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

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.

1. Introduction

Climate change has significantly increased the vulnerability of Indigenous peoples in Indigenous areas and traditional villages worldwide [1]. The Yakut people and Indigenous communities of Canada’s James Bay region face increased biodiversity loss, permafrost melting, flooding, and forest fires [2,3]. However, disaster types vary across climate zones, are affected by geographical factors, and vary even within the same climate zone. In addition to floods, Canada’s Inuit people face disasters such as strong winds and storms [4]. Similarly, climate change has severely impacted China’s natural ecosystem and socioeconomic system [5], increasing the frequency of regional disasters in its five climate zones [6]. For example, in Taiwan, a typhoon destroyed many Indigenous homes [7]. Climate warming has exposed Indigenous communities in Xinjiang to greater day and night temperature differences, causing alternating drought and extremely low temperatures [8]. In Xintian County, Hunan Province, heavy rainfall, flooding, and drought have severely damaged infrastructure and ecosystems [1]. The Tibetan aborigines in Deqin County of Yunnan Province have also suffered from both drought and flooding [9]. However, this study focuses on Jinjiang Chalet Village (JCV), a traditional settlement in Baishan City, Jilin Province, situated in a severe cold region in China overlooked in Chinese studies. Per statistical disaster data from 1980 to 2010, disasters such as heavy rain and blizzards severely impacted the agriculture of the Indigenous people in the study area, resulting in significant crop loss [10].

The climate crisis is a key driver of the rapid increase in global landscape vulnerability, particularly affecting Indigenous communities and traditional villages, which retain significant traditional culture, knowledge, and practices. This general dualistic thinking of “Otherness”—stemming from the separation between “humans and nature” [11,12]—has significantly impeded the implementation of climate adaptation strategies for vulnerable groups, including Indigenous communities and traditional villages [13]. Contrary to this concept, Ranjan Datta calls for a reconceptualization of the connection between all things through relational ontology, emphasizing the intrinsic connection between human and non-human entities through spiritual interrelation. This concept of “symbiosis” is deeply rooted in Indigenous peoples’ traditional land knowledge and practices, passed down orally and from generation to generation. The Hindu community in West Bengal considers trees and rocks as kin, symbolically linking them with each other through a “wedding ceremony”—a prime example of “symbiosis” [14]. Improvising with “land-based spirituality” as the core is also regarded as practical wisdom [15], derived from Indigenous peoples’ mutual benefit with nature and other non-human factors to survive. Different disciplines have proven it to be an effective measure for climate crisis regulation. Indigenous people anticipate floods and other natural disasters through early warning indicators such as temperature perceptions, snow locations, and bird numbers [3]. Traditional knowledge and practical wisdom, including controlled burning and sustainable harvesting, which parallel scientific principles of nutrient cycling and ecological succession, have reduced the risk of floods, earthquakes, and wind disasters suffered by Indigenous peoples, including the Arctic Newt, Metis, and ToKaili tribes [16,17,18].

Chinese traditional villages share similarities with international Indigenous communities. Through the cultivation of special climatic zones and closed geographical environments and their symbiotic relationship with nature, Indigenous communities have accumulated extensive traditional knowledge and practical wisdom. These experimental learning experiences are often referred to as “practical wisdom”, “ecological practice wisdom”, “construction wisdom”, or “local knowledge” in domestic studies [19,20,21]. For example, the aborigines of traditional villages in the southwest mountainous areas of China have performed site selection based on suitability, restrictions, and prohibitions, and have effectively mitigated geological disasters such as landslides and mudflows caused by climate crisis [22]. In southeast Zhejiang Province, Indigenous dwellings mitigated typhoon damage caused by climate change in three dimensions—macro site selection, meso layout, and micro construction—by using tall trees, mountain gaps, and a scattered village layout [23].

However, despite this valued knowledge, various obstacles to its documentation, identification, interpretation, and transmission remain. The effective and equitable implementation of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is particularly important for ensuring that Indigenous peoples’ sustainable traditional knowledge and practical wisdom are protected and transferred in a more systematic way. Ranjan Datta has conducted in-depth research with different groups in Indigenous communities, including Indigenous Elders, matrilineal women, and youth, using research methods such as Indigenous Land-Based Practices (ILBPs), Indigenous Cultural Camps (LLICP), and decolonization self-ethnography, to document and analyze knowledge about sustainability and health in localized natural disasters. To prevent cross-ethnic or cultural groups from misinterpreting and misusing Indigenous knowledge, Ranjan Datta has proposed strategies such as establishing a national database focusing on Indigenous traditional knowledge and developing curricula together with Indigenous traditional knowledge guardians and ethnic Elders [24,25,26,27]. Numerous studies have explored the content, value, and transmission strategies of Indigenous traditional knowledge in different regions. Research on the Hong he Hani Terrace has shown that Indigenous communities engage in tourism entrepreneurship through “self-gentrification”, which enhances community economic resilience and provides ideas for combining cultural inheritance and tourism development [28]. Research on traditional dwellings in northern Jiangsu highlights the need to integrate traditional construction techniques with modern practices, thereby strengthening residents’ climate resilience [29]. Research on Sri Lanka’s Indigenous traditional construction techniques indicates that traditional building methods are passed down through community engagement and integrated into modern architectural practices, strengthening community identity and cohesion [30]. Regarding cultural inheritance, research on Komodo Island in Indonesia has explored how practical wisdom embedded in folklore informs contemporary ecological practices, offering a novel perspective for the sustainable development of culture and ecological systems [31]. Studies on Salish board houses in the Pacific Northwest region of North America support the creation of a comprehensive Indigenous architecture database and the integration of traditional techniques into architectural curricula, serving as a model for the transmission of traditional construction knowledge in education [32].

These approaches to identifying, interpreting, protecting, and transmitting Indigenous knowledge prioritize active preservation, with Indigenous communities as central stakeholders. Indigenous traditional knowledge is transformed into a “living practice”, revitalizing it within modern society through dynamic engagement, adaptive innovation, and continuous cultural renewal, and using multiple empowerments of technology, media, and education. Consequently, there is a “revitalization” of Indigenous traditional knowledge, rather than its mere “protection” or “reproduction” [33]. However, most studies on Indigenous traditional knowledge have taken a single-disciplinary approach, such as ecology, anthropology, or architectural planning. Rarely have they integrated multi-disciplinary perspectives and approached the inheritance and protective utilization of traditional knowledge and practical wisdom from the perspective of climate difference and particularity of climate crisis and disaster. Moreover, limited research has examined the dynamics of traditional knowledge and practical wisdom of Indigenous peoples in traditional cold-region villages in Changbai Mountain, China.

Therefore, this study adopts Canadian statisticians David J. Rapport and Tony Friend’s PSR ecological model and explores its conceptual alignment with Indigenous perspectives on nature, land, and human settlements as an “interconnected” system [24]. It addresses the current gap in the systematic analysis of traditional knowledge transmission methods outside the PSR framework. Based on a comprehensive analysis of the four resilience levels of ecology, climate, society, and economy, the logical relationship between “problem causation, problem manifestation, and problem resolution” [34] is constructed. The system’s positive and negative feedback mechanism in JCV—a 300-year-old traditional chalet village in the Changbai Mountain area of China that has endured the influence of various external developments—is analyzed. It compensates for the absence of process-oriented thinking in previous knowledge transmission methods [35]. Qualitative data collected from ancient books, the literature, local Aboriginal Elders, local knowledge inheritors, and semi-structured interviews are combined with quantitative data mined and verified by Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) multispectral ground object stripping technology, wind environment simulation, and thermal environment simulation to scientifically, dynamically, and systematically assess the “state” of local Indigenous communities under different “pressures” and adopt resilient “response” measures [36]. Furthermore, it analyzes the traditional knowledge in ecological resource management, village planning, courtyard design, architecture, community governance, and cultural heritage, extracting that for real-world applications. Finally, it aims to develop a replicable living inheritance framework for transmitting the Indigenous traditional knowledge, chalet gang culture, and forest culture of JCV.

2. Materials and Methods

2.1. Local Traditional Knowledge and Practical Wisdom System Model

Building on the prior literature, this study introduces the traditional localization ecological intelligence system model. Traditional localized knowledge and practice encompass three categories—traditional ecological knowledge, traditional construction techniques, and cultural–spiritual beliefs. These categories evolve through the interaction between human and non-human elements (nature, spirit, and faith) in Indigenous communities and the “three life” spaces—production space, living space, and ecological domain—to form the overall Indigenous traditional knowledge and practical wisdom system (Figure 1). The JCV ecosystem (42°15′ N, 127°30′ E) demonstrates prototypical characteristics of cold-region adaptation through its tripartite knowledge system (see Figure 1).

