Research on the Distribution and Conservation of Song-Yuan Kiln Sites in Fujian from the Perspective of Heritage Corridor

Abstract

As testaments of the overseas trade along the Maritime Silk Road, the construction of heritage corridors for ancient kiln sites can help promote the concept of heritage corridors for localized research in China, while the relevant practices and theoretical explorations are relatively limited. The heritage space of ancient kiln sites is facing the status quo of fragmented protection. Understanding their spatial distribution is necessary to provide strategies for organic connection and tandem protection. This study uses a minimum cumulative resistance model and Methods of spatial analysis to construct the heritage corridors of ancient kiln sites in Fujian Province. Results show that the kiln sites are closely related to the distribution of the water system such as the harbors, the river, and the coast, with the kiln sites as the core resources. Combining the cultural and socio-economic factors, this study aims to build the heritage corridors for ancient kiln site in Fujian Province.

Introduction

With the advancement of the concept of world heritage conservation, scholars pay increasing attention to systematic and integrated conservation. Many experts have introduced the heritage conservation theory of heritage corridors—a result of green corridors (Searns, 1995) and regionalization of heritage protection—and cultural routes to China. The view of regional conservation is mainly adopted for heritage and is a comprehensive evaluation system of natural, economic, and cultural diversity (Wang, Z. and Sun, 2001).

During the Song and Yuan Dynasties, the ceramic handicraft industry was prosperous and dominant in the history of development and trade in porcelain (Ye, 1984). Overseas trade of ceramic is a vital link of the Maritime Silk Road, which is also known as the Ceramic Road (Mikami, 1984) owing to such trade reputation both at home and beyond. Since the 1990s, Guozhen Yang proposed that people can study the history of Southeast China from a new perspective of maritime dimension (Yang, 1996). On this basis, Chunming Wu emphasized the focus on the maritime porcelain industry (Wu, C., 2003), a special porcelain industry system in Southeastern China with the aim to export ceramics by sea (Wang, X., 2015). Porcelain research is shifting from the porcelain itself to the exploration of its relationship with the regional economy and culture (Huang, 2016; Xiong, 1995), and from a case study to an overall investigation of the production pattern of the porcelain industry (Meng, 2019).

Nowadays, a small number of researchers have begun to explore the spatial–temporal development of the regional porcelain industry and its relationship with the regional economy and culture. For example, Yijun Huang studies the ancient porcelain industry from the perspective of historical geography (Huang, 2007) and cultural landscape (Huang, 2007). From the perspective of regional space and time evolution, people can discuss the relationship between the change in distribution pattern of kiln sites and the current politics, transportation, and resources and reveal the social development under the circumstances (Quan, 2014).

At present, the actions taken to conserve the ancient kiln sites mainly focus on fragmented and scattered conservation of individual cultural relics. Fujian’s conservation of the heritage space of ancient kiln sites on the Maritime Silk Road can be improved from the systematic and holistic perspective. Thanks to the promotion of modernization by urban residences and other human actions, cultural heritage can play a role in the improvement of the public domain and the promotion of sustainable urbanization (Husnéin, 2017). The protection of cultural heritage is promoted through the analysis of the temporal and spatial changes of the elements of cultural heritage and the quantitative evaluation of the protection status (Wu, G., Dang et al., 2023). Several studies have explored the sustainable development of heritage cities and carried out quantitative research on the heritage city index through on-site investigation (bin Saleh, bin Ghazali et al., 2023).

The conservation and development of ancient kiln sites must be regarded as a priority because those in Fujian are affected by urban development. However, few research focuses on the overall conservation of ancient kiln sites, and our country’s existing system of historical and cultural heritage conservation does not pay enough attention to the conservation of linear cultural heritage (Li, R., 2011). According to the characteristics of ancient kiln sites in Fujian, to conserve the relic resources of ancient kiln sites along the Maritime Silk Road is particularly important by constructing heritage corridors. This study aims to explore the key areas of ancient kiln sites along the Maritime Silk Road in Fujian and establish an overall protection system according to the integrity and concatenation of heritage corridors.

