tourism, opening up more sources of income for rural residents, and promoting the diversified development of the rural economy.

This article applies scene theory and the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method innovatively to the evaluation of spatial quality in traditional village culture and tourism. A comprehensive and detailed evaluation system has been constructed, incorporating three carefully designed main dimensions: authenticity, theatricality, and legitimacy, along with fifteen sub-dimensions under their jurisdiction. To enhance the practical value and international influence of this research framework, it is recognised that providing a detailed and specific set of implementation guidelines for the evaluation system is crucial. This guide will not only offer a basic overview of the evaluation process but also delve into specific operational details for each step, including the standardisation of data collection methods, clear explanations of weight allocation criteria, and pre-planning for potential challenges and solutions during the evaluation process. This step-by-step explanation will enable overseas researchers to more easily understand and apply the proposed evaluation system, thereby reducing errors due to improper operation and improving the accuracy and reliability of the evaluation results. Additionally, three traditional village cases from the suburbs of Beijing, China, were selected for comparative analysis, significantly enriching the research perspective and theoretical depth. These case studies not only verify the universal applicability and effectiveness of this evaluation system but also reveal commonalities and differences in the evaluation of cultural and tourism spatial quality across traditional villages in different cultural contexts, providing valuable practical experience and theoretical insights for overseas researchers. Through interdisciplinary and cross-cultural communication and dialogue, the continuous improvement and innovation of the quality evaluation system for traditional village cultural and tourism spaces worldwide can be promoted, contributing to the sustainable development of traditional villages.

In-depth exploration of the traditional village cultural and tourism spatial quality evaluation system, based on scene theory and the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method, systematically integrates and innovatively expands existing cultural and tourism spatial evaluation theories. Specifically, clear distinctions are made regarding which dimensions and sub-dimensions in the evaluation index system are direct applications of classical theories, such as the authenticity dimension of ‘service-oriented spatial facilities’ and ‘material expression of culture’, which ensure the theoretical foundation of the evaluation system. Additionally, elaboration is provided on which dimensions and sub-dimensions were adaptively adjusted for the characteristics of traditional villages, such as the newly added ‘characteristics of cultural and tourism space’ under the theatricality dimension and the strengthened ‘manifestation of public will’ under the legitimacy dimension. These innovations highlight the unique contribution of this study to theoretical development, providing new perspectives and tools for evaluating the quality of cultural and tourism spaces in traditional villages. The traditional village cultural and tourism spatial quality evaluation system proposed in this study not only enriches the theoretical research connotation but also provides strong support for practical applications within the tourism industry. Specifically, the tourism industry can utilise this evaluation system to accurately identify and optimise the cultural and tourism resources of traditional villages, thereby enhancing their attractiveness and competitiveness. For government agencies, the results of this study hold significant practical value, as they provide guidance on promoting the sustainable development of the tourism industry while preserving the cultural heritage, natural environment, and community integrity of each tourist town. Through scientific planning and management, the government can effectively balance tourism development with cultural protection, ensuring that tourists not only enjoy high-quality experiences but also appreciate the unique charm and cultural heritage of traditional villages.

This study aims to construct and validate a traditional village cultural and tourism spatial quality evaluation system based on scene theory, in order to clarify and specify its purpose. Specifically, this study aims to deeply explore the cultural connotations and spatial characteristics of traditional villages. Through a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods, it systematically evaluates the three core dimensions of authenticity, theatricality, and legitimacy of traditional village cultural and tourism spaces, as well as the fifteen sub-dimensions under them. The purpose is to clarify the key elements and bottleneck issues of the development of traditional village cultural tourism space and provide a scientific basis and practical guidance for relevant policy-makers, cultural protectors, and tourism developers. Through this study, it is expected to promote the quality improvement and innovative development of traditional village cultural and tourism spaces, facilitate the dynamic inheritance and sustainable utilisation of cultural heritage, and assist in the in-depth implementation of rural revitalisation strategies and the integrated development of the cultural and tourism industries.

2. Methods

2.1. Theoretical Foundation

Scene theory was proposed and further developed by Terry Nichols Clark and Daniel Aaron Silver of the New Chicago School; it is based on the theoretical paradigm of sociology, and it integrates the natural attributes of urban space, social attributes, and cultural and aesthetic attributes to carry out research on urban development [24,25], which refers to the combination of various types of comfort facilities and activities in a certain area.

The proposal of scene theory reshaped the path of urban development in the post-industrial era, shifting from the perspective of spatial production to a perspective that emphasises spatial consumption as the guide, living and entertainment facilities as the carrier, and culture as the form of expression. Scene theory examines the development of urban space and analyses the cultural value of the scene from the objective structural system and the subjective awareness system, in which the objective structural system includes all kinds of material elements in the scene, and the subjective awareness system includes the cultural value analysis framework composed of 3 main dimensions and 15 sub-dimensions [26], see

Table 1. Scene theory cultural values dimension system.