2.1.1. Traditional Ecological Knowledge

The traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) of JCV—representing a 300-year adaptive strategy developed by Indigenous communities to cope with the harsh alpine climate of the Changbai Mountain region—demonstrates two principal sustainable practices. First, communities strategically utilize forest ecosystems to mitigate environmental risks. Through low-intensity land development and adaptive crop management, they maintain windbreak buffers, prevent floods/forest fires, and preserve biodiversity. This practical wisdom contrasts with conventional resource exploitation patterns observed in similar severe cold regions. Second, sophisticated hydrological adaptation is evidenced by settlement planning. By leveraging natural elevation gradients, villagers established settlements 30 m above the Songhua River’s flood level—a preventive measure absent in comparable communities such as Sanjiazi Village (Heilongjiang Province). Historical records indicate that Sanjiazi’s initial waterside positioning required three resource-intensive relocations due to recurrent flooding, highlighting JCV’s proactive TEK advantage. Detailed analysis of these mechanisms (Section 3.1, Section 3.2, Section 3.2.1 and Section 3.2.2) reveals TEK’s critical role in sustainable cold-region habitation.

2.1.2. Traditional Construction Techniques

JCV’s traditional construction technique (TCT) represents a distinctive all-wood structural system refined through generations of Indigenous craftsmanship. Unlike Russian and Korean chalet architectures, this system demonstrates unique technical adaptations through its integrated foundation, composite walls, and specialized roofing assemblies. The foundation design strategically embeds continuous chalet footings in 30 cm deep soil trenches beneath the structural frame, replacing conventional stone or concrete bases. This all-wood foundation system capitalizes on timber’s inherent thermal insulation properties while maintaining structural continuity. Wall construction employs a dual-phase approach: a primary mortise-and-tenon timber framework stabilizes the structure, while multilayer walls of wula grass-reinforced yellow clay provide thermal buffering and moisture resistance through optimized material synergy. The roof assembly features lightweight chalet shingles supplemented with birch bark or alpine grass layers, creating a thermally efficient and easily maintainable enclosure. A particularly innovative element is the freestanding chalet chimney, crafted from calcined hollow birch trunks coated with clay. This design intentionally isolates thermal pathways to minimize heat loss, exemplifying sophisticated cold climate adaptation strategies. These vernacular technical solutions, emerging from sustainable material utilization and climate-responsive design logic, will be further examined in Section 3.2.3 through systematic documentation of Indigenous construction knowledge.

2.1.3. Cultural–Spiritual Beliefs

JCV’s cultural landscape distinguishes it from single-ethnic traditions in other severe cold regions. Rooted in the shamanic belief of “worshipping the Mountain God”, this village represents a unique fusion of chalet and forest cultures, shaped by the integration of Guandong immigrants and Manchu traditions. The chalet gang culture, grounded in forest resources, reflects a deep connection between the local community and their environment. Throughout the process of logging, transporting, and constructing, Indigenous peoples have preserved traditional building techniques through collaborative labor practices and implicit construction rules via rituals such as “opening the mountain” and “shouting to the mountain”. Equally significant is the continuity of the Indigenous belief system, centered on ancestor and deity worship and maintained through the fire kang (heating platform) in living spaces. After Han immigrants arrived, the spatial layout evolved to accommodate ancestor veneration, with the west kang becoming a sacred orientation reserved exclusively for rituals. During the annual Shingle Festival, community members, including young people and migrant workers, return to the village to participate in re-thatching neighborhood roofs. This practice preserves construction skills and reinforces social bonds, ensuring JCV’s cultural legacy endures across generations.

2.2. Living Inheritance

The “living heritage” concept emerged in opposition to the “static heritage” concept, which originated in the late 19th-century cultural preservation debates. Building on the “ecological museum” concept introduced in the 1970s by the French cultural heritage movement and reflections on Indigenous community practices in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM) formally defined the “Living Heritage Approach” (LHA) in 2009 [37]. However, traditional villages in China are not explicitly categorized within the international framework of cultural heritage classification. Consequently, early applications of such concepts in traditional villages faced challenges, including homogenized tourism development driven by capital interests and the marginalization of Indigenous communities [38].

This study seeks to integrate lessons from previous living heritage preservation efforts, emphasizing the agency of Indigenous communities in severe cold regions. By focusing on JCV’s traditional survival knowledge developed to resist external shocks, the research respects the authenticity of both explicit material and implicit intangible heritage in dynamic coexistence (Figure 2). Through fieldwork in local educational camps and the study of county records and historical materials, this study collects critical knowledge related to ecological protection and utilization, climate-adaptive spatial design, cultural transmission, and social education. These are analyzed using PSR dynamic logic and supported by technical methods for validation and interpretation.

Traditional knowledge is then combined with technological advancements in dynamic societal development to establish a relocation laboratory on the urban fringe [39], linked to the original village as a joint training base for sustainable application and educational promotion. By minimizing disruption to JCV’s spatial fabric, traditional knowledge across academic, managerial, and professional sectors is promoted. A cohort of new craftsmen is dispatched to JCV to learn from local Indigenous educators, fostering local employment and ensuring the intergenerational continuity of traditional knowledge. This approach transmits a living heritage that balances preservation with sustainable development.

2.3. Comparison of Indigenous Peoples’ Building Skills in Different Climate Zones

The traditional construction techniques of aborigines in severe cold regions differ significantly from those in China’s other four climate regions because of low temperatures, cold waves, frost heaving, and other climatic factors. Their architectural forms, material characteristics, and climate adaptation also differ from other global regions affected by extreme cold climates. In ancient China, the Yue people employed unique architecture specifically adapted to the subtropical climate of the Lingnan region that effectively utilized patios, cold alleys, and other architectural spaces to cope with high temperatures, humidity, and summer rain [40]. In mild areas, traditional Dai dwellings in Yunnan adopted a dry columnar style with the ground floor elevated to avoid flooding and enhance ventilation [41]. The Hakka Tulou achieved waterlogging prevention, ventilation, and lighting by means of enclosure to endure the hot summers and cold winters of Yongding, Fujian Province [42]. In northern Shaanxi’s cold climatic region, the Rongdi and Xiongnu peoples merged with the Han nationality to jointly adopt underground courtyards in their traditional dwellings to realize ventilation in summer, prevent cold in winter, and avoid wind disasters [43].

However, in severe cold regions, dwellings are primarily designed to withstand temperatures lower than or equal to −10 °C. For example, the Berbers of Morocco minimize indoor–outdoor heat exchange with walls up to 50 cm thick and small areas utilizing local clay resources [44]. The Lopa of northern Nepal’s frigid regions construct thick walls and reduce heat loss through narrow passageways between houses [45]. The Arctic and sub-Arctic Inuit use snow blocks as building materials for effective insulation from the cold wind [18]. Conversely, the mountainous terrain and vast plains of northeastern China host vast forest resources and lengthy cold weather conditions in winter, influencing traditional dwellings to adapt to the climate in architectural forms, materials, and structural features. Drawing on ancestral practical wisdom, these practices reflect high climate resilience and disaster-coping methods in a severe cold region.

2.4. Research Area: “Living Fossil of Chalet Houses in Changbai Mountain”—Jinjiang Chalet Village (JCV)

Among the traditional villages in the region, JCV has the longest history, is the best preserved, and atypically has “not a single brick or tile” [46]. Located in the hinterland of Changbai Mountain in the cold mountain area of Jilin Province, Manjiang Town, Fusong County, it was designated as part of the second batch of Chinese traditional villages by the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development [47]. JCV is situated within a forest approximately five kilometers from the town center between the Songhua and Jinjiang Rivers, with Gdingzi Mountain at its back and the Jinjiang River in the south, creating a “mountain behind water” landscape (Figure 3).

With more than 30 Manchu and Han Indigenous families residing along its main road, the village’s primary industries include agriculture and mountain forest picking. The traditional houses in the village—constructed entirely of logs—feature distinctive characteristics and a rugged and natural aesthetic. Occupied since the 16th year of Kangxi in the Qing Dynasty and known as “China’s last chalet village”, the residential village possesses a rich cultural heritage and features a blend of Shamanic, local Manchu, immigrant (from Guandong), and Korean culture.

2.5. The Influence of the Changbai Mountain’s Special Ecological Community on the Traditional Severe Cold-Region Village

Research on traditional severe cold-region villages must first consider their ecological environment, expand the architectural concept from individual houses to entire settlements, and emphasize a holistic study of their living environment, culture, and society at a more macro level [48]. Thus, the mountain and forest resources in the multi-dimensional ecological reservoir of Changbai Mountain, which profoundly influences the entire Far East region, need to be explored to determine how they affect the survival and development of JCV’s community.

