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Review

Research on Heritage Conservation and Development of Chinese Ancient Towns and Historic Districts Based on Knowledge Graph Analysis

by
Wu Jin
* and
Hiroatsu Fukuda
Faculty of Environmental and Engineering, The University of Kitakyushu, Kitakyushu 802-8577, Japan
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Buildings 2025, 15(14), 2459; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15142459
Submission received: 21 February 2025 / Revised: 23 March 2025 / Accepted: 28 March 2025 / Published: 14 July 2025
(This article belongs to the Section Architectural Design, Urban Science, and Real Estate)
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Abstract

Historic districts of ancient towns serve as significant carriers of historical and cultural heritage while also being popular tourist destinations. Within the context of urbanization and organic renewal, the protection and development of historic districts have become crucial research topics. This study collects literature from the Web of Science database and applies manual screening to ensure relevance to the research theme. Using CiteSpace as an analytical tool, the study conducts a visual analysis from multiple perspectives, including keywords, writing time, authors, centrality, keyword clustering analysis, and timeline visualization. By constructing a knowledge graph, this research explores the key pathways and knowledge nodes in the organic renewal of spatial environments in historic districts of ancient towns. Based on literature clustering, the study categorizes research into four major aspects: heritage conservation, cultural and tourism development, spatial planning and design, and environmental enhancement. Based on this, universal strategies for the cultural and tourism development of historic districts in ancient towns are proposed. The research focus shifts from emphasizing cultural heritage preservation to the integrated development of culture and tourism. In the spatial development of historic districts, everyday life scenes should be incorporated while new technologies should be utilized to enhance environmental comfort. This paper summarizes the current research frontiers in this field and proposes future research trends, providing valuable references for scholars in related areas.

1. Introduction

Ancient towns and historic cultural districts serve as significant carriers of historical and cultural heritage, making their preservation and development critical topics in urban planning and management. In recent years, with China’s rapid urbanization, many historic districts in ancient towns have been directly demolished, while the remaining ones are gradually facing decline. However, as economic development progresses, the cultural heritage of these historic districts has gained increasing attention. By 2023, the number of domestic tourists in China had reached approximately 4.55 billion, highlighting the growing interest in cultural and heritage tourism [1]. Cultural tourism has become a major consumer industry, with historic districts in ancient towns emerging as popular tourist destinations due to their unique historical and cultural significance. Statistics show that the annual visitor count for just three renowned towns—Wuzhen, Xitang, and Nanxun—has exceeded 35 million.
Historic districts of ancient towns carry the historical and cultural memories of a region; therefore, the government and private forces jointly promote the protection and development of ancient towns [2]. However, as popular tourist destinations, ancient towns also face prominent problems such as homogenization, over-commercialization, and loss of native culture [3]. This study conducted a detailed questionnaire survey on 316 tourists who have traveled to ancient towns and found that tourists have increasingly high requirements for ancient towns. The tourism trend is changing from “sightseeing” to “immersive experience” (Figure 1), and the demand from tourists presents diversified characteristics [4] (Figure 2).
This underscores the vital role of historic districts in cultural tourism development, economic prosperity, and heritage preservation. However, finding a balance between cultural heritage conservation and tourism development remains a central concern in both academic research and urban development practices. This study systematically reviews domestic and international research from four perspectives: heritage conservation, cultural and tourism development, spatial planning and design, and environmental enhancement. By doing so, it aims to provide valuable insights into future research and practical applications.

2. Research Methodology

2.1. Data Collection

This study utilizes the Web of Science database from Clarivate Analytics as the primary data source. To ensure complete data, multiple retrieval comparisons were conducted. The selected literature originates from three core citation indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE), Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), and Arts and Humanities Citation Index (A&HCI), ensuring high data quality. The search was conducted on 14 February 2025, covering the time span from January 2015 to December 2024. The search query used “Ancient Towns OR Historic Districts AND Environment” as keywords. The results were sorted by relevance, and duplicate papers were manually removed. After careful screening, a final set of 200 papers was selected as the research sample.

