Spatial analysis of the Great Wall Ji Town military settlements in the Ming Dynasty: research and conservation

Abstract

Collectively representing a super large-scale settlement space, the Great Wall’s military settlements have a long history and cover a large area, and are thus associated with a huge amount of information. Based on spatial analysis of data gathered on the Great Wall military settlements in the Ming Dynasty, this paper fills the gap in quantitative research on the Great Wall, establishes a specific connection between the spatial and environmental characteristics of Ji Town’s military settlements, and enhances understanding of their spatial distribution and historical development. The paper also provides more effective data-based support and management tools for research on and conservation of the Great Wall and its military settlements through quantitative analysis of the Ji Town settlements, their surrounding landscape, and other factors. The concept of a Great Wall military buffer zone is proposed as an important bridge between the design of zoning policies for the Great Wall’s preservation and the overall conservation of its heritage value.