The fertile soil and rich resources of Changbai Mountain’s Jilin Province led Indigenous people to establish JCV on a unique site, where they developed distinct courtyard layout strategies, mutually beneficial production methods, a diversified economy, a cohesive social structure, and highly resilient construction techniques. In response to hundreds of years of natural and human-made disasters and drawing from the mountain’s fertile black soil, the Indigenous people developed an ecological knowledge system encompassing production, habitation, and resource management, veiled with local spiritual beliefs. Eventually, the “timber gang” culture and forest culture originated from logging traditions after Manchu aborigines and peoples of Han nationality became integrated. These cultures sustainably utilize Changbai Mountain’s forest resources, harvest timber, and construct residential structures, including wooden carvings, shingles, and chimneys, using traditional tools. Their comprehensive lifeways feature unique aspects of food, clothing, housing, beliefs, and customs.

2.6. Researcher Positionality and the Technical Route

2.6.1. Researcher Positionality

As academic researchers who have actively participated in instructional programs for local traditional knowledge custodians, the authors aim to directly address the community’s expressed need for greater decision-making influence in contemporary urban development through systematic documentation and knowledge dissemination. This study prioritized these objectives by implementing rigorous recording methodologies and establishing multi-channel communication frameworks to amplify local traditional knowledge educators’ voices in planning processes. During this period, we sought the oral consent of the village knowledge inheritors, who also hoped that we could study and record the village knowledge in manuscript form to facilitate the dissemination of its local gang culture and construction knowledge. Based in the discipline of architecture and planning, this study utilized different methods from the surveys and semi-structured interviews typically used in traditional behavioral sciences. The villagers are regarded as friends and all participants involved in the research provided oral informed consent. The interviews are anonymized and present only data pertaining to the knowledge of architectural space.

Author 1 specializes in Ecological Wisdom–Informed Urban Design, collaborating with Jinjiang Chalet Village communities since 2017 to advance low-cost, low-maintenance, and sustainable ecological solutions through four national research projects. Their work focuses on modernizing traditional construction techniques via participatory action research, notably implementing Jinjiang’s architectural practices in the Friendly Village (Changchun) for cultural tourism and rural revitalization, achieving recognition from local residents and governmental stakeholders.

Authors 2, 5, 6, 7 and 8 (graduate researchers supervised by Author 1) collaboratively investigated resilience mechanisms for traditional knowledge systems in historic settlements. Author 2 focused on traditional knowledge and practical wisdom, while co-authors specialized in traditional village planning, architectural anthropology, and heritage conservation. Through participatory fieldwork at Jinjiang Chalet Village’s educational camp, they engaged local Elders to analyze multi-dimensional conservation strategies for the living inheritance of Indigenous knowledge.

Author 3 has spearheaded an eight-year longitudinal study (2016–present) on Jinjiang Chalet Village’s socioeconomic–environmental systems, developing transdisciplinary evaluation frameworks rooted in its intrinsic cultural, architectural, and planning values. Collaborating with villagers, they co-designed pedagogical programs bridging formal academic training and community-based lifelong learning. Their expertise proved instrumental in technically adapting Jinjiang’s construction epistemology for contemporary applications during Friendly Village’s (Changchun) revitalization initiatives.

Author 4, a vernacular architecture educator at Harbin Institute of Technology’s School of Architecture and Urban Planning, co-developed Jinjiang’s pedagogical camp through inter-institutional collaboration with Author 1. They spearheaded the “Severe Cold-Region Rural Ecological Smart Wood Craftsmanship Laboratory”—a translational architecture initiative in the Friendly Village co-designed with Jinjiang elders and traditional craftsmanship custodians, ensuring materialized continuity of ancestral construction epistemologies through participatory tectonics pedagogy.

2.6.2. Technical Route

Throughout this research journey, our interdisciplinary team underwent profound epistemological shifts. Initially approaching JCV through architectural metrics and quantitative resilience frameworks, we gradually recognized the limitations of Western-centric sustainability paradigms. The Elders’ teachings on ‘mountain opening ceremonies’ challenged our assumptions about human–nature hierarchies, prompting us to reframe resilience as a symbiotic process rather than a technical outcome. Particularly transformative was participating in the Channeling Shingles Festival—witnessing how collective labor rituals organically transmit construction skills revealed the inadequacy of our institutionalized education models. These experiences compelled us to redesign the Eco-Wisdom Laboratory as a dialogic space where academic knowledge defers to Indigenous pedagogies.

First, qualitative data were collected on local traditional knowledge by conducting semi-structured interviews with local aboriginal Elders, participating in local courses led by practical wisdom inheritors, and consulting the Annals of Fusong County [49] and local history books (numbers, proverbs). Simultaneously, satellite cloud images and multispectral drones were used to obtain objective geographic data within the village basin, area, and boundaries.

Second, statistics related to primary village disasters recorded in historical documents were used to categorize traditional knowledge. Simultaneously, from the macro, meso, and micro dimensions, the scientific validity of the village’s traditional water management, climate adaptability, and construction knowledge was assessed through GIS (Geographic Information System) terrain and hydrological simulation, three-dimensional digital modeling of submerged simulation and digital stripping, Phoenics courtyard wind environment analysis, and the combination of field observation and simulation.

Third, the PSR logical framework was applied to classify the four major categories of disturbance—ecology, climate, society, and economy—and examine how Indigenous communities implement traditional disaster response strategies in different resilience dimensions when affected by external shocks.

Fourth, the practical wisdom behind the four resilience measures was summarized, and a practical wisdom education framework was developed to teach Indigenous traditional knowledge through systematic education means.

Finally, this research was utilized in a friendly village in the urban fringe area of Changchun, Jilin Province, where JCV’s practical wisdom, such as Indigenous traditional knowledge of ecological resilience, construction skills, timber gang culture, and forest culture, which are exclusive to Jilin Province, were introduced (Figure 4).

2.7. A Logical Framework for Resilience Based on “Pressure–State–Response”

To achieve the dynamic transmission of local knowledge and practice in Indigenous communities or minority regions, the resilience characteristics of Indigenous peoples in the dimensions of ecology, climate, society, and economy must be preserved. Specifically, the practical wisdom they embody in response to sudden environmental shocks caused by natural disasters and mild impacts, such as population aging and labor loss, must be studied and shared. This study applies a typological classification to analyze traditional knowledge and practices in various dimensions of JCV’s resilience. Concurrently, the traditional knowledge is systematically understood, identified, and interpreted, the Indigenous people and their living environment are regarded holistically, and their dynamic pre-disaster warning and post-disaster resilience response strategies are discussed throughout the entire process. By applying the PSR model’s logical framework, human, non-human, and spiritual elements are regarded holistically, the interactive relationship between humans and the environment is analyzed, the order of priority involved in modern dualistic thinking is abandoned, and the PSR logical framework for the resilience of wooden dwellings in JCV is constructed [50] (Figure 5).

3. Results

3.1. Analysis of Ecological Resilience Characteristics

In Jinjiang Chalet Village, a dynamic and implicit spiritual contract exists between the Indigenous people and the animals and plants in the ecosystem. This connection is expressed through ecological cultural symbols such as industry rules, traditional ballads, and haozi folk singing, which have been passed down from generation to generation through oral history, ethnography, and myth, thus contributing to species diversity conservation, disaster risk reduction, and ecological resilience enhancement (Table 1).

3.1.1. Intensity of Land Development

Under the “pressure” of low temperatures, cold winds, and other natural disasters, Jinjiang Chalet Village abides by certain norms and has formed an ideology of advocating for nature and stabilizing the role of the Changbai Mountain forest in the wind and cold of the village. First, as mentioned in the Lonely Woodcutter [51] and Chronicle of Fusong County [49], Indigenous people conduct a “mountain opening” ceremony before accessing mountain resources, harvesting ginseng, or felling trees, and make sacrifices to inform the mountain god before the axe is used. This act of expressing gratitude for nature’s provision of “trees” to human beings reflects the spirit of respecting and protecting nature, thereby strengthening ecological resilience. Second, Indigenous people adhere to the woodland management standards set by the county People’s Committee. Under the premise of not affecting soil and water conservation, they appropriately use barren mountains and wasteland and sparse forests to plant ginseng, facilitate forest regeneration through controlled intervention, minimize ecosystem disturbances, and actively engage in the “Qingming-Arbor Day” reforestation initiative mandated by the county government.

3.1.2. Adaptation to Soil Erosion and Debris Flow Disasters

Under the “pressure” of natural disasters such as soil erosion and debris flow, the aborigines follow a “timber division system” similar to the “Yingzao Fashi” (The Construction Manual) of the Song Dynasty of China. They cut wood efficiently to minimize material waste, strictly limit the materials used for wood, save energy, and reduce the risk of flood. As the song in the “Xia Jian Zi” sings, “See accurately, measure correctly, not short, not waste”.