Principal Dimension	Sub-Dimension	Principal Dimension	Sub-Dimension	Principal Dimension	Sub-Dimension
Authenticity	Rational	Theatricality	Goodwill	Legitimacy	Traditionalism
	Local		Formal		Self-expression
	National		Showcase		Pragmatism
	Group		Fashion		Leadership
	Ethnicity		Irregular		Egalitarianism

.

2.2. Characteristics of Scene Theory Application

The objective structural part of scene theory provides an applicable analytical framework for the study of the traditional village cultural tourism space, as well as the direction of spatial scenario evaluation, while the subjective cognitive part provides guidelines for the goals and principles of renewal and development [27], as shown in Figure 1. The cultural value dimension of scene theory emphasises authenticity, theatricality, and legitimacy, of which authenticity—people’s concern for authentic historical culture and native vernacular features in rural tourism—fits well. The objective structure of scene theory contains elements such as the neighbourhood, diversity of people, combination of activities, and communality, which are naturally associated with the community attributes of the village as a cultural tourism resource [28]. Scene theory combines the cultural value of traditional villages, artistic aesthetics, and the space of consumption activities, which is consistent with the goal of rural cultural tourism development to promote rural revitalisation: cultural tourism consumption in a specific scene to form a multidimensional cultural value orientation, while using the activation of industrial development and consumption potential to promote the industrial transformation of traditional villages and ultimately to achieve the revitalisation of the countryside.

3. Construction of Evaluation Index System

The evaluation of the spatial quality of cultural tourism in traditional villages is a multifactorial and systematic problem, and the cultural value assessment under scene theory is also an evaluation method that covers multiple dimensions. Therefore, this study applies the Analytic Hierarchy Process method (AHP method) [29] to identify the spatial quality features and specific connotations of traditional village cultural tourism, and starts from analysing the spatial quality features of traditional village cultural tourism by establishing a hierarchical analysis and evaluation model, so as to judge the interrelationships of spatial features and the advantages and disadvantages.

3.1. Construction of the Indicator System

In 2012, the Ministry of Housing and Urban–Rural Development and other departments issued the ‘Traditional Village Evaluation and Recognition Indicator System (for Trial Implementation)’, which evaluates traditional villages from three perspectives: traditional architecture, siting and pattern, and intangible cultural heritage; in other scientific research studies, researchers have mostly focused on the value of traditional villages [30], the evolution of the landscape, degree of protection [31], commercial space, human habitat, and environmental impacts, and they have used spatial types as the basis for classification and thus evaluation.

The selection of indicators in this evaluation system is based on the original authenticity, theatricality, and legitimacy as the main dimensions of the evaluation system in the cultural value dimension system of scene theory (Table 1). In the determination of sub-dimensions, the indicators in the original sub-dimensions of scene theory that are in line with the characteristics of the rural space will be retained, and at the same time, adaptive adjustments will be made to the other indicators and their specific expressions: on the one hand, combined with the cultural scenario dimension [32] of NRT tourist sites, the indicators will be adjusted in accordance with the cultural value dimension [33] of NRT tourist sites—scene dimension [32], rural cultural space [33], ancient village rural inheritance [34], traditional village landscape locality [35], cultural protection [36], and tourism synergistic development potential and other existing indicator system content; on the other hand, indicators will be assessed in the form of field visits, survey research, and expert discussions, and combined with the characteristics of the traditional village culture and tourism space; ultimately, these measures will be undertaken to establish the specific contents of the 15 sub-dimensions to form a complete evaluation index system, as shown in Figure 2.

3.2. Main Dimension Interpretation

This section integrates research on traditional village cultural tourism spaces with a detailed interpretation of the evaluation index system’s main dimensions and sub-dimensions, as outlined in

Table 2. Explanation of the content of evaluation indicators for the quality of cultural tourism.

Authenticity		Theatricality		Legitimacy
C1 Locality	Architectural conservation dimensions	C6 Thematic	Cultural tourism theme IP	C11 Conservation guidance	Preservation of historical and cultural values
C2 Regionalism	Landscape spatial character	C7 Specific	Culture material expression	C12 Industry extension	Socio-economic benefit production
C3 Ethnicity	Cultural and tourism activity characteristics	C8 Comfort	Space facilities’ serviceability	C13 Safety guarantee	Sense of security and adaptability
C4 Corporate	Service space	C9 Experiential	Space facilities’ interactivity	C14 Personality fulfilment	Personalised emotional expression
C5 Vernacular	Environment and humanistic atmosphere	C10 Holistic	Cultural and tourism elements’ coordination and integration	C15 Public interest	Public will expression