2.2. Data Analysis Tools

A knowledge graph, referred to as “knowledge domain visualization” or “knowledge domain mapping” in library and information science, is a series of graphical representations that illustrate the evolution and structural relationships of knowledge. It employs visualization techniques to describe knowledge resources and their carriers while excavating, analyzing, constructing, mapping, and displaying knowledge entities and their interconnections. This study utilizes the Web of Science advanced search tool for data collection, exporting data files containing author information, abstracts, keywords, and other metadata. The exported data files were then processed using CiteSpace 6.3.R1, a widely used scientometric analysis tool, to conduct visual analysis and knowledge mining of the collected literature [2]. The analysis focuses on multiple dimensions, including keywords, writing time, authors, centrality, keyword clustering analysis (All in One), and timeline (TimeLine). Using knowledge graph visualization, the study explores key pathways and knowledge nodes related to the organic renewal of the spatial environment in historic districts of ancient towns.

2.3. Research Framework

This study utilizes the Web of Science database as the primary data source, with manual screening to ensure the relevance of selected literature to the research theme. CiteSpace is employed as the analytical tool to conduct visual analysis from multiple dimensions, including keywords, writing time, authors, centrality, keyword clustering analysis (All in One), and timeline (TimeLine). By constructing a knowledge graph, the study explores key pathways and knowledge nodes related to the organic renewal of the spatial environment in historic districts of ancient towns. Based on literature clustering, the research categorizes existing studies into four key aspects: heritage conservation, cultural and tourism development, spatial planning and design, and environmental enhancement. Through the study, it was found that the focus of the research on the historical neighborhoods of ancient towns has shifted from focusing on cultural heritage protection to integrated cultural and tourism development. Whether it is heritage protection or cultural tourism development in historic neighborhoods, it is necessary to pay attention to the spatial creation of ancient towns. Therefore, it is necessary to integrate living scenes into the space creation of the historic district. The spatial creation of ancient towns includes the improvement of the environment and the use of new technologies to enhance the comfort of the environment and satisfy the experience of tourists. The research framework diagram is shown in Figure 3.

3. Literature Characteristics Analysis

3.1. Analysis of Research Disciplines

Statistics show that the literature on the spatial environment of historic districts in ancient towns, retrieved from the Web of Science database, spans multiple academic disciplines. The top nine research disciplines are ranked as follows: Environmental Sciences, Archaeology, Multidisciplinary Geosciences, Environmental Studies, Multidisciplinary Sciences, Water Resources, Civil Engineering, Anthropology, and Physical Geography.

3.2. Analysis of Publication Trends and Journal Sources

An analysis of the Web of Science database reveals that the number of publications on the spatial environment of historic districts in ancient towns has increased from 9 papers in 2015 to 47 papers in 2024, reaching a periodic peak. The publication trend shows a steady annual increase, with explosive growth in the past three years (Figure 4). This indicates that research on the spatial environment of historic districts has been receiving increasing attention, with a significant upward trend in academic interest. The study countries with the highest frequency are China, the United Kingdom, the United States, Italy, and Japan (Table 1). These countries are also the countries with the largest distribution of world cultural heritage and developed cultural tourism, which shows that the development of the cultural tourism industry is highly correlated with the study of ancient towns.