3.1.3. Forest Fire, Pest Disaster Adaptation

Under the strain of natural disasters such as fire and insect infestation, villagers follow the policy “prevention first and active elimination”, emphasizing fire prevention education and proactively managing insect infestation. After the devastating forest fire in Changbai Mountain in 1950, the government established the Fire Prevention Committee to regulate fire restrictions in a timely manner, control the fire source in the forest area, accelerate the post-disaster transformation, and achieve a new stable state of ecological resilience.

In addition, when a silkworm moth infestation occurred in agricultural areas, Indigenous peoples did not use modern pesticides but instead relied on traditional biological control techniques to release trichogramma to effectively control the infestation.

3.1.4. Biodiversity

To protect the diversity of the ecosystem, Indigenous hunters follow the traditional practice of “harvesting” by removing trapping tools placed in the mountains the previous winter to ensure the reproduction of the wild animals. For generations, the aborigines believed that “a true hunter must understand the laws of nature, and once the other species of nature are damaged, human beings will eventually be destroyed”.

Indigenous people harvest natural plants by “plucking” instead of “cutting” to retain the plant’s root system and increase the overall resilience of the ecosystem [49]. In addition, they identify tree species by observing them. Indigenous communities place a high value on species that coexist with animals, whether they are star crows or squirrels. While residing in pine trees, they bury pine nuts (seeds) in the ground so that new pine trees will grow next year. The aborigines protect the symbiotic relationship between the species.

To verify this, the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) of Jinjiang Chalet Village was quantitatively analyzed using UAV multispectral data [52] (Figure 6), which revealed that the regional vegetation coverage rate reached 93.555%. Further analysis of the village’s land surface indicates a low development intensity. The total built-up area comprises only 18.65% of the village’s total land use, while vegetation, including woodland and grassland, accounts for 56.56%. The village preserves a well-balanced natural landscape with minimal impervious road surfaces, demonstrating the Indigenous community’s commitment to forest conservation.

Figure 6. NDVI and land feature classification results.

Figure 6. NDVI and land feature classification results.

Table 1. The PSR framework for ecological resilience.

Pressure	State (Adaptation Measures)	Adaptation Stage	Traditional Knowledge and Sources	Modern Application Insights
Low temperatures, cold winds	“Mountain opening” ceremony for resource access Sacrificial rituals for nature reverence County-regulated woodland management and reforestation	Preventive and Maintenance	Forest culture, sacrificial words (Lonely Lumberjack, Fusong County Chronicle) Folk songs, proverbs	Integrate cultural rituals into sustainable land-use policies; combine traditional reverence with modern governance.
Soil erosion, debris flows	“Timber division system” for material efficiency Terraces, embankments, and afforestation in erosion-prone areas	Preventive and Mitigation	Felling ballads (Xia Jian Zi) County records on gully treatment	Apply traditional material efficiency principles to modern construction waste reduction.
Forest fires	“Prevention first, active elimination” policy Fire Prevention Committee operations Public fire safety education	Preventive and Post-disaster	County annals on fire restrictions	Blend traditional fire management with modern monitoring systems for enhanced resilience.
Pest infestations	Biological control (e.g., trichogramma release) Field-edge weed removal	Preventive and Control	County annals, proverbs on pest management	Promote eco-friendly pest control methods inspired by traditional biological techniques.
Biodiversity loss	“Harvesting” practices (trap removal, plant root preservation) Protection of symbiotic species (squirrels, nutcrackers)	Conservation and Coexistence	Folk dramas, oral histories Hunter rules	Adopt species-specific conservation strategies and integrate Indigenous ecological ethics into biodiversity policies.

Table 1. The PSR framework for ecological resilience.

Pressure	State (Adaptation Measures)	Adaptation Stage	Traditional Knowledge and Sources	Modern Application Insights
Low temperatures, cold winds	“Mountain opening” ceremony for resource access Sacrificial rituals for nature reverence County-regulated woodland management and reforestation	Preventive and Maintenance	Forest culture, sacrificial words (Lonely Lumberjack, Fusong County Chronicle) Folk songs, proverbs	Integrate cultural rituals into sustainable land-use policies; combine traditional reverence with modern governance.
Soil erosion, debris flows	“Timber division system” for material efficiency Terraces, embankments, and afforestation in erosion-prone areas	Preventive and Mitigation	Felling ballads (Xia Jian Zi) County records on gully treatment	Apply traditional material efficiency principles to modern construction waste reduction.
Forest fires	“Prevention first, active elimination” policy Fire Prevention Committee operations Public fire safety education	Preventive and Post-disaster	County annals on fire restrictions	Blend traditional fire management with modern monitoring systems for enhanced resilience.
Pest infestations	Biological control (e.g., trichogramma release) Field-edge weed removal	Preventive and Control	County annals, proverbs on pest management	Promote eco-friendly pest control methods inspired by traditional biological techniques.
Biodiversity loss	“Harvesting” practices (trap removal, plant root preservation) Protection of symbiotic species (squirrels, nutcrackers)	Conservation and Coexistence	Folk dramas, oral histories Hunter rules	Adopt species-specific conservation strategies and integrate Indigenous ecological ethics into biodiversity policies.

Jinjiang Chalet Village demonstrates a holistic ecological resilience model in which cultural reverence and institutional innovation converge to address ecological challenges. By weaving traditional ecological ethics—such as ritual-based resource stewardship, community-driven conservation norms, and symbiotic species management—into structured governance (e.g., preventive policies, adaptive land-use frameworks), the village exemplifies culturally rooted yet forward-looking sustainability. This approach prioritizes preemptive risk mitigation over reactive solutions, fostering minimal ecosystem disruption while maintaining socioecological balance. Its success highlights the transformative potential of integrating time-honored wisdom with adaptive governance, offering a replicable paradigm for regions grappling with climate vulnerabilities. Ultimately, Jinjiang underscores that sustainability thrives not through technological dominance, but through ethically anchored, participatory systems that harmonize human needs with ecological integrity.

3.2. Analysis of Climate Resilience Characteristics

3.2.1. Meteorological Disasters Under Common Disturbances of Waterlogging, Freezing, and Snow

According to the records of the Major Events in Fusong County Chronicle, the area of Jinjiang Chalet Village experienced 46 major meteorological disasters over 90 years from 1910 (the second year of the Xuantong Dynasty of the Qing Dynasty) to 1985 (

Table 2. Main types and frequencies of disasters in Jinjiang Chalet Village.

Types of Disasters	Frequencies of Disasters	Months of Occurrence
Floods	18	July–August
Snow disaster, low-temperature cold damage	13	October–April, July–August of the following year
Wind damage	5	March–September

). They included 18 floods (which primarily occurred in July and August), 5 wind disasters, and 13 low-temperature and cold disasters, including drought, frost, hail, and snow disasters. Jinjiang Chalet Village has endured extreme climatic disturbances, including low temperatures, cold waves, frost, floods, and windstorms. It owes its survival to the Indigenous people’s high resilience in the face of climate challenges, implemented through the village location, courtyard layout, and individual building construction.

3.2.2. Climate Resilience Site Selection and Yard Layout

The Indigenous knowledge and practices in Jinjiang Chalet Village stem from continuous environmental observation, site selection experience, and iterative trial and error. For instance, the Indigenous communities possess a strong sense of pre-disaster awareness. When heavy rainfall occurs, they collectively relocate to high ground and avoid settling in forested areas during summer to mitigate the risk of flash floods that occur once it rains. Additionally, the Indigenous communities have specific meteorological proverbs to facilitate knowledge transmission, such as “first before the cow hair no heavy rain, after the cow hair is not sunny”, “the water tank wears a skirt, mountain wears a hat, swallows fly low, snakes corridor, indicating the rain”, “ants moving, toads call, not cloudy, greater things to come”, and “spider web, long Yin will clear”.

To validate Indigenous peoples’ traditional knowledge of water management and climate adaptability, this study examined the hydrological characteristics of Jinjiang Chalet Village, including elevation, slope orientation, drainage pathways, farmland distribution, pond placement, and vegetation patterns across three levels, validating the scientific basis of Indigenous peoples’ knowledge on site selection and courtyard layout (Figure 7).

The siting of mountain-type villages in different geographical locations has a direct impact on regulating the microclimate environment for Indigenous inhabitants. Villages situated in valley basins can maximally mitigate the impact of winter winds on human thermal comfort, yet suffer from a higher frequency of frosts due to cold air deposition. However, in summer, excessive static wind zones within valleys lead to difficulty in heat dissipation from accumulated solar radiation and stagnation of harmful gases. Additionally, heavy rainfall events often result in waterlogging risks [53]. Zhangguying Village in Hunan ingeniously employs its stream network and water channel system to eliminate flood hazards [54].