. The main dimension of authenticity [37] describes the essential differences within the scene, as embodied in traditional village cultural tourism spaces by the preservation of historical and cultural heritage and the distinctiveness of the humanistic environment. The authenticity of the space enhances tourists’ cultural awareness and emotional connection during their activities in the village, thereby strengthening cultural identity. This aspect of authenticity represents a quality characteristic of cultural tourism spaces focused on heritage preservation, shaping, and spirit. The dimension of theatricality [38], rooted in authenticity, addresses the question of how to effectively display the cultural and natural assets of a space. In traditional village cultural tourism spaces, it is manifested through spatial design and planning aimed at cultural tourism development. By excavating, reconstructing, and activating cultural tourism elements and natural resources, theatricality enhances the interactive experience between tourists and the space, making it an attractive and innovative quality characteristic of cultural tourism spaces. The dimension of legitimacy represents the public’s perception of right and wrong and is reflected in traditional village cultural tourism spaces through the spatial operation and maintenance of value orientation and benefit realisation. In the design and planning of cultural tourism spaces, value orientation and benefit realisation address the needs of multiple stakeholders and expand the value of the space. This dimension is a quality characteristic of cultural tourism spaces that prioritises multidimensional benefits and tangible value.

3.3. Sub-Dimensional Interpretation

3.3.1. Authenticity Sub-Dimension

The authenticity value of the spatial quality in traditional village cultural tourism derives from various sources. Locality is an internationally recognised heritage evaluation factor that emphasises the authenticity of the physical environment’s source while preserving the changes and continuity in the historical process of maintaining the original state [39]. Regionalism represents the core expression of cultural landscapes, where the landscape space, through the display of distinctive regional humanistic and ecological environments, demonstrates its ecological, humanistic, and aesthetic connotations [40]. Ethnicity embodies traditional customs and cultures, reflecting the spirit of these cultures and serving as a marker for displaying the historical cultures of a country and nation. Enterprise refers to the spatial atmosphere created through the enhancement and placement of service facilities during cultural tourism development, marking the commercialisation of national and ethnic history and culture. Corporate refers to the consumer-oriented commercialisation of authenticity, embodied in the development of cultural tourism through the improvement of services and facilities, shaping the spatial atmosphere. Vernacular refers to the protection of the rural social form within the spatial characteristics, while also meeting the needs of tourists and enhancing their sense of ownership, making it an important characteristic.

3.3.2. Theatricality Sub-Dimension

Theatricality refers to the tourists’ interaction with the tourism environment as a means of escape, allowing them to temporarily avoid their usual lives. Thematic cohesion is crucial to the creation of cultural tourism characteristics, where traditional villages, by exploring their own connotations, develop distinctive cultural tourism IPs. Specificity is essential for traditional villages to maintain the competitiveness of their cultural tourism features, catering to tourists’ curiosity and desire to explore new things [41]. Comfort and experience correspond to two different aspects of tourism content. Comfort focuses on basic tourism service facilities, characterised by a public-friendly atmosphere. Experience emphasises innovative interactive entertainment facilities, where tourists in the cultural and tourism space engage both physically and emotionally, receiving information and understanding meaning in an embodied manner, leading to emotional experiences distinct from daily life, such as pleasure, novelty, and sanctity [42]. Holistic refers to the relationship and degree of integration between cultural and tourism elements, as well as the creation of a cohesive atmosphere during specific activities [43].

3.3.3. Legitimacy Sub-Dimension

Legitimacy is shaped by the demands of various stakeholders, with the expression of these interests forming the legitimacy value orientation of traditional village cultural tourism spaces. Some experts, residents, and social organisations are concerned about the cultural commodification and environmental damage that tourism might cause, believing that development must be grounded in protection, thereby forming a protection-oriented value orientation [43]. Local residents and tourism operators pursue NRS tourism for economic benefits, with this interest manifesting as a demand for the industrial extension of traditional villages’ cultural and tourism development. The local government focuses on security and stability in the tourism development process, enhancing the resilience of village spaces through cultural and tourism development. Tourists and indigenous residents are concerned with the legitimacy of the cultural and tourism space in traditional villages. They value safety and stability in the tourism development process, and their emotional expressions contribute to the creation and resilience of the village space through cultural tourism development [44]. Collective organisations and society share a common public order, customs, and emotional understanding, reflecting the public’s holistic interests.

4. Evaluation System Indicator Empowerment

The weight of this study was determined using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method. The scenario characteristics of the cultural tourism space form the basis for evaluating spatial quality, encompassing material space, non-material space, and spatial benefits, among other dimensions. However, given the varying importance of these characteristics, it is crucial to determine the weights of the indicators to construct the evaluation system for the quality of traditional village cultural tourism spaces. The specific steps are as follows.

When using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method to calculate the weights in the evaluation system, it is necessary to construct a hierarchical structure model. This indicator assignment is based on the scene theory of traditional cultural tourism space quality evaluation as the preset general objective layer. It is associated with three main dimension indicators and 15 sub-dimension indicators, forming a hierarchical structure for evaluation scoring and weight calculation [45], as shown in Figure 2.