3.3. Co-Word Analysis

Keywords are the essence and summary of the main points of research in the whole text, and the content reflected by high-frequency keywords is often the hotspot of research in the field (Table 2). Keyword evolution analysis reveals trends and popularity changes over different time periods.
First, the most critical topic in the study of historic districts in ancient towns is cultural heritage, as indicated by the high keyword frequency and centrality values related to heritage. Additionally, the appearance of “space” and “space syntax” as high-frequency keywords suggests that the spatial structure and vibrancy of historic districts are key research focuses. Furthermore, the sustainable development of historic districts has drawn considerable attention. Increasingly, scholars are also focusing on environmental quality and tourism comfort in these areas.
A keyword co-occurrence analysis is performed, and the keyword co-occurrence results are clustered to obtain the keyword clustering. In the TimeLine view of the domestic ancient town research, the darker the color of the nodes and lines in the graph, the earlier the year of appearance. The co-occurrence keyword network, clustering analysis, and timeline visualization are generated using CiteSpace, as shown in Figure 5 and Figure 6. The “accessibility” cluster indicates that tourist perception is receiving increasing attention, as cultural and tourism development must consider visitor experience. Tourist accessibility and environmental comfort are prerequisites for attracting visitors, while visitor spending is fundamental to the economic sustainability of cultural tourism (Figure 7). Consequently, more scholars have begun exploring micro-renewal strategies in historic districts of ancient towns to enhance environmental comfort. Additionally, dynamic simulation software is being utilized in the process of environmental improvement and design. The use value of historic districts in ancient towns extends beyond cultural heritage, integrating into everyday life scenes. These towns are not merely historical relics but serve as vessels of human memory.

4. Analysis of Research Directions

By conducting a literature analysis using CiteSpace and summarizing the key research issues discussed in the collected studies, this paper identified four primary research directions (Table 3).

5. Analysis of Research Hotspots and Trends

Based on the literature review, four key research hotspots and trends have been identified.

5.1. From Cultural Heritage Conservation to Integrated Cultural and Tourism Development

Early scholarly research primarily focused on the conservation of cultural heritage in historic districts of ancient towns [48]. However, solely preserving cultural heritage does not generate economic benefits and is therefore unsustainable. With the rise of tourism-oriented ancient towns, the economic expenditures required for conservation can be offset by tourism-generated revenue, making heritage preservation more financially viable [49]. However, this shift brings forth the challenge of balancing heritage conservation and overdevelopment. Within the context of cultural and tourism integration, the combination of cultural value and tourism functionality in historic districts has become a key research focus. Studies indicate that cultural tourism development should prioritize the authenticity of cultural heritage, while commercial development should avoid excessive homogenization. Existing research primarily focuses on individual case studies or specific elements, lacking a systematic theoretical framework for cultural tourism development in historic districts.

5.2. From Rough Tourism Development to the Integration of Everyday Life Scenes

The development of historic districts in ancient towns has often been driven by profit-seeking motives, leading to hasty projects and an over-reliance on superficial historical imitation. As a result, many homogeneous, replica-style commercial streets have emerged, lacking authenticity, with uniform architectural styles and highly similar business models. Numerous studies have critically examined these issues. Scholars have analyzed the effects of tourism-driven gentrification on population structure and the physical environment, highlighting the complex interplay of power, capital, and social factors in the transformation of historic districts [50]. The departure of original residents has led to a loss of local character and everyday life scenes in historic districts, making these areas feel detached from their cultural roots. In response, recent research has increasingly emphasized the “multi-factor collaborative” approach to historic district preservation. This strategy promotes resilient renewal through spatial coordination, business format restructuring, and cultural heritage transmission, aiming to restore vibrancy and authenticity to these historic spaces [51]. Additionally, micro-renewal and spatial optimization have emerged as key research directions, aiming to revitalize historic districts by enhancing functional diversity and improving spatial connectivity. These strategies contribute to boosting urban vibrancy while maintaining the authenticity of historic areas. However, district renewal involves multiple stakeholders, and existing studies lack in-depth exploration of policy tools, property rights coordination, and implementation mechanisms, which are crucial for effective and sustainable regeneration.

5.3. From the Spatial Perception of Urban Character to Enhancement of Thermal Comfort

The homogenization of historic district aesthetics has long been a point of criticism among tourists. As a result, scholars have increasingly focused on spatial environment design as a key research area [4]. However, spatial design encompasses more than just visual elements such as architectural aesthetics—physical environmental factors also play a crucial role. In recent years, research has increasingly recognized that thermal comfort in the built environment is a key factor in evaluating the livability of historic districts. Elements such as building thermal environments, soundscapes, and green view index are gaining attention for their impact on urban vibrancy. One emerging approach is the use of ENVI-met 5.7.1 simulations to analyze the effects of green spaces on thermal comfort, providing insights into how urban greenery can enhance the environmental quality of historic districts [52]. Research suggests that optimizing the green view index and shade facilities can help improve the microclimate of historic districts. The comfort of the built environment in ancient towns is also closely tied to tourist experiences. Enhancing environmental comfort can significantly increase visitor satisfaction during both summer and winter, making historic districts more attractive year-round.