Summit-type villages, benefiting from elevated terrain, experience relatively less soil erosion and safer flood environments, but suffer severe droughts due to their excessive distance from water sources. Traditional villages in the mountainous regions of Southwest China address this by utilizing catchment lines to channel rainwater along the terrain into pond systems for dry season reserves [22].

Hillslope-type settlements face complex terrain challenges, particularly susceptibility to secondary disasters like flash floods and mudslides during concentrated rainfall periods. The Miao settlements in Southeast Guizhou demonstrate adaptive strategies by employing forest-terrace systems to mitigate surface runoff and flood risks [55].

However, under simultaneous pressures from windstorms, low temperatures, and flooding, the Indigenous of Jinjiang Chalet Village chose to build villages on the sunny side of the mountain (

Table 3. Analysis of different site selection types of mountainous villages.

Village Site Selection Form	Site Selection Diagram	Advantages	Weaknesses
Foothill type		Mountain vegetation wind effect is the best, near water conservancy to avoid flooding	Frost effect
Mountainside type		Wind and water-repellent	The terrain is more complicated
Hilltop type		Flat and easy to build	High wind speed and poor wind protection
Valley basin type		Good wind effect	No air circulation, rain accumulation

), and adapted to the cold mountain climate by using the terrain to block the winter monsoon, forming a weak wind area and reducing the frost effect [56]. The residences are arranged linearly in different positions on the sunny slope, which improves thermal comfort in winter. Moreover, the pattern of situating residences high in the south and low in the north, surrounded by trees, increases the overall lighting area of the dwellings. In the hot and dry summer, when precipitation is concentrated, they use slope and natural forest vegetation to divert rainwater, retain water, and consolidate soil. In addition, they utilize the mountainous topography with water on the backside of the mountain and harness the summer monsoon for ventilation, reducing the accumulation of air pollution and improving the health of villagers (Figure 8).

The village is located approximately 500 m away from the Songhua River, which is close to the water conservancy. Through the internal space arrangement according to local conditions, the overall loose courtyard organization can maximize the organization of drainage. Indigenous villagers cleared the southeastern forest to cultivate local crops, so that part of the surface runoff is discharged through the main roads to the east and west, and the rest is discharged into the storage unit based on the natural slope of the mountain to the courtyard farming area. These measures for rainwater storage and efficient water use in agricultural areas alleviated drought, optimized the living environment of folk houses, met production needs, and formed a resilient ecological water control model of “water diversion in the mountains, water storage in the courtyards in the villages according to the trend of the lane” [56].

3.2.3. Climate Resilient Buildings and Their Courtyard Environment Analysis

Unlike the southern region, Indigenous communities allocate ample courtyard space to increase the lighting surface and resist the cold and snow. The buildings are oriented southward, with the main entrance facing south, the long axis of the main room is perpendicular to the dominant monsoon in winter as much as possible, and trees are planted in the northwest corner to strengthen the windproof effect of the north landscape of the building and minimize wind speed, pressure, and heat loss. Under the dominant southwest wind in summer, the southwest corner reservoir is used to adjust the humidity and create a warm and moist microclimate of the courtyard (

Table 4. Simulation of typical courtyard wind environment of residential buildings.

Courtyard Form	Yard Plan	Wind Velocity Vector Diagram	Wind Pressure Cloud Map	Climate Resilience Characteristics
L-shaped building reservoir				Regulate microclimate with southwest monsoon and water pond in summer
South and north building enclosures				The yard has the lowest wind speed
Type I townhouse sharing				Lowest wind pressure in yard

).

Indigenous buildings minimize heat loss by optimizing the shape coefficient, that is, increasing the depth of the house to reduce the shape coefficient, so that the building plane extends as far as possible in four directions and reduces the outer surface heat dissipation area of the envelope structure. When the body shape coefficient is the same, the number of rooms is increased based on maintaining a certain depth [57].

However, the chalet village employs a fully chalet construction system, including “Mukeden” (a pure wood load-bearing structure), wood shingles, and wood chimneys to cope with the harsh climatic conditions. From the perspective of the form of the roof, the building features a gently sloped chalet roof designed for water drainage and snow retention. During the snowmelt period, the eaves facilitate water drainage, shield the walls, and prevent cracking. In addition, the insulating properties of the snow on the roof help regulate the indoor temperature and reduce part of the heat loss. The roofing materials consist of anti-corrosive wood shingles, linear wood, and clear lines of yellow flower pine and red pine instead of high-energy fired shingles, providing waterproof and thermal insulation through material features such as a “short cill” and “longitudinal road” (Figure 9).

Unlike Russian “Mukeden” dwellings with stone foundations [12], local residents construct the main structure and foundation using uncarved logs, utilizing the natural resilience of wood and traditional tenon and a tenon type of leeway wood to enhance frost and seismic resistance, which can withstand the severe cold and earthquake risks in the surrounding areas of Changbai Mountain. Additionally, the Manchu peoples’ original wood-and-mud wall-fire-kang-wood chimney heating system maximizes heat efficiency and reduces heat loss (Figure 10). The high thickness of the north wall is supplemented with yellow mud inside and outside to make a “fire wall” to connect the stove with the wood chimney outside the wall [58]. The wood chimney is crafted from naturally hollowed wood, incorporating fire-resistant mud and other materials, which is completely different from the way that most chimneys are placed on the roofs of other traditional dwellings. The wood chimney stands freely and vertically outside the gable wall, which can prevent rain and snow from pouring back into the room and indirectly reduce the risk of cracking and water seepage caused by the hard overlap between the chimney and the roof.

According to the Jinjiang Chalet Village [59], the swastika kang in a heated kang is a traditional heating system developed by the Manchu Aborigines as they transitioned from cave dwelling to above-ground living. The western kang also embodies residents’ ancestral beliefs, allowing outsiders to sit freely. This demonstrates that the house is not merely a functional dwelling but also a source of spiritual connection for the Indigenous community. Temperature measurements of a local unheated house reveal that, even without heating, the indoor temperature remains stable compared to outdoor conditions, ranging between −5.2 °C and 4.9 °C by relying only on all-wood materials, a wood-cut wall, and a four-beam and eight-column system, demonstrating superior energy-saving efficiency (Figure 11). This aligns with previous studies, which found that carbon emissions from traditional chalet structures over their full life cycle are 11.1% lower than those of passive concrete buildings [60].

Jinjiang Chalet Village epitomizes a culturally attuned climate resilience framework in which geospatial intelligence and vernacular innovation converge to combat climatic extremes. By harmonizing ancestral wisdom—such as meteorologically informed site selection, passive microclimate regulation, and adaptive timber engineering—with systematic hydrological governance, the village achieves multiscalar resilience. Its emphasis on preemptive spatial strategies (e.g., slope-based water management, windbreak-enhanced layouts) over reactive fixes underscores a philosophy of ecological foresight. Crucially, the integration of ritualistic land ethics (e.g., proverbs guiding resource use) with low-tech, high-efficiency systems (e.g., swastika kang heating) reveals a living heritage paradigm—one in which tradition fuels innovation. For modern climate adaptation, Jinjiang’s model advocates context-sensitive hybridity: marrying Indigenous spatial literacy with contemporary material science to forge sustainable, culturally grounded built environments (

Table 5. The PSR framework for climate resilience.

Pressure	State (Adaptation Measures)	Adaptation Stage	Traditional Knowledge and Sources	Modern Application Insights
Floods, Waterlogging	Relocation to high ground during heavy rain Avoidance of forest settlements in summer Hydrological site selection (elevation, slope, drainage)	Preventive and Mitigation	Meteorological proverbs (e.g., “ants moving, toad called—rain approaches”) Three-level water control system	Integrate Indigenous hydrological wisdom into urban stormwater management systems.
Low temperatures, Frost	South-facing building orientation Northwest tree planting for windbreaks Optimized building shape coefficient to reduce heat loss	Preventive and Maintenance	Linear courtyard layout for sunlight maximization “Fire wall” and wood chimney heating system	Apply passive solar design principles and bio-based insulation in cold-region architecture.
Snow Loads, Windstorms	Gently sloped chalet roofs for snow retention/drainage Log construction with natural seismic/frost resistance Independent wood chimneys	Structural Resilience	Uncarved log tenon joints Swastika kang heating system Anti-corrosive wood shingles	Promote timber-based construction for low-carbon, climate-resilient housing.
Drought, Heatwaves	Rainwater diversion via slope and vegetation Courtyard water storage units “Water diversion in mountains, storage in villages”	Resource Optimization	Folk sayings on rain prediction Synergy between farmland and natural drainage pathways	Develop decentralized water-harvesting systems inspired by gravity-fed mountain hydrology.
Air Pollution, Humidity	Summer monsoon ventilation via topography Southwest reservoir for humidity regulation Low-impervious-surface planning	Microclimate Regulation	“High south, low north” lighting strategy Forest-terrace systems for airflow enhancement	Blend bioclimatic design with green infrastructure for urban heat island mitigation.