4.1. Constructing Judgement Matrices

The expert method is used to judge the relationship between the 3 main dimensions of authenticity, theatricality, and legitimacy and the 15 sub-dimensions and list the judgement matrix for comparing two by two. This set is used to compare the degree of influence of n indicators C1, C2…Cn on the target layer, to determine the proportion of the indicator in the target layer, for any two of the factors C_i and C_j, with a_ij (i, j = 1, 2, …, n) such that C_i and C_j on the target layer of the degree of influence of the ratio of the scale method according to the assigned value of 1 to 9, as shown in

Table 3. Scale definition table.

Assign a Value to aij	Factor i Compares to Factor j
1	Equally important
3	Slightly important
5	Significantly important
7	Strongly important
9	Extremely important
2, 4, 6, 8	Median of two neighbouring judgments
Reciprocal	aji = 1/aij

. The judgement matrix is obtained by using aij to indicate the importance value of indicator C_i to indicator C_j, as shown in

Table 4. Judgment matrix.

	C1	C2	⋯	Cn
C1	1	a12	⋯	a1n
C2	a21	1	⋯	a2n
⋯	⋯	⋯	1	⋯
Cn	an1	an2	⋯	1

.

This judgement matrix has the following properties: a_ij > 0, a_ji = 1/a_ij, a_ii = 1 (i, j = 1, 2, …, n).

Assume we obtain the judgement matrix A = (a_ij)n × n; by the nature of the positive reciprocal inverse matrix, it is sufficient to determine the n(n − 1)/2 elements of the upper (or lower) triangle of A. A is said to be a consistency matrix if the judgement matrix A satisfies a_ik·a_kj = aij (i, j, k = 1, 2, …, n).

4.2. Specific Calculation Models

First, we determine the weight of the indicator in the target layer. We establish the consistency matrix, determine the relative weight vectors using the sum-product method. We take the arithmetic mean of the normalised values of the n column (row) vectors of the judgment matrix as the weights:

$${\mathsf{\omega }}_{\mathrm{i}}={\displaystyle \frac{1}{\mathrm{n}}}{{\displaystyle \sum }}_{\mathrm{j}=1}^{\mathrm{n}}{\displaystyle \frac{{\mathrm{a}}_{\mathrm{ij}}}{{{\displaystyle \sum }}_{\mathrm{k}=1}^{\mathrm{n}}{\mathrm{a}}_{\mathrm{kj}}}}$$

(1)

Second, we carry out the consistency test. In general, it is required that the actual judgment matrix is consistent, and the degree of inconsistency should be within a permissible range if it is not. The consistency indicator is satisfied with $\mathrm{CI}={\displaystyle \frac{\left({\mathsf{\lambda }}_{\max }-\mathrm{n}\right)}{\left(\mathrm{n}-1\right)}}$ and the consistency ratio indicator is

$$CR={\displaystyle \frac{CI}{RI}}$$

(2)

In Formula (2), CI denotes the consistency index of the judgment matrix and RI denotes the average random consistency index. When CR < 0.10, the consistency of the judgment matrix is considered acceptable, and then the feature vector corresponding to λmax can be used as the weight vector for sorting. At this point,

$${\mathsf{\lambda }}_{\max }={{\displaystyle \sum }}_{\mathrm{i}=1}^{\mathrm{n}}{\displaystyle \frac{{\left(\mathrm{A}·\mathrm{W}\right)}_{\mathrm{i}}}{\mathrm{n}{\mathsf{\omega }}_{\mathrm{i}}}}={\displaystyle \frac{1}{\mathrm{n}}}{{\displaystyle \sum }}_{\mathrm{i}=1}^{\mathrm{n}}{\displaystyle \frac{{{\displaystyle \sum }}_{\mathrm{j}=1}^{\mathrm{n}}{\mathrm{a}}_{\mathrm{ij}}{\mathsf{\omega }}_{\mathrm{j}}}{\mathsf{\omega }}}$$

(3)

In Formula (3), $\omega$ corresponds to the eigenvector of ${\lambda }_{\max }$; ${\lambda }_{\max }$ denotes the largest eigenroot of the judgment matrix; (A·W)i denotes the ith component of A·W. Finally, according to the index hierarchy model in Figure 2, the model for the spatial evaluation of traditional village culture and tourism is established as follows:

$$\mathrm{M}={{\displaystyle \sum }}_{\mathrm{i}=1}^{\mathrm{n}}{\mathrm{X}}_{\mathrm{i}}{\mathsf{\omega }}_{\mathrm{i}}$$

(4)

In Formula (4), M is the total score of traditional village cultural and tourism space assessment, X is the corresponding value of the indicator, ω is the weight of the indicator, and n is the number of indicators.