5.4. From Single-Disciplinary Tools to the Integration of Interdisciplinary Technologies

Research on historic districts in ancient towns has increasingly adopted quantitative analysis and emerging technological tools. Early studies utilized methods such as space syntax, geographical detectors, and social network analysis to examine spatial morphology and social relationships. With technological advancements, BIM (Building Information Modeling), GIS (Geographic Information System), VR (Virtual Reality), and AI (Artificial Intelligence) [53] have provided new perspectives for research in this field. For example, some scholars have explored the use of urban sensors to identify predictive factors of street vitality [54]. Additionally, big data and machine learning-based urban morphology approaches have been applied to enhance the vibrancy of historic heritage districts [55]. While quantitative methods improve scientific rigor, they often overlook subjective factors such as resident needs and local identity. A key future direction is to integrate participatory design with emerging technologies, achieving a dual optimization of both technological and humanistic dimensions in historic district planning and renewal.

6. Discussion and Conclusions

6.1. Discussion

With the development of tourism, historic districts in ancient towns have become popular destinations, making research on their heritage preservation and tourism development highly significant. The literature review reveals that current studies are increasingly diversified. Sole reliance on heritage conservation fails to generate economic benefits, while excessive emphasis on economic gains risks damaging cultural authenticity. Therefore, achieving a balance between these aspects will remain a focal point for future research. Based on this study, the following universal strategies are proposed:
(1)
Integrating Historical Cultural Heritage with Cultural Tourism Spatial Planning
By analyzing the cultural heritage distribution map (Figure 8), it is evident that the historical cultural heritage of the ancient town exhibits a linear distribution along the canal. Through overlay analysis with heatmaps, areas of concentrated cultural heritage align closely with high tourist traffic zones, indicating strong visitor interest in these historical assets. As the core resource of ancient towns, cultural heritage leverages its unique historical and cultural value to attract tourists while enhancing the town’s visibility and appeal. The inheritance and innovation of cultural traditions are crucial for sustaining the long-term vitality of ancient towns.
(2)
Prioritizing Cultural Tourism Spatial Design and Environmental Enhancement
In the tourism development of ancient towns, it is imperative to rigorously safeguard their cultural traditions and historical roots, avoiding the degradation of their natural environment and humanistic ambiance through excessive commercial exploitation. Only by preserving their original characteristics can towns maintain their uniqueness and offer visitors authentic experiences of their primordial landscapes and profound cultural heritage. However, mere preservation is insufficient to meet the increasingly diversified demands of modern tourists. Under the premise of adhering to the “authenticity principle,” scientifically informed reconstruction of spatial scenarios can be implemented. By integrating core elements of cultural heritage, the layout of districts, architectural design, and spatial functionalities can be systematically optimized. This approach allows ancient towns to retain traditional features while better accommodating contemporary tourism needs. For instance, incorporating human-centered design principles into spatial planning—such as optimizing facility arrangements to enhance elderly-friendly adaptations, barrier-free accessibility, and overall comfort—can create a more visitor-friendly environment, thereby boosting tourism attractiveness and visitor satisfaction.