In addition, this study seeks to build a heritage corridor for the overall conservation of ancient kiln sites and examine relative theory from the localization perspective, tie all the scattered and fragmented sites, connect all historical and natural factors, promote the overall conservation of ancient kiln sites, and explore more ways of their conservation. Thus, a beneficial exploration of the types of localized heritage corridors can be achieved and present the diversity and typical characteristics of heritage corridors, strengthening the interaction between the site and its surrounding areas, and promoting heritage revitalization and regional development.

Research Progress on Heritage Corridors

Heritage corridor, an emerging area in the world heritage field, originates from the regionalized heritage conservation strategy in the United States (US) in the 1980s and is a result of the combination of greenways and heritage areas. Such emergence embodies that heritage conservation is changing to regional protection and connects many heritage monoliths into a historically important corridor for overall protection. Meanwhile, this topic serves the function of heritage conservation, ecological restoration, regional revitalization, residential recreation, cultural tourism, and study and education. The Illinois and Michigan Canal National Heritage Corridor is the first national heritage corridor designated by the US congress, which marks the introduction and establishment of the concept of heritage corridors (Yu, Li et al., 2005). Scholars (Goula and Vanucchi, 2022) believe that sustainable development can promote a microclimate through these corridors. Over 100 projects, including national heritage corridors, are recognized by the US Congress, while 23 similar projects are designated and recognized by states.

The heritage corridor mainly adopts a regional rather than a localized view of heritage protection. In addition, it is a comprehensive evaluation of natural, economic, and cultural diversity (Zhu and Li, 2007) and a crucial part of the US conservation system on cultural relics. As a product of the combination of the regionalization trend in the field of cultural heritage conservation and the concept of greenways, heritage corridor not only emphasizes the cultural significance of heritage protection but also highlights that the ecological value is as critical as the economic value (Yuan, Xu et al., 2014). Greenways emphasize the importance of natural ecosystems, which can be devoid of cultural characteristics. However, heritage corridors put historical and cultural connotations as priority, focusing on the protection of cultural sites and historical relics along the corridors and in the affected areas (Song and Li, 2012). Variable in sizes, corridors can be small or large. The Historic Pathway in Pennsylvania is a 1.5-mile-long heritage corridor, and the Los Cominos del Rio Heritage Corridor spans 210 miles (Robert.R.M., 1993).

Current research on heritage corridors in China mainly involves four aspects, namely, interpretation of its concept (Gong, Yuan et al., 2016), evaluation system (Sha, Jin et al., 2012; Tang and Shao., 2013), construction methods (Li, W. and Cao, 2016), and case practices of construction of its different types. However, limited research focuses on the special ceramic heritage types of heritage corridors. Ceramic heritage resources in Fujian are not conserved as a linear heritage corridor landscape.

In Fujian Province, studies examine the conservation of ceramic heritage related to the protection of non-heritage technologies and tourism utilization. A few of the most important sites are well preserved, such as the Jianyang Jian kilns and the Dehua kilns in Quanzhou, and are in the early stages of tourism activities. National key conservation units are well preserved, whereas the not-as-known ancient kiln sites in the countryside or in areas such as mountains and woodlands are poorly preserved, with threats of excavation and flash floods. In terms of ceramic heritage corridors, Jingdezhen in Jiangxi has been previously examined but only for its porcelain heritage, and the scope is limited to this city. In Fujian Province, the study of ceramic heritage from the spatial level focuses on the distance of the spatial distribution of ancient kiln sites in southern Fujian. Few attempts examine the linear cultural heritage of ceramics in Fujian Province.

The methods to analyze heritage corridors are heritage value evaluation and suitability analysis. Value evaluation methods mainly include the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation (FCE)Method, and Delphi Method. The AHP has the advantage of being data-driven and systematized to produce clear and unambiguous results but has shortcomings in decision making and weighting determination in the case of a large number of indicators. The FCE can quantify the qualitative indicators, and although its calculation is complicated, but it is more subjective for the determination of indicator weights. The Delphi Method allows for faster forecasting and access to different valuable perspectives. However, the Delphi method have shortcomings in that responsibility is decentralized and the views of experts are not always suitable for practical implementation.