4.3. Generating Indicator Weights

According to the principles and steps of the hierarchical analysis method, five experts were invited to construct a judgement matrix for the evaluation indicators of the spatial quality of cultural tourism in traditional villages. The unique reference method was used to ensure the reliability of the data, and the 1–9 scale method was used to compare the importance of the indicators under the same level and the same criterion, and at the same time, we communicated and discussed with the experts many times until the judgement matrix was approved by the experts. Then, the weight calculation and consistency test were carried out through Equations (1) and (2), and the result passed the consistency test. Finally, the judgement matrix, test results, and feature vectors were obtained, and the coefficient of each matrix vector was processed to form the hierarchical factor and weight relationship of the traditional village cultural tourism space evaluation model, see

Table 5. Evaluation of the space quality of traditional village preservation, culture, and tourism.

Objective	Criterion	Weight	Evaluation Index	Feature Vector	Index Weight	Coefficient Weight
Traditional Village Cultural and Tourism Space Evaluation	Authenticity	0.3643	Locality	0.1573	0.1573	0.0573
			Regionalism	0.0415	0.0414	0.0151
			Ethnicity	0.5423	0.5424	0.1976
			Corporate	0.0582	0.0582	0.0212
			Vernacular	0.2008	0.2009	0.0732
	Theatricality	0.5368	Thematic	0.0479	0.0479	0.0257
			Specific	0.1492	0.1492	0.0801
			Comfort	0.0597	0.0596	0.032
			Experiential	0.3932	0.3933	0.2111
			Holistic	0.35	0.3500	0.1879
	Legitimacy	0.0989	Protection-oriented	0.0413	0.0415	0.0041
			Industry extension	0.4419	0.4419	0.0437
			Safety guarantee	0.1433	0.1436	0.0142
			Personality fulfilment	0.3047	0.3043	0.0301
			Public interest	0.0689	0.0688	0.0068

.

4.4. Methods of Applying the Evaluation System

The purpose and significance of evaluating the quality of cultural tourism in traditional villages is to provide a basis and a direction of action for the renewal of cultural tourism space and its use and application in the process of developing the cultural tourism industry in traditional villages. Evaluating and improving the quality of cultural and tourism spaces in traditional villages plays a positive role in the protection of traditional villages while gaining more social attention and promoting the development of the cultural and tourism industries.

The evaluation should take tourists, local residents, relevant experts, and developers as the main body of comprehensive evaluation, and at the same time, the evaluation body should select as many types of cultural tourism spaces as possible for experience and evaluation after use to ensure the objectivity of the evaluation; secondly, using the hierarchical model based on scene theory, the evaluation should quantitatively score the cultural tourism space from the main dimension to the sub-dimension and obtain the total score of the village cultural tourism space. The total score of the village cultural tourism space and the dimension score are obtained, so that the evaluation system has a hierarchical nature [46]; finally, the results obtained are analysed and optimised, and the opinions are put forward and widely discussed, so that the application of the evaluation system has a complete and operable process. The evaluation system can be used for the assessment of the programme, and also for the post-planning assessment, and can likewise be used as the basis of judgement for periodic testing and spatial optimisation.

5. Evaluation Results of the Spatial Quality of Cultural Tourism in Traditional Villages

According to the table, we constructed the evaluation model of the spatial quality of traditional villages and cultural tourism and selected three Chinese case studies to conduct field research and comprehensive evaluation and analysis, so that on the one hand, we can test the operability and correctness of the evaluation model, and on the other hand, we can also combine the field research case studies with the existing data to explore the specific problems of spatial creation in the process of the development of traditional villages and the cultural tourism space.

5.1. Evaluation of Village Profiles

Cuan Dixia Village [47] is one of the first traditional villages in China, founded in the Ming Dynasty, the village is built on the mountains, with the north–south axis in a fan-shaped expansion, with the ruins of the old road in the west of Beijing and many other natural landscapes and cultural landscapes, with a strong historical heritage, in recent years, attracting many tourists to visit and play.

Ling Shui Village [48] is a ‘Famous Historical and Cultural Village of China’ and one of the first municipal-level traditional villages in Beijing. It has become a model of rural residential architecture of the Ming and Qing Dynasties in northern China thanks to its stunning mountain and river patterns and architectural skills. In 2013, the first stop of the parent–child program ‘Where’s Daddy Going?’ was filmed in Ling Shui Village, making it even more famous.

Ling Gong Village [49] is one of the first municipal-level traditional villages in Beijing. The village has an excellent geographical location, and there are a number of cultural relics and monuments, such as the ruins of a castle from the early Ming Dynasty. To the north of Ling Gong Village is the ‘Xianju Valley’ tourist scenic area, which has beautiful scenery and water, attracting many tourists to visit.