6.2. Conclusions

The preservation and renewal of historic cultural districts is a complex systemic process that requires a balanced approach to spatial conservation, cultural heritage transmission, economic vitality, and community governance. The key innovative findings of this study are summarized as follows:
(1)
This study reveals that research interest in historic districts of ancient towns has been steadily increasing each year.
(2)
Scholars’ focus has shifted from solely heritage conservation to the integration of cultural tourism development.
(3)
With the increasing emphasis on cultural tourism development, historic districts should focus on spatial scene creation by designing immersive and engaging tourism experiences.
(4)
The comfort of public spaces, which is a major concern for both residents and tourists, has emerged as a new research hotspot.
(5)
Emerging technologies are increasingly being applied in this research field, and the integration of interdisciplinary approaches has become a key future research trend.
Through the literature review, universal strategies for the development of historic districts in ancient towns have been proposed, including the integration of historical cultural heritage with cultural tourism spatial planning. Additionally, during the organic renewal process of new tourism-oriented ancient towns, emphasis should be placed on enhancing cultural tourism spatial design and environmental quality. In future research on historic districts, interdisciplinary collaboration should be strengthened to synergize emerging technologies with traditional wisdom, thereby advancing theoretical innovation and practical implementation. This will provide sustainable solutions for the high-quality development of ancient towns.

Author Contributions

Conceptualization, W.J. and H.F.; methodology, software, validation, formal analysis, investigation, resources, data curation, writing—original draft preparation, writing—review and editing, visualization, supervision, project administration, funding acquisition, W.J. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Funding

This research was funded by [Zhejiang Provincial Philosophy and Social Sciences Planning Project] grant number [24SSHZ119YB] and [Zhejiang Provincial Philosophy and Social Sciences Planning Project] grant number [25NDJC058YBM].

