Regenerating tradition: Empowering rural revitalization through Li culture and green infrastructure in a design case study of Yulong village, Hainan, China
Green infrastructure is an approach to land planning that aims to restore and manage the natural environment within human contexts. Its widespread use in post-industrial urban and peri-urban settings recognizes the need to reconcile environmental issues and regenerate social and cultural connections with the natural landscape. However, green infrastructure is seldom discussed in rural contexts, where efficient production practices increasingly dominate agriculture, invariably overwhelming cultural associations with land and its environmental qualities. In China, a government policy has been introduced to revitalize rural areas in response to the deleterious environmental effects of industrialized agriculture. Green infrastructure, in this context, offers the potential to usher in a new transformation toward more ecologically sustainable rural environments that embrace environmental, social, and cultural connections. This research considers the role of traditional rural cultures in facilitating this transformation. Through a case study of Yulong Village and its agricultural fields in the middle reaches of the Changhua River in Hainan, this paper maps the modernization of the traditional Li family’s agrarian culture and its legacy of ecological dilemmas. In projecting forward, this article describes a design research process that deploys new and established cartographies and speculates on the role of landscape design in integrating ancient cultural traditions with modern agriculture. The findings suggest a path for the realization of the goal of rural revitalization, emphasizing the importance of recognizing the relationship between ecological, economic, cultural, and social values.
Chang, R. Y. (2012). Li zu chuangshi shenhua de jingshen shengtai sixiang, [The Spiritual Ecological Thought of the Li Creation Myth]. In: XJ Wang, DJ Lan and ZQ Shi (eds.). The History and Culture of Li Group. Part-4. Spirit and Religion. China: Jinan University Press, p. 290-299.
Fu, G.H. (Ed.). (2007). Li Nationality’s Custom Pictures of Qing Dynasty. Haikou: Hainan Publishing House.
Grabowski, Z. J., McPhearson, T., Matsler, A. M., Groffman, P., & Pickett, S. T. (2022). What is green infrastructure? A study of definitions in US city planning. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 20(3):152-160. https://doi.org/10.1002/fee.2445
Kati, H. V., & Jari, K. N. (2015). Bottom-up thinking-identifying socio-cultural values of ecosystem services in local blue-green infrastructure planning in Helsinki, Finland. Land Use Policy, 31(9):537-547. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2015.09.031
Li, D. Z., Wu, S. M., Chen, G. H., Tie, M. E., Ma, C., & Ma, Y. F. (2009). Li zu Jianshi [Brief History of Li Nationality]. China: Nationalities Publishing House, p. 167-177. [Book in Chinese]
Liu, L. H. (2023). Xiang cun chen xing shi yu xia sheng tai nong ye fa zhan de yao dian fen xi [Analysis of the key points of ecological agriculture development under the perspective of rural revitalization]. Modern Agriculture, 49(8):157-159. https://doi.org/10.16675/j.cnki.cn14-1065/f.2023.08.049
Liu, Y. Q., & Xu, H. (2022). Fei wu zhi wen hua yi chan yuan zhen xing bao hu she lv you kai fa zhu tui xiang cun wen hua zhen xing [Intangible cultural heritage preservation and tourism development to promote rural cultural revitalization], Social Scientist, 65(7):69-75. [Arcticle in Chinese]
Ni, Y. C., Yin, M., & Wei, J. X. (2023). Green infrastructure construction in Hilly rural based on MSPA model. Journal of Chinese Urban Forestry, 21(3):35-41. https://doi.org/10.12169/zgcsly.2021.05.21.0002
Orantes, M. J. C., Kim, J., & Kim, J. (2017). Socio-cultural asset integration for a green infrastructure network plan in Yesan county, Korea. Sustainability, 129(9):192. https://doi.org/10.3390/su9020192
Qi, Y. C., Duan, L. J., & Zhang, D. Q. (2022). Research on the ecological wisdom and contemporary value of Li traditional culture. Journal of Hainan Open University, 12(6):111-119. [Article in Chinese]
Razzaghi Asl, S., & Pearsall, H. (2022). How do different modes of governance support ecosystem services/disservices in small-scale urban green infrastructure? A systematic review. Land, 11(8):1247. https://doi.org/10.3390/land11081247
Seiwert, A., & Rößler, S. (2020). Understanding the term green infrastructure: Origins, rationales, semantic content and purposes as well as its relevance for application in spatial planning. Land Use Policy, 97:104785. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2020.104785
Shao, R. Y., Luo, Z. W., Hu, X. J., Wang, Z. H., & Zhang, J. Y. (2023). Jiyu MSPA he MCR moxing de zhuzhoushi zhengtai wangluo goujian yu youhua [The construction and optimization of ecological network in Zhuzhou city based on the MSPA and MCR model]. Journal of Northwest Forestry University, 32(8):122-130. [Article in Chinese]
Stubel, H. (1937). Die Li-Stamme der Insel Hainan. Ein Beitrag zur Volkskunde Sudchinas [Ethnography of Hainan Island], Berlin: Klinkhardt and Biermann. [Book in German]
Tong, L. H. (2023). Xiang cun zhen xing shi yu xia sheng tai nong ye jing ji fa zhan mian lin de wen ti ji ce lv, [Problems and strategies facing the development of ecological agricultural economy in the perspective of rural revitalization]. Shanxi Agricultural Economics, 12(6):139-140. https://doi.org/10.16675/j.cnki.cn14-1065/f.2023.06.044. [Article in Chinese]
Wang, H., & Jiang, B. (2004). Cong Yuangu Zouxiang Xiandai-lizu Wenhua yu Wenxue [From Ancient to Modern-Li Culture and Literature]. China: South China University of Technology Press. [Book in Chinese]
Wang, X. P. (2004). Li Ethnic Group in China. China: The Ethnic Publishing House. [Book in Chinese]
Wen, J., & Wen, M. Y. (2012). Zhongguo Lizu, [Li Nationality in China]. China: Ningxia People’s Publishing House.
Wen, T. J., & Lu, H. (2021). The innovation of territorial space governance and the deep value realization of spatial ecological resources. Journal of Xi’an University of Finance and Economics, 34(2):5-14.
Wen, T. J., Luo, S. X., Dong, X. D., & Liu, Y. H. (2018). The innovative form of value realization of ecological resources under the background of rural vitalization. China Soft Science, 32(12):1-8. [Article in Chinese]
Xiang, Y. (2023). Theory and method of cultural industry to empower rural revitalization of China-take the innovative practice of Baima Huatian commune as an example. Journal of Art Management, 15(1):84-94.
Yang, X. L., Ye, X. Y., Zhao, X. M., Nie, B. B., & Rao, J. F. (2023). Study on construction and optimisation of ecological corridor based on MSPA and MCR: A case study of XInjian district in Nanchang City. Areal Research and Development, 42(3):85-90. https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1003-2363.2023.03.014
Ying, J., Zhang, X. J., Zhang, Y. Q., & Bilan, S. (2022). Green infrastructure: Systematic literature review. Economic Research-Ekonomska Istraživanja, 35(1):343-366. https://doi.org/10.1080/1331677X.2021.1893202
Zhang, J. N. (2021). Research on Landscape Design Application of Ancient Villages of Li Based on Regional Cultural Characteristics [Master Thesis, Hainan University]. China: Academic Journal Electronic Publishing House.
Zhang, Z. P. (2021). An analysis of the integrated development path of cultural tourism industry and ecological agriculture under the background of rural revitalization. Culture Management, 7(5):64-70. https://doi.org/10.14150/j.cnki.1674-7453.2021.05.004