5.2. Results of the Evaluation of the Quality of Cultural and Tourism Spaces

Through the traditional village cultural tourism spatial quality evaluation system adopted in this research, Cuan Dixia Village, Ling Shui Village, and Ling Gong Village in suburban Beijing were evaluated, so as to make a comparative analysis of the advantages and deficiencies existing in the spatial quality scenario characteristics in the development of traditional village cultural tourism. The evaluation adopts a percentage system, and more than 60 people in each village participated in scoring (64 in Cuan Dixia Village, 60 in Ling Shui Village, 61 in Ling Gong Village), including tourists, local villagers, and professional researchers to ensure that the actual situation of traditional villages is reflected from multiple perspectives. Although only 60 people participated in each village, this design takes into account the characteristics and resource limitations of traditional villages, ensuring the value of the data through careful design. Considering the particularity of traditional villages, their population may be limited, and not all residents have the ability or willingness to evaluate. Therefore, it is reasonable to select representative samples for in-depth research under limited resources. The author recognises that a limited sample size may affect the generalisability of the results, and future research can expand the sample range to include more populations and regions to improve comprehensiveness and accuracy. This research strategy balances practical conditions and research needs, demonstrating a combination of scientificity and feasibility. The scores of each factor and their scores in the evaluation model of the AHP method are shown in

Table 6. Score of village cultural and tourism space quality evaluation under scene theory.

Primary Index	Secondary Index	Cuan Dixia	Ling Shui	Ling Gong	Coefficient Weight
Authenticity	Locality	85.44	85.32	81.74	0.0573
	Regionalism	90.55	86.66	81.12	0.0151
	Ethnicity	84.91	90.42	82.32	0.1976
	Corporate	84.23	80.52	80.12	0.0212
	Vernacular	79.33	89.90	94.23	0.0732
Overall	Weighted Score	83.82	88.12	84.66	0.3643
Theatricality	Thematic	85.97	86.75	70.67	0.0257
	Specific	82.23	80.34	64.95	0.0801
	Comfort	77.89	81.82	68.11	0.032
	Experiential	80.20	77.62	70.97	0.2111
	Holistic	89.33	80.95	77.57	0.1879
Overall	Weighted score	83.04	79.94	73.20	0.5368
Legitimacy	Protection oriented	85.22	88.20	89.94	0.0041
	Industry extension	86.46	76.07	72.98	0.0437
	Safety guarantee	80.53	78.95	85.94	0.0142
	Personality fulfilment	81.56	77.00	85.89	0.0301
	Public interest	76.84	72.32	80.23	0.0068
Overall	Weighted score	83.23	78.99	79.18	0.0989
Final weighted score		83.79	82.28	77.06	1

.

5.3. Analysis of Results

The evaluation system constructed in this study is based on the cultural values of scene theory, and it evaluates the scenario characteristics of the three traditional village spaces, focusing on the cultural and tourism material space dominated by the natural environment, architectural space, and landscape space; the cultural and tourism spiritual space dominated by the characteristic activities, folklore lodging, and the inheritance of intangible culture; and the cultural and tourism institutional space dominated by the participation of multiple subjects, common governance, and the development of tourism products. The multidimensional spatial elements together determine the spatial quality and are reflected as the characteristic factors in the evaluation system, and finally a bar chart is drawn to compare the results, as shown in Figure 3.

Overall, among the three groups of villages, Cuan Dixia Village has the best quality of cultural tourism space, which is mainly due to the village’s excavation of cultural tourism resources over the years and the transformation design and characteristic enhancement of the overall cultural tourism space of the village; Ling Shui Village’s quality of cultural tourism space is slightly lower than that of Cuan Dixia Village; and Ling Gong Village’s quality of cultural tourism space is poor compared to the village’s quality of cultural tourism space due to the lack of planning and spatial design in the integration of cultural tourism and insufficient protection of the heritage of the cultural tourism resources of the village and activation of the use of cultural tourism, as well as an insufficient use of village cultural tourism resources. Among the main dimension indicators, Cuan Dixia Village has the strongest theatricality and legitimacy, and Ling Shui Village has the strongest authenticity.

From the perspective of authenticity, Cuan Dixia Village has created a distinctive ancient village based on its own rich natural and humanistic landscapes and unique architectural style and spatial texture. The village pattern of Cuan Dixia Village has continued from the Ming Dynasty to the present day, and the walls still retain the maxims of governance and inscriptions on the wall from the Qing Dynasty, as well as the slogans from the modern period, so that the locality and regionality are further highlighted. The ancient houses in Ling Shui Village are a model of rural residential architecture of the Ming and Qing dynasties in northern China, with better preservation of the original appearance, and more than 120 houses of the Ming and Qing dynasties, with obvious locality; the stories and cultural spirit of the Lifu people have been preserved and inherited, and the folk activities held regularly have enhanced the characteristics of the cultural and tourism space in terms of the ethnicity of the community. Ling Gong Village is relatively deficient in architectural protection and environmental creation; although it maintains the social attributes of its original inhabitants’ residences, the architectural and landscape spaces have been damaged by modernisation and development.

