A Study On Historic Town Form And Architectural Features Of Yuanshui River Basin In Hunan

This study is the sub-topic of "Investigation and research of historic towns in Changjiang River middle reaches" project in Baihao Studio, and is the subsequent research project of a cooperative project "China-Japan’s Cooperative Study on Historic Town in Hubei Province" studied by Wuhan University of Technology and Kanagawa University of Japan.Yuanshui River basin is located in the joint of Wuling and Xuefeng Mountains, so there is sinister topography blocked by mountains, physiognomy complexities and land traffic difficulties. Since the large-scale development of southwest areas in Ming and Qing dynasties, Yuanshui River basin had become the traffic passageways to exchange goods with external areas in our country’s southwest region. Yuanshui River basin has advantages in zone bit, such as leading to Bashu in the north, reaching Yuegui in the south, and restraining Dianqian in the west. Yuanshui River is an ancient and brilliant culture route. The economy and culture of the ancient town in Yuanshui River basin are all expanded by ancient towns and its docks,which boats were be coming and going. Therefore, ancient towns in Yuanshui River basin, as many central nodes, just liking many pieces of "Riverside Scene of Pure Brightness, are the culture center of Yuanshui River basin, and have important academic values.Importantly, Yuanshui River basin, resided by more than 20 nationalities, such as Han, Miao, Dong, Yao, Tujia, is a typical multi-ethnic mixed area, which make the historic towns covering a mysterious veil in Yuanshui River basin and reflect the characteristics of multicultural fusion and coexistence.Based on detailed historical materials collecting by on-the-spot investigation, the thesis study the town form and architectural features of the ancient towns in Yuanshui River from a culture route point of view, and using multi-subject of urban planning, architecture, environmentology, history, hydrologic geology,geography, and adopting comprehensive technical route method. All ancient towns are linked together by Yuanshui River for the first time. Firstly, the thesis discusses the human geographical environment of Yuanshui River, including river characteristics of Yuanshui River, geographical features, modes of transportation, economic characteristics, ethnic composition, Social and cultural customs,etc. Secondly, the paper study on the form characteristic of ancient town from the aspects of the evolution of ancient town form, location features, combination relations of the spatial form, Street Spaces characteristics,etc, analyzing the town form evolution from the Paleolithic Origin to now. Meanwhile from the viewpoint of the integrity of the basin, the paper illuminates that the distribution characteristics of Yuanshui River towns is along the axial direction of the rivers. Further more, through analyzing the relationship between towns and mountains, towns and rivers,streets and lanes,the paper summarizes that the characteristics of the spatial form is the environment adaption, flexibility spatial form and port-leading.Thirdly, the paper summarizes the technology of building construction from following aspects of building types, space layout, typical buildings, special components and architecture culture, and illuminates the building characteristics combing with the multi-national culture characteristics of historic town.Finally, According to the cultural heritage characteristics and the present situation of ancient town protection in Yuanshui River basin, the paper proposes to establish layered protection system for linear cultural heritage of Yuanshui River,and try to looking for a compliance and living protection and development mode, taking into account a number of factors,such as protection ecological results and economic benefits,etc.Owing to the mountains and waters having the same origin, similar landscape environment, and interlinked basin economy in Yuanshui River basin region, the historic towns have countless relations and carry the massive region culture, which is the "living fossil" for us to understand the region’s socio-economy and geo-culture. The space layout and cultural construction, respecting nature and adapting to nature environment, fairly reflect a kind of design concept of sustainable development.