).

3.3. Analysis of Social Resilience Characteristics

3.3.1. “Channeling Shingles Festival” as the Link of the Township Catalpa Affair

Social resilience in Indigenous communities refers to their ability to withstand and recover from gradual disturbances such as rapid urbanization and population aging. Through social restructuring and the continuation of the “Channeling Shingles Festival”, which enhances the cohesion of villagers, Indigenous people have increased their participation in community activities and other public affairs.

The festival is scheduled outside Changbai Mountain’s rainy season, fostering a behavior model of proactive management, active construction and maintenance, cooperation, and mutual benefit for the Indigenous people. When repairing houses and replacing tiles, villagers cut grass, fill mud, lay mud, split tiles, and lay tiles, which is like a sports match [46]. The “Channeling Shingles Festival” has evolved into the most important festival in the chalet village, second only to traditional Chinese festivals. This way of adjusting the external impact from the bottom up allows the flow of Indigenous human resources and the diversified development of social organizations, which has a profound cultural connotation and forges a relationship bond in the hearts of villagers, ensuring the continuation of the chalet village ethnic group.

3.3.2. Local Education Based on Practical Wisdom Inheritance and Human Bond

Indigenous education primarily relies on oral transmission, demonstration, hands-on participation, community engagement through activities and cooperation, joint decision-making and governance, and learning and practicing traditional skills in the field. This fosters respect and responsibility through rituals that honor nature and instill a sense of cultural heritage preservation. Furthermore, it promotes educational adaptability and innovation based on the combination of modern needs, cross-cultural communication, and cooperation [17,61,62,63]. The primary educators in Jinjiang Chalet Village are local Elders, their descendants, and knowledge keepers. One of them is an expert in ecology, wildlife, and traditional log cabin construction techniques. Through storytelling and historical explanations to visitors, he lets more people know about the local traditional culture and passes down chalet-building skills to younger generations through demonstrations and practice.

Other Aboriginal Elders in the village carry out traditional hunting and fishing activities, adhering to the living habits and skills handed down by their ancestors. These Elders not only preserve their traditions but also pass on their knowledge and skills to the young people in the village through daily exchanges and demonstrations. Supported by the government and relevant institutions, the Village Protection and Development Project was established. Indigenous people actively engage in village preservation, restoration, and cultural research. They also cooperate with experts and scholars to conduct in-depth research and records on the history, culture, and architectural features of the chalet villages.

Jinjiang Chalet Village illustrates a culturally anchored social resilience framework, in which ritualized collectivism and intergenerational stewardship counter socio-demographic pressures. By embedding traditions such as the “Channeling Shingles Festival”—a blend of cooperative labor and cultural celebration—into community governance, the village transforms social vulnerabilities into participatory resilience. Simultaneously, its education model bridges ancestral knowledge (e.g., Elder-led skill transmission) with collaborative modern initiatives (e.g., academic partnerships), fostering adaptive cultural continuity. This dual approach—ritual as social glue and education as a heritage safeguard—demonstrates how communities can combat fragmentation through identity-driven collective action. For contemporary societies, Jinjiang’s paradigm advocates prioritizing cultural agency over top-down interventions, ensuring resilience emerges organically from shared values and intergenerational dialog (

Table 6. The PSR framework for social resilience.

Pressure	State (Adaptation Measures)	Adaptation Stage	Traditional Knowledge and Sources	Modern Application Insights
Urbanization, Population Aging	“Channeling Shingles Festival” for community cohesion Collective house repair rituals as participatory governance	Community Recovery and Restructuring	Folk festivals, cooperative labor traditions Oral histories of communal maintenance	Leverage cultural festivals to revitalize community engagement in urbanizing rural areas.
Cultural Erosion	Elder-led education (storytelling, skill demonstrations) Intergenerational knowledge transfer via hunting/fishing practices	Cultural Preservation	Oral transmission, hands-on apprenticeships Rituals honoring nature (e.g., ancestral skills)	Integrate Elder mentorship programs into formal education to safeguard intangible heritage.
Social Fragmentation	Village Protection Projects (government–community partnerships) Collaborative research with scholars	Institutional Collaboration	Indigenous governance norms Cooperative decision-making frameworks	Foster hybrid governance models that blend grassroots participation with institutional support.
Skill Loss	Traditional log cabin construction workshops Integration of modern needs with ancestral practices	Adaptive Innovation	Practical wisdom (e.g., local educators’ expertise) Multi-generational skill-sharing practices	Develop vocational training systems rooted in traditional craftsmanship and modern sustainability.
Identity Disruption	Ritualistic activities (e.g., tile-laying competitions) Cultural tourism through storytelling	Identity Reinforcement	Festivals as “relationship bonds” Cross-generational cultural narratives	Design place-based tourism initiatives that empower communities as cultural stewards.

).

3.4. Analysis of the Characteristics of Economic Resilience

The economic resilience of the chalet village is demonstrated in three key areas: industrial risk mitigation, adaptability to organizational change, and capacity for transformation and innovation [64]. It has effectively adapted to external disruptions, including natural disasters, policy shifts, and market fluctuations.

As early as 1986, the chalet village residents leveraged Changbai Mountain’s unique natural conditions to develop the ginseng industry and assisted Fusong County in building an industrial system of picking and planting, production enterprises, and scientific research institutions. Indigenous residents have facilitated the growth of related industries by setting up ginseng enterprises such as the Changbai Mountain ginseng market in Wanliang Town. The residents actively changed the production mode from a single operation producing logs, and they attached importance to having multiple operation and production modes in forestry and a diversity of village industries [49].

In 2013, after the chalet village was designated a Chinese traditional village, the local government collaborated with the Indigenous communities to actively develop a sustainable tourism sector, convert existing residences into distinctive homestays, and combine traditional knowledge and culture with modern tourism through rural tourism projects such as mountain goods sales, folk custom experience, research and development, and catering cooperatives, which preserve and promote cultural heritage. It has generated economic benefits and fostered modernization. As one of the villagers noted, “In the past, I could only make a living growing beans in the village. Now, I rely on the supply and marketing cooperatives to sell special products and rent some snow tools to tourists. At the least, I can increase my income by several thousand a year”. In addition, the government also mobilized the subjective initiative of the Indigenous people, so that some villagers could continue to engage in traditional occupations unique to the Manchus in Changbai Mountain, such as winemaking [65]. In 2017, the chalet village welcomed 50,000 visitors and became a “Golden House” [66].

The chalet villagers are constantly adapting to external shocks to achieve transformation. In 2021, tourism revenue alone increased by more than CNY 6000 per household, and the annual income of the village collective is projected to surpass CNY 100,000. In addition, this sustainable tourism development model, which combines traditional culture with the self-gentrification of Indigenous people, has encouraged young people to return and establish businesses. For example, one of the college students returned to his hometown after graduation to set up a carpenter shop and spread the chalet gang culture according to market demand.

Jinjiang Chalet Village exemplifies adaptive economic resilience through strategic hybridity—merging traditional resource stewardship with modern market dynamics. By anchoring diversification in ancestral industries (e.g., ginseng agroforestry) while innovating tourism-led value chains (e.g., homestays, cultural cooperatives), the village transforms external pressures into inclusive growth engines. Its success hinges on intergenerational synergy: Elders preserve craft legacies, while youth inject entrepreneurial agility, creating a self-reinforcing cycle of cultural commodification and community reinvestment. This model underscores that resilience in rural economies thrives not by resisting change, but by curating tradition as innovation—where heritage becomes capital, and collective agency drives sustainable transitions (

Table 7. The PSR framework for economic resilience.

Pressure	State (Adaptation Measures)	Adaptation Stage	Traditional Knowledge and Sources	Modern Application Insights
Natural Disasters, Market Fluctuations	Diversified ginseng industry (planting, production, research) Transition from logging to multi-operational forestry	Risk Mitigation and Diversification	Indigenous ginseng cultivation practices Fusong County industrial system records	Promote agro-industrial clusters blending traditional knowledge with modern supply chains.
Policy Shifts, Economic Modernization	Sustainable tourism development (homestays, cultural experiences) Cooperatives for specialty sales and rentals	Structural Transformation	Traditional Manchu occupations (e.g., winemaking) Government-tourism partnerships	Integrate cultural heritage into eco-tourism models to drive inclusive rural revitalization.
Youth Outmigration, Skill Gaps	Youth entrepreneurship programs (e.g., carpenter shops) Incentivizing return through tourism revenue growth	Innovation and Regeneration	Chalet craftsmanship traditions Market-driven cultural revitalization (e.g., “chalet gang culture”)	Foster circular economies by linking local crafts with global niche markets.