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Buildings 15 02459 g001
Figure 1. Sorting the purpose of ancient town tours.
Figure 1. Sorting the purpose of ancient town tours.
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Figure 2. Ranking of the most popular businesses in ancient towns.
Figure 2. Ranking of the most popular businesses in ancient towns.
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Figure 3. Research framework.
Figure 3. Research framework.
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Figure 4. Annual literature in 2015–2024.
Figure 4. Annual literature in 2015–2024.
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Figure 5. Co-country network.
Figure 5. Co-country network.
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Figure 6. Co-citation network.
Figure 6. Co-citation network.
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Figure 7. TimeLine.
Figure 7. TimeLine.
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Figure 8. Cultural heritage distribution map and heatmap of ancient towns. (The red area is a high-density human activity area, and the pink dots are heritage distribution points).
Figure 8. Cultural heritage distribution map and heatmap of ancient towns. (The red area is a high-density human activity area, and the pink dots are heritage distribution points).
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Table 1. Countries in frequency and centrality.
Table 1. Countries in frequency and centrality.
No.Countries (Frequency)Countries (Centrality)
1China (109)China (0.28)
2England (14)England (0.24)
3USA (12)Australia (0.22)
4Italy (12)Italy (0.15)
5Japan (9)USA (0.12)
6Australia (8)Belgium (0.09))
7Turkey (6)France (0.07)
8France (5)Poland (0.05)
9South Korea (5)Greece (0.03)
10Spain (5)Japan (0.00)
Table 2. Keywords in frequency and centrality.
Table 2. Keywords in frequency and centrality.
No.Keyword (Frequency)Keyword (Centrality)
1City (22)City (0.4)
2Heritage (11)Heritage (0.12)
3Space syntax (10)Areas (0.12)
4Space (9)Landscape (0.11)
5Model (9)Model (0.09)
6Ancient town (9)Culture heritage (0.08)
7Sustainable development (9)Quality (0.08)
8Historic district (9)Urban (0.07)
9Culture heritage (7)China (0.07)
10Tourism (6)Strategy (0.07)
Table 3. Literature review.
Table 3. Literature review.
Research DirectionAuthorsResearch Summary
Heritage ConservationH. Mekonnen (2022) [3]; J. Fu (2021) [4]; R Knippschild (2021) [5]; R. Sardaro (2021) [6]; R.J. Qin (2021) [7]; M. Gyurkovich (2021) [8]; [9]; M.M. Salameh (2022) [9]; E. Lucchi (2022) [10]; D. Boussaa (2021) [11]; H. Zhang (2022) [12]; G. Butler (2022) [13]; Y. Li (2021) [14]  The heritage conservation of historic cultural districts primarily focuses on spatial morphology studies and architectural style preservation. Research indicates that the spatial morphology of these districts is highly distinctive, with spatial structures formed in different historical periods shaping their cultural value and residents’ experiences.
  The restoration and maintenance of traditional architecture remain a key aspect of historic district preservation. In recent years, the micro-renewal strategy has gained traction in academia, as it enhances urban vibrancy without compromising historical character. Additionally, the concept of multi-factor collaborative renewal has emerged as a research hotspot, emphasizing an integrated approach that considers social, cultural, and economic factors in the preservation and revitalization of historic districts.
Cultural and Tourism DevelopmentM. Wang (2022) [15]; S. Bobic (2022) [16]; M.R. Li (2023) [17]; P. Daly (2021) [18]; Z. Kruczek (2024) [19]; M. Wang (2021) [20]; G. Butler (2022) [13]; Y. Zhao (2024) [21]; A. Bitušíková (2021) [22]; J. Zhang (2021) [23]  Cultural and tourism development plays a crucial role in the evolution of historic cultural districts, primarily focusing on tourist perception and satisfaction, cultural tourism development models, business formats, and spatial vitality. Studies reveal that the creation of cultural scenes and the presentation of historical architectural heritage significantly influence visitor satisfaction. Additionally, a well-planned business layout can effectively enhance the commercial vibrancy and cultural appeal of historic districts, contributing to their sustainable development.
Spatial Planning and DesignW. Ding (2023) [24]; E. Birer (2022) [25]; Y. Zhao (2022) [26]; L. Jiao (2023) [27]; [28]; M. Zagroba (2021) [29]; E. Jamei (2021) [30]; I. Gómez-Varo (2022) [31]; Y. Xu (2021) [32]; L. Zhang (2021) [33]; M. Wang (2022) [34]; W. Zhao (2023) [35]; J. Mu (2022) [36]; J. Ye (2023) [37]  Spatial planning and design is a key direction in the planning and renewal of historic districts, encompassing environmental improvement and the enhancement of street vitality. The construction of spatial scenes has become a major research focus. Studies highlight the interaction between spatial production and place-making, which profoundly impacts the renewal of historic districts. Additionally, research that examines visual landscapes and soundscape perception suggests that the acoustic environment of streets plays a crucial role in both the visitor experience and the overall vibrancy of historic districts.
Environmental EnhancementY. Wang (2023) [38]; Yan Wang (2023) [39]; F. Zhang (2022) [40]; F. Zhang (2023) [40]; Tianchi Wang (2020) [41]; J.A.R. Algeciras (2016) [42]; K. Xie (2024) [43]; S.M. Isa (2019) [44]; Cristina Oliveira (2017) [45]; Yinuo Shi (2022) [46]; Lin, Yijie (2024) [47]  Environmental enhancement is essential for the sustainable development of historic cultural districts, primarily focusing on thermal comfort, green space optimization, and the improvement of public space quality. Studies on the thermal environment of historic districts indicate that greenery and architectural layout have a direct impact on comfort levels. Research from the perspective of urban regeneration emphasizes that optimizing the green view index in historic recreational spaces can significantly enhance the visitor experience. Furthermore, studies on age-friendly design suggest that public spaces in historic districts should incorporate barrier-free accessibility features to improve interaction experiences for both residents and tourists.
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Jin, W.; Fukuda, H. Research on Heritage Conservation and Development of Chinese Ancient Towns and Historic Districts Based on Knowledge Graph Analysis. Buildings 2025, 15, 2459. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15142459

AMA Style

Jin W, Fukuda H. Research on Heritage Conservation and Development of Chinese Ancient Towns and Historic Districts Based on Knowledge Graph Analysis. Buildings. 2025; 15(14):2459. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15142459

Chicago/Turabian Style

Jin, Wu, and Hiroatsu Fukuda. 2025. "Research on Heritage Conservation and Development of Chinese Ancient Towns and Historic Districts Based on Knowledge Graph Analysis" Buildings 15, no. 14: 2459. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15142459

APA Style

Jin, W., & Fukuda, H. (2025). Research on Heritage Conservation and Development of Chinese Ancient Towns and Historic Districts Based on Knowledge Graph Analysis. Buildings, 15(14), 2459. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15142459

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