From a theatricality point of view, Cuan Dixia Village has been endeavouring to integrate all kinds of natural and cultural resources by creating its own ancient village IP, and these initiatives have begun to bear fruit. Ling Shui Village is an ancient village with a history of 1000 years, also known as Lifengren Village because of the endless number of people in the village who took the examination. From a theatricality point of view, the cultural tourism of Ling Shui Village owns the theme IP of ‘Candidate Village’, and the legend of Ling Shui Village has been widely disseminated through the programme, which promotes the integration of the elements of the cultural tourism of Ling Shui Village and deepens the expression of culture at the material level of the village; and there is a close connection between the sightseeing spots, streetscapes, and the cultural public space of the village as a whole.

In terms of legality, Cuan Dixia Village develops tourism with catering and inns, attracting a large number of B&B and cultural and creative practitioners to start their own businesses, with obvious socio-economic benefits, but with a serious loss of indigenous people; Ling Shui Village further extends the village’s industry through the economic benefits brought about by its own historical buildings and programme publicity, and through the modes of parent–child tours and agro-industrial music; Ling Gong Village has a large number of indigenous people, who are active in cultural and tourism activities, which provides obvious personalised features in the cultural tourism space. From a comprehensive point of view, the construction and creation of cultural tourism space in Cuan Dixia Village and Ling Shui Village are more mature, but the protection of social and human elements and the concern for public interest need to be improved; the cultural tourism space in Ling Gong Village is still in the primary development stage, and needs to be further protected and constructed.

6. Conclusions and Implications

6.1. Research Conclusions

This paper is based on scene theory, using hierarchical analysis to evaluate the quality of the traditional village cultural tourism space. We use a mathematical form of research and judgement to solve the qualitative problem. The system index content can be based on the specific characteristics of the village and the stage of development in order to continue to optimise and widen the applicability of the research. It can also be adjusted for the evaluation coefficients for villages with different levels of development of the culture and tourism industry and the development objectives. The cultural value of the scene is the research source and characteristic performance of the space quality, and it is also the basis for creating a better cultural tourism space, perceiving the space quality from the perspective of the using body, enhancing the space vitality with the combination of diversified activities, and increasing the space’s humanistic characteristics, publicity, and social equity. Through the evaluation and optimisation of the quality of the traditional village cultural tourism space, the organic integration and sustainable development of the protection of traditional villages and the development of cultural tourism industry will be continuously promoted.

The authenticity of the traditional village space is the first requirement for the development of the cultural tourism industry and also the main competitiveness of industrial development; the protection of authenticity can provide traditional villages with specific characteristics, so that they have more competitive advantages as cultural tourism resources. At present, in the protection of traditional villages, the protection of material heritage is generally better, although there are some attempts to revitalise the use, but most of them are static protection, and there are still a large number of idle and deserted spaces; for the use of these spaces, it is necessary to strengthen the guidance of the professional field, and in the process of repairing the old and resembling the old in appearance, at the same time, to excavate the deep-rooted history behind the architecture and landscape space, traditional folk customs, humanism, and other non-material cultural heritage values to provide better protection for the cultural tourism industry as a cultural resource of traditional villages. The value of material cultural heritage, as a cultural carrier of the traditional village space mapping to the changes in the times and innovation and remodelling to give attention and recognition, seeks to achieve both obvious and hidden, sustained and complete expression of authenticity, but also for the theatricality of the scene theme, it seeks to achieve the creation of IP to provide more available resources. The enhancement of spatial theatricality also requires traditional villages to pay attention to the innovativeness of spatial design and activity planning in the development of the cultural tourism industry, so that the stronger cultural experience, charm, and comfortable living environment can become the spatial attribute characteristics that attract tourists, retain residents, and increase consumption.

Spatial legitimacy requires a combination of construction and renovation and professional operation, on the one hand, starting from the most basic aspects, as well as going deep into the countryside, brainstorming among villagers, drawing suggestions, understanding the characteristics and conditions of the local society, culture, and industry, and collaborating with planning and design practitioners, tourism developers, key enterprises in the villages, and the power of the townspeople to establish a communication mechanism of consultation and conspiracy and to become a trailblazer in the development of culture and tourism on the other hand. Enhancing spatial public attributes and tourism functions, publicity is a spatial attribute emphasised in scene theory. Increasing the public attributes of cultural and tourism projects and opening up cultural and tourism businesses in traditional villages will further promote traditional village protection and cultural and tourism development as a long-lasting, continuous, and dynamic process.