).

3.5. The Extraction of Practical Wisdom Supporting Resilience

Through the analysis of the four forms of resilience, it is found that the practical wisdom of Jinjiang Chalet Village is a multi-dimensional and interdisciplinary concept, covering a broad spectrum from philosophical thoughts to practical applications.

First, “using Tao to control technique, combining nature with man” [67]. The local residents’ actions to improve the resilience of the ecosystem of Changbai Mountain, such as “opening the mountain”, moderately cutting down and planting trees, closing the mountain for afforestation, and protecting biodiversity are not only performed to implement regulations but also reflect their spontaneous ideology of following the development law of things themselves and obeying the laws of nature.

Second, “take advantage of the situation—change the harm—seek the benefit”. “Mountainside site selection”, the loose village layout according to the mountain, the behavior of avoiding flooding near the water conservancy and using the forest to keep out the wind and cold reflect the survival wisdom of “storing the wind and water, adapting to local conditions” and “depending on the mountain, avoiding the sun and cold”. By taking advantage of the mountains, the sun, the wind, and the forest, the aborigines have resolved disasters such as low temperatures, cold waves, cold winds, mudslides, and flash floods, benefiting generations of grandchildren and enhancing climate resilience.

Third, “make the best use of materials” [68]. The Indigenous residents carefully select and process wood to construct intricately carve buildings. This not only reduces material waste but also improves the efficiency of chalet house construction, reduces transportation costs, and indirectly realizes low-cost construction. Among them, the “kang-firewood chimney” system embodies the “best use” of heat energy.

Fourth, “cooperation and mutual benefit, spontaneous good governance”. Villagers connect with the people through the “Channeling Shingles Festival”, “local education”, and “forest culture”, and they choose the appropriate seasons to maintain their living space. This reflects the self-adaptive behaviors of Indigenous people based on spontaneity, consciousness, and self-awakening, with benefits such as allowing them to optimize the industrial structure, realize industrial transformation and upgrading, and enhance the social and economic resilience.

4. Living Inheritance Practice: Severe Cold-Region Rural Ecological Smart Wood Craftsmanship Laboratory

4.1. Project Overview

In the end, this study extended the resilient ecological protection, macro-scale site selection, and microclimate courtyard design of the Indigenous people of Jinjiang Chalet Village, integrated traditional woodcut construction techniques with modern passive building techniques, and implemented living heritage practices in the friendly village in the southeast suburbs of Changchun City (Figure 12).

As an experimental rural cultural construction project, the overall construction area of the practice project is only 66.88 square meters, equivalent to the typical building plot in Jinjiang Chalet Village. Utilizing abundant natural resources, the project optimizes the traditional Indigenous peoples’ methods, social and economic organization, and practical wisdom while adhering to traditional design principles as the original direction of design [69]. It serves as a showcase for traditional chalet gang culture, Indigenous knowledge, and practical wisdom, integrating the traditional knowledge of Jinjiang Chalet Village with modern green building technology.

The project is built as an experimental and practical base for college talent training, establishing a teaching base for joint rural construction research between Jilin Jianzhu University and Harbin Institute of Technology, which aims to disseminate the traditional ecological knowledge, construction techniques, and cultural traditions of the Indigenous people through the explicit and implicit inheritance of the ecological, climate, social, and economic resilience of Jinjiang Chalet Village.

4.2. Living Inheritance of Ecological–Climatic Resilience

4.2.1. The Site Selection and Courtyard Space of “Mountainside Water—100 Feet as Size”

The project builds on the chalet village’s practical wisdom and refines the design method, develops a contemporary model of a sustainable human settlement based on traditional wisdom [18], and realizes the explicit inheritance of the material space (

Table 8. Active inheritance diagram of dominant space.

Inheritance Elements	Jinjiang Chalet Village	Landing Project
Site selection
Yard microclimate
Support structure
Wood construction

).

The project leverages terrain and water resources for site selection on the mountain’s water-facing side to enhance disaster prevention and mitigation and uses the sunny slope of the mountainside and the natural shelterbelt on the northwest side to resist the cold wind and keep warm. A buffer channel with water flow lower in the south and higher in the north was set to divert the flow into the channel [16]. Second, a sloping space in front of the building promotes natural ventilation during summer, and the courtyard is opened on the south side to increase the lighting of the building in winter. The design theory of the ancient architectural space, where “one hundred feet is the size and one thousand feet is the trend” [70], and the wisdom of the ancestors of the Jinjiang Chalet Village “modular system” are followed to control the scale of the building and the courtyard.

4.2.2. The Support Structure of “Four Beams and Eight Columns—Separation of Wall Pillars”

The project’s structural framework incorporates the traditional construction techniques of Jinjiang Chalet Village, utilizing commonly available red pine and Huanghua pine for construction (Figure 13). The main internal frames are connected with natural wood mortise and tenon joints to form a “four-beam and eight-column” wall skeleton. Waste heat from life is used to connect the chalet structures in series to form a heat circulation system, to enhance the climate resilience of the building.

The overall support structure is separated from the wall columns by prefabricated lightweight walls, combined with steel joints, enhancing the structural stability and seismic resistance of the building, and the rapid assembly of the site within only 20 days is realized, inheriting the wisdom of “sawing under the material and fitting according to the needs” of Jinjiang Chalet Village. The roof features a single-slope design, with the main and west sections utilizing structured drainage to prevent additional disturbance caused by drainage on the west side and to extend the service life.

4.2.3. Enclosure Structure for “Cold Protection and Warmth”

The project follows the practical wisdom of “wood bones and mud walls”, “wood shingles”, “wood chimneys”, and so on in the chalet village to make the best use of local conditions. Modern thermal insulation materials are integrated within the wood load-bearing components to improve the cold resistance of the wall. Between the decorative layer and the structural layer, the adjustment sandwich is set, and an inert gas-filling bag film is selected for the sandwich, to enhance the wall’s thermal inertia and maintain indoor comfort, improve the climate adaptability, and realize a green and low-carbon construction mode.

4.3. The Hidden Living Inheritance of Social and Economic Resilience

4.3.1. Characteristic Training Base

In terms of social and economic resilience, this study extends the traditional “intergenerational transmission” education model in Jinjiang Chalet Village, establishes a model training base through the “Laboratory” project, and leads students back to Jinjiang Chalet Village to participate in the camp by teaching and to engage in participatory practice organized by a local knowledge educator, to facilitate the transmission of traditional construction skills of Indigenous peoples [12].

4.3.2. Cultivation of Social Talents

To preserve and refine Indigenous education methods of training the next generation through “oral history” and books, promote the employment of Indigenous people, and train talents to inherit traditional construction skills, the team organized the project “Talents Training of Practical wisdom Mining and creative Design of famous historical and cultural villages in Northeast China” with the support of the National Art Fund. For this, they selected 15 mid-career and emerging designers from across the country who are willing to participate in the protection and inheritance of traditional knowledge and practice.

4.3.3. National First-Class Curriculum Construction

The course, “Traditional Urban and Rural Practical wisdom and Practice”, led by the first author, has been designated a national first-class curriculum, equipping students with comprehensive knowledge and practical skills of “low cost, low technology, low maintenance and high sustainability” in severe cold regions, as well as the construction principles to cope with the climate and disasters in severe cold regions [71,72].

In response to the “Channeling Shingles Festival”, the team held the “Jilin Province Wooden Structure Construction Festival” competition to promote the implementation of traditional knowledge, aiming at combining the traditional construction knowledge of Indigenous people with contemporary theoretical knowledge, encouraging students to develop innovative design concepts, and deepening the cooperation between government and university and enterprise, strengthening the docking of the education industry, and promoting students’ employment and career development through the competition platform. The competition also cultivates wood skills to build “new farmers and craftsmen”, and it attracts people to return to the village to start businesses and help improve the local economy (Figure 14).

5. Discussion

5.1. Linking JCV’s Multi-Dimensional Traditional Knowledge to the UN Sustainable Development Goals

The United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide a global framework for addressing pressing environmental, social, and economic challenges. This study demonstrates how JCV’s traditional ecological knowledge (TEK), Indigenous construction techniques, and cultural–spiritual practices align with six key SDGs: Quality Education (SDG 4), Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG 8), Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure (SDG 9), Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG 11), Climate Action (SDG 13), and Life on Land (SDG 15). Below, we elucidate these connections through the village’s resilience strategies and adaptive practices.

