Study on the distribution characteristics and formation mechanism of traditional village names in Southeast Guizhou

Abstract

Traditional village names are important components of cultural heritage. However, existing research on them is limited in scope and lacks sufficient attention. This study analyzes the spatial distribution characteristics and formation mechanisms of traditional villages names across Southeast Guizhou. (1) Traditional village names adhere to a naming system primarily based on natural landscapes with supplementary cultural landscapes. Natural landscape names are distributed in a band, while cultural landscapes names display clustered distributions. Over time, traditional village names transitioned from random distributions to local aggregations. (2) Traditional village names are influenced by ethnic diversity and intermingling. Elevation and slope serve as primary factors contributing to spatial differentiation within natural landscape names. Historical developments driven by transportation infrastructure construction reveal the formation mechanism behind the spatial patterns observed in cultural landscape names. The study provides valuable insights into exploring the significant correlation between cultural connotations and regional characteristics of place names.