We further elaborate academically on the importance of improving the spatial quality of traditional village cultural tourism and its multidimensional and far-reaching impact. Specifically, this improvement not only significantly optimises the travel experience for tourists but also injects vitality into the local economy by enhancing attractiveness and satisfaction, promoting the prosperity and sustainable development of rural tourism. More importantly, it deeply touches upon the core issues of cultural identity and rural revitalisation. Through the careful creation of cultural and tourism spaces, the cultural connotations of traditional villages are vividly displayed, inspiring villagers’ sense of pride and protection of their cultural heritage and providing a strong internal driving force for rural revitalisation. From the perspective of cultural inheritance, the improvement of the quality of the traditional village cultural tourism space is actually a dynamic cultural protection strategy. It avoids the static and isolated display of cultural relics and instead allows for the continuation and innovation of ancient cultural traditions in modern society through the participation and experience of tourists. This inheritance method not only enriches the forms of cultural expression, but also enhances the dissemination and influence of culture, which has immeasurable value for maintaining cultural diversity, promoting cultural exchange and mutual learning. The improvement of the quality of the traditional village cultural and tourism space is a strategic measure with far-reaching significance. It requires us to constantly explore and innovate in practice, fully consider regional characteristics, cultural heritage, and the needs of villagers, and construct a cultural and tourism spatial development model that meets the requirements of the times. At the same time, it is necessary to strengthen interdisciplinary research and cooperation to provide solid theoretical support and practical guidance for the sustainable development of traditional villages.

In the cultural and tourism development of Cuan Dixia Village, Lingshui Village, and Ling Gong Village, we advocate the use of spatial planning and design tools to clarify the core position of cultural inheritance and protection. Firstly, it is necessary to deeply explore and properly protect the unique historical and cultural resources of each village, restore ancient buildings, and ensure the continuation of their historical value. Secondly, in spatial planning, functional areas should be scientifically divided and transportation networks should be optimised to enhance the tourist experience and village accessibility. At the same time, emphasis is placed on landscape design, integrating traditional cultural elements into modern aesthetics, and creating tourism spaces with local characteristics. These strategic regulations aim to promote the sustainable development of traditional village cultural tourism in Beijing, achieving a harmonious coexistence of cultural inheritance, ecological protection, and economic development. Regarding traditional Chinese village cultural tourism, it is recommended to prioritise strengthening the protection and revitalisation of intangible cultural heritage and utilising digital technology to inherit culture; deepen the integration of culture and tourism; innovate characteristic experience projects; strengthen community participation and establish a mechanism for sharing benefits; and increase policy and financial support. These strategies aim to enhance the quality of village cultural tourism, promote cultural inheritance and community development, and attain theoretical rationality and practical operability, which are important directions for future development.

With the improvement of cultural confidence and the diversification of the tourism market, the in-depth exploration of the cultural connotations, spatial characteristics, and innovative tourism models of traditional villages will provide a new impetus for rural revitalisation and cultural inheritance. Future research can focus on the application of digital technology in cultural heritage, the optimisation of community participation mechanisms, and the construction of sustainable tourism models, in order to form a more systematic and scientific theoretical system and practical path.

6.2. Limitations and Prospects

Although this article strives for comprehensiveness and accuracy in constructing and applying a traditional village cultural and tourism spatial quality evaluation system based on scene theory and the AHP method, there are still shortcomings in exploring the potential limitations of the evaluation system and research methods. The proposal of any evaluation system or research method is inevitably influenced by multiple factors such as theoretical framework, data acquisition, subjective judgment, etc., which may introduce certain biases and limitations. Therefore, a thorough analysis of the potential limitations of this study is not only a commitment to academic rigor, but also a precise navigation for future research directions. Specifically, the selection of indicators for the evaluation system may be limited by the current research perspective and may not fully cover all factors that may affect the quality of cultural and tourism spaces. Meanwhile, although the weight allocation in the AHP method is strictly calculated, it may still be influenced by the subjective judgment of researchers, resulting in a certain degree of subjectivity in the evaluation results.

In response to the potential limitations mentioned above, future research should focus on further exploration and improvement in the following areas. Firstly, by introducing more diverse data sources and broader research perspectives, the indicator composition of the evaluation system is continuously improved in order to more comprehensively reflect the true quality of traditional village cultural and tourism spaces. Secondly, future research must explore more objective and scientific methods for weight allocation, reduce the influence of researchers’ subjective judgments on evaluation results, and improve the objectivity and fairness of the evaluation system. In addition, strengthening interdisciplinary and cross-cultural comparative research, revealing the commonalities and differences in evaluation systems and research methods under different cultural backgrounds, provides theoretical support and practical guidance for building a more universal traditional village cultural and tourism spatial quality evaluation system. Through these efforts, we can not only enhance the academic rigor of our research, but also provide directions for future research and promote the continuous progress and development of the field of traditional village cultural and tourism spatial quality evaluation.