5.1.1. Life on Land (SDG 15)

JCV’s TEK exemplifies sustainable land stewardship. Indigenous practices such as controlled logging, ritual-based resource management (e.g., the “mountain opening” ceremony), and biodiversity conservation (e.g., protecting symbiotic species like squirrels and nutcrackers) directly align with SDG 15’s focus on terrestrial ecosystem protection. The village’s low-intensity land development (vegetation coverage: 93.555%) and adherence to forest regeneration norms ensure minimal ecological disruption, offering a replicable model for balancing human needs with biodiversity preservation.

5.1.2. Climate Action (SDG 13)

The village’s climate-responsive architecture and adaptive practices—such as south-facing building orientation, windbreak-enhanced layouts, and passive heating systems (e.g., swastika kang and wood chimneys)—demonstrate localized strategies to mitigate extreme cold, flooding, and snow loads. These measures reduce energy consumption (indoor temperatures stabilize without heating) and carbon emissions (11.1% lower than concrete buildings), directly supporting SDG 13’s emphasis on climate resilience. Furthermore, Indigenous hydrological management (e.g., slope-based rainwater diversion) aligns with adaptive water governance frameworks critical for climate-vulnerable regions.

5.1.3. Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG 11)

JCV’s spatial morphology—characterized by community-driven governance, ritualized collective labor (e.g., the “Channeling Shingles Festival”), and intergenerational knowledge transmission—embodies SDG 11’s vision of inclusive, resilient settlements. The village’s integration of cultural heritage (e.g., chalet gang culture) into tourism development fosters social cohesion while preserving authenticity. This approach counters homogenized urbanization trends, offering a blueprint for heritage-sensitive rural revitalization.

5.1.4. Quality Education (SDG 4)

The village’s living inheritance model prioritizes Elder-led education, participatory workshops, and hybrid curricula (e.g., the national first-class course Traditional Urban and Rural Practical Wisdom and Practice). By merging oral histories with modern pedagogy, JCV bridges traditional skills (e.g., woodcraft apprenticeships) and academic training, ensuring youth engagement and cultural continuity. Such initiatives align with SDG 4’s mandate for inclusive, lifelong learning opportunities rooted in local contexts.

5.1.5. Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure (SDG 9)

Jinjiang’s fusion of vernacular techniques (e.g., mortise-and-tenon joints) with modern passive design—as demonstrated in the Eco-Wisdom Laboratory—showcases innovation in low-carbon infrastructure. The village’s transition from logging to diversified industries (e.g., ginseng agroforestry, eco-tourism) highlights adaptive economic strategies that leverage traditional knowledge while integrating contemporary technologies. These practices align with SDG 9’s emphasis on resilient, sustainable industrialization.

5.1.6. Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG 8)

The village’s tourism-driven economy—featuring homestays, cultural cooperatives, and artisan entrepreneurship—has boosted household incomes (6000+ CNY/year increase) and youth employment. Initiatives such as the “Jilin Province Construction Festival” incentivize skill retention and attract returning migrants, fostering inclusive growth. This model supports SDG 8 by linking cultural heritage to equitable economic opportunities, ensuring that development benefits both individuals and the community.

5.2. Integrated Innovation That Differs from Previous Examples

Previous studies of traditional knowledge have predominantly focused on isolated dimensions or single disaster types. For instance, Sozer and Bekele examined vernacular architecture in Turkey’s arid climate zone, emphasizing passive energy-saving strategies through CFD simulations and energy performance analyses, yet confined to single-building scales and technical inheritance [73]. Similarly, Zheng and Han explored ancient rainwater management systems in Hong Village, China, addressing flood resilience from a macro-planning perspective [74]. Fan and Zheng investigated cultural space preservation in Fengxiangxi Tujia Village, Guizhou, focusing on architectural form revitalization within local contexts [75], while Diaz et al. highlighted knowledge-sharing platforms for earthen construction in Andalusia, Spain, but remained within the scope of individual buildings and social education [76]. These studies, though interdisciplinary, predominantly adopted singular or dual-dimensional perspectives (e.g., technical training or community participation) and addressed limited disaster types.

In contrast, the current study transcends static preservation paradigms (e.g., archival documentation or museumization) by proposing a living inheritance model centered on JCV’s multi-dimensional resilience to co-occurring climatic stressors (e.g., frost heaving, snow loads, floods). Unlike prior works that isolated material spaces (e.g., architectural morphology) or intangible cultural elements (e.g., spiritual beliefs), our approach integrates human and non-human factors (e.g., ecological systems, socioeconomic dynamics) into a symbiotic framework spanning production, living, and ecological spaces. Leveraging the PSR framework, we dynamically analyze four resilience dimensions.

Furthermore, we extend traditional knowledge application beyond its origin by piloting a traditional knowledge-driven passive habitat demonstration in urban fringe areas. This initiative minimizes spatial disruption to the original village while establishing collaborative education bases with Indigenous communities to train “new artisans”, ensuring the intergenerational continuity of cold-region adaptive wisdom. Such integrative methodology—bridging disaster science, architecture, socioeconomics, and planning—offers a replicable model for addressing multifactorial climatic challenges.

5.3. Limitations

While this study offers novel insights into the resilience mechanisms of traditional knowledge in cold-region settlements, several limitations warrant acknowledgment to guide future research:

5.3.1. Contextual Specificity

The findings are derived from a single case study (JCV), limiting generalizability to other cold-region communities with distinct cultural, ecological, or governance contexts. Cross-regional comparisons are needed to validate the PSR-based resilience framework.

5.3.2. Temporal Constraints

The cross-sectional design restricts the analysis of the long-term adaptive capacity under evolving climatic stressors (e.g., intensified snowfall) or socioeconomic shifts. Longitudinal studies integrating historical climate data could enhance predictive insights.

5.3.3. Qualitative Subjectivity

While semi-structured interviews captured Indigenous perspectives, potential recall bias and cultural interpretation gaps persist. Future work could employ participatory mapping to supplement oral histories.

5.3.4. Scalability of Hybrid Solutions

The Eco-Wisdom Laboratory’s small scale (66.88 m²) and reliance on local materials (e.g., Huanghua pine) raise questions about broader applicability. Cost–benefit analyses across diverse resource settings are warranted.

5.3.5. Institutional Barriers

Systemic challenges—land tenure disputes, intellectual property rights, and policy fragmentation—were not fully addressed. Comparative analyses of governance models could identify pathways for institutionalizing Indigenous-led adaptation.

6. Conclusions

This study systematically unveils the dynamic resilience mechanisms embedded in the traditional knowledge (TK) of the 300-year-old cold-region JCV settlement in China’s Changbai Mountain area, offering critical insights into sustainable adaptation strategies for climate-vulnerable communities. By integrating the PSR framework with multidisciplinary methodologies—including UAV-based multispectral analysis, thermal simulations, and participatory ethnography—we demonstrate how Indigenous practical wisdom, vernacular architecture, and cultural–spiritual practices synergistically address multi-dimensional climatic and socioeconomic challenges.

6.1. Theoretical Advancements in Traditional Knowledge Research

This study pioneers the application of the PSR model to traditional knowledge systems, transcending static preservation paradigms by framing resilience as a dynamic interplay of ecological, climatic, social, and economic dimensions. Unlike prior works that isolated single disaster types or disciplinary perspectives (e.g., architecture or anthropology), this research establishes a holistic framework that links ritual-based forest stewardship, climate-responsive building techniques (e.g., Swastika kang heating systems), community-driven governance (e.g., the “Channeling Shingles Festival”), and adaptive economic practices (e.g., ginseng agroforestry). This approach validates the scientific validity of Indigenous practices—such as slope-based hydrological management (93.555% vegetation coverage) and passive thermal regulation (11.1% lower carbon emissions than concrete structures)—and redefines “living inheritance” as a process of co-evolution between tradition and innovation.

6.2. Practical Innovations for Climate Resilience

JCV’s vernacular strategies provide scalable solutions for severe cold regions grappling with compound climatic stressors (e.g., frost heaving, snow loads, floods). Key innovations include hybrid construction techniques: The integration of traditional mortise-and-tenon woodcraft with modern passive design in the Eco-Wisdom Laboratory (66.88 m² pilot project), achieving low-cost, low-tech sustainability while preserving cultural authenticity. Participatory Governance: Ritualized collective labor and intergenerational education models (e.g., Elder-led apprenticeships) enhance social cohesion and skill retention, countering urbanization-driven fragmentation. Economic Diversification: Tourism-driven initiatives (e.g., homestays, artisan cooperatives) increased household incomes by 6000+ CNY/year, illustrating how cultural commodification can foster inclusive growth.

6.3. Policy and Global Sustainability Implications

The findings lead us to advocate for policy reforms that prioritize Indigenous agency in climate adaptation planning. By aligning JCV’s resilience strategies with six UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 4, 8, 9, 11, 13, 15), this study demonstrates how traditional knowledge can bridge local practices and global agendas.