The Ecological Wisdom and Spatial Form of Rural Settlements in China: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Chinese ecological wisdom represents the knowledge accumulation of thousands of years of practical living experience in rural settlements. Contemporary Chinese villages are facing crises in their development during the rapid urbanization process. Thus, the value of ecological wisdom and spatial form is fading. This paper provides an overview of the ecological wisdom and the spatial form of rural settlements in China through a systematic analysis of the literature review. This review focuses on two key issues: first, there is a lack of a rural settlement spatial form framework in public literature on the relationship between ecological wisdom and the spatial form of rural settlements; second, effective spatial reference models are lacking in the development of rural settlement spatial form based on ecological wisdom. This study measures reviews from Web of Science, Scopus, and CNKI. The aim is to identify reference methods for sustainable spatial development of rural settlements based on ecological wisdom through Systematic literature review (COOC) screening. The study defines four main methods according to the research objectives: theoretical research, impact assessment method, observational interview method, and planning strategy. This study found that an integrated approach to spatial development was identified as the best way to promote sustainable development and that spatial patterns, systematic co-governance, and some other spatial research methods were conducive in promoting the sustainable development of rural settlements. Therefore, this review will promote increased dialogue, enhance interdisciplinary collaboration, and advance research in this exciting new field.