A Spatial Perspective Of Zhejiang Cultural Region Based On Graphic Overlay And Geo-Statistics

The integration of Cultural and economic has become a significant feature in contemporary social and economic activities. With the development of cultural geography, it pays more attention to economic direction. Then the research of cultural region and cultural divisions combined with economic development gradually. The functional characteristics of the cultural region have increase evidently. The research of cultural region can help sort out the culture context from the perspective of space. It can provide a reference for the regional political decision-making and the planning of cultural construction. It can also give a hand for other special cultural research. This paper takes Zhejiang province as the research object, try to study the spatial characteristics of Zhejiang cultural region through the summary of the theory of cultural divisions. The paper expects to enrich and expand the research of cultural region and cultural geography.First, this paper elaborates its study background and significance, makes a general review on the research status at home and abroad. At the same time, the paper makes a rational discussion of the cultural region space structure, cultural divisions’ method and the concept of cultural landscape. Then the paper selects Zhejiang province’s national and provincial units of cultural relic preservation organ and intangible cultural heritage as typical cultural landscapes, takes traditional houses, bridges, traditional folk beliefs and old festivals as the dominant index. Through the detailed analysis and spatial orientation of cultural landscapes, the paper draws four categories of special cultural divisions. Based on the above, the paper uses graphic overlay to study on Zhejiang comprehensive cultural divisions under homogeneous structure, combined with natural geography and dialect pattern of Zhejiang province. At the same time, based on the data of cultural landscape density, the paper generates the Zhejiang cultural landscape distribution map by the method of geo-statistics. On the basis of the map, the paper analysis the function pattern of Zhejiang province’s cultural space. Then the paper compares comprehensive cultural divisions with functional culture region of Zhejiang province, analyzes the functional relationship between them. Finally, the paper presents the spatial pattern of the regional cultural development of Zhejiang province, from the point of view of regional economic development, tourism development, the development of cultural resources, city construction and so on.Based on these analyses, this paper makes the following conclusion:(1)Zhejiang cultural region can be divided into Northern Zhejiang cultural region, Eastern Zhejiang cultural region, Central Zhejiang cultural region and South Zhejiang cultural region. The Northern Zhejiang cultural region is characterized by the "water" culture. The Eastern Zhejiang cultural region is characterized by "sea" culture. The South cultural region is characterized by "Mountain" and "sea" culture, and greatly influenced by Fujian culture. The Central Zhejiang cultural region, which is the largest cultural region, is characterized by transitional culture, and greatly influenced by Huizhou culture.(2)Zhejiang province can be divided into Northern Zhejiang functional cultural region, Eastern Zhejiang functional cultural region, Central Zhejiang functional cultural region and South Zhejiang functional cultural region. The four functional cultural regions have the core-periphery-transition structure. The Hangzhou Bay area, Ningbo, Wenzhou and Jinqu area are the cores of the four functional cultural regions. Outlying areas have a strong dependence on cultural center. And there are transition edge regions with obvious culture features. The South Zhejiang functional cultural region is a separate system; meanwhile, the other three cultural regions are functional closely. The Central Zhejiang functional cultural region is located in the hinterland of Hangzhou Bay area, have primary characteristics of culture.(3)The Zhejiang homogeneous pattern of cultural regions and functional culture regions are approximately coincident, especially the Northern Zhejiang cultural region. The Central Zhejiang functional cultural region narrowed down compared to its homogeneous pattern. It shows the cultural center of Jinqu area is not significant. The South Zhejiang functional cultural region narrowed down compared to its homogeneous pattern. It shows that the South Zhejiang functional cultural region tends to decrease in the province. The other regions are expanding.(4) The physical geography is an important factor which affects Zhejiang Cultural region form. The landform is the main control factor of Zhejiang cultural functional structure. Water is the deputy control factor. The spatial layout results of regional development of Zhejiang province, such as historical and cultural city, urban system planning and industrial system planning, corresponds roughly with Zhejiang Cultural region. It shows that modern economy activity also has the influence to the culture region morphology.(5) This paper proposes to the Hangzhou Bay area, Wenzhou as the two cultural centers, Ningbo and Jinqu area as two cultural centers, Northern Zhejiang cultural region, Eastern Zhejiang cultural region, Central Zhejiang cultural region and South Zhejiang cultural region as four types of cultural development area.The paper also proposed some inadequacies, such as the cultural region boundaries’ deviation caused by broad cultural landscape, fuzzy concept and uneven distribution. Finally, the paper puts forward that cultural divisions combining with the planning practice such as urban system, industrial layout, cultural industries and heritage protection, is worthy of further exploration.