Suitability analysis is an important tradition in landscape planning, and McHarg is its earliest pioneer. His Layer-cake model has become the classic method of urban and rural planning and ecological planning (McHarg, 1981). The Layer-cake model has several controversial discussions due to insufficient consideration of horizontal ecological processes. Based on McHarg’s work, Miller continued to promote greenway suitability analysis, by first examining the function of the greenway then obtaining data through various means such as on-site exploration and literature research (Miller, Collins et al., 1998), analyzing different functional indicators and assigning corresponding weights, and obtaining results based on GIS analysis. Miller’s greenway suitability analysis has the advantages of being systematic and comprehensive, but the decomposition index system is relatively complex and requires a large amount of data support, which is inconvenient in operation. The suitability analysis of heritage corridors is developed from that of greenways, involving heritage protection, ecological protection, and other activities. At present, the more universal method for the suitability analysis of heritage corridors is to utilize the minimum cumulative resistance (MCR) model, which has the advantages of systematic science. Compared with the greenway suitability analysis that requires a large amount of data and indicators, the MCR model requires less data and has stronger operational feasibility.

This study carries out a suitability analysis of ancient kiln site heritage corridors in Fujian Province through the MCR model. The objectives are to analyze the heritage elements of ancient kiln sites from a spatial perspective, and its correlation with the heritage elements in terms of ecology, location, and culture. Thus, this study seeks to fully demonstrate the heritage and social values of the ancient kiln site.

Few systematic and scientific modeling methods focus on the spatial distribution of ancient kiln sites in Fujian Province. Moreover, relatively few studies explore the optimization and classification of heritage corridors. This study explores the suitability of heritage corridors for ancient kiln sites in Fujian Province through the MCR model. This study utilizes the construction of heritage corridors, this study recreates the production and trade conditions of the time, demonstrates the technological level of the time, and reconstructs the historical network relationship. Such efforts present great significance for the protection and utilization of ancient kiln sites, and thus we can gain a systematic understanding of the development of ceramics in Fujian Province. This study helps to find suitable methods for the protection of ancient kiln sites in Fujian Province and provides suggestions for cultural preservation. Proper protection enables kiln sites to serve as a cultural heritage to demonstrate ancient ceramic civilization and promote modern urban development. The selection and optimization of corridors on the basis of its potential is intended to provide data support and scientific references for the conservation and sustainable use of the heritage of ancient kiln sites in Fujian Province.

Overview of The Study Area and Research Data

Source of Data

The data are collected from the list of cultural relics conserved by counties and cities in Fujian, the list of immovable cultural relics from the national cultural relics census of Fujian counties and cities, an ancient ceramics monograph “China Fujian Ancient Ceramics Specimen Series”, and the Fujian Branch of the Atlas of Cultural Relics of China. The land cover type is derived from the ESRI10-meter data in 2022. The ArcGIS software platform is used to establish the database of the remaining distribution of ancient kiln sites in the Song and Yuan Dynasties in Fujian and different land cover types (forest land, river system, cultivated land, and road). The DEM data with a resolution of 30 m are derived from the geospatial data cloud platform of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Road information at all levels is obtained in Fujian province by using the Autonavi map platform.

Table 1. Source of Data

Type of data	Quantity of data/Details of data	Source of data
Ancient Kiln Sites of Song Dynasty	378	National Cultural Relics Census Immovable Cultural Relics List List of Cultural Relics Protection Units in Fujian Province Atlas of Chinese cultural relics Fujian branch Fujian Ceramics
Ancient Kiln Sites of Yuan Dynasty	164
Black glaze porcelains	89
Celadon porcelains	297
Bluish-white porcelains	222
Sauce glaze porcelains	55
Shadow blue porcelains	32
Blue and white glazes porcelains	23
Greenish yellow porcelains	15
Blue-gray porcelains	11
Ancient Kiln Sites	436
Ancient harbors	24	The Autonavi map platform
The museums	37	The Autonavi map platform
The Maritime Silk Road sites	24	List of Maritime Silk Road Heritage sites on the websites of Fuzhou and Quanzhou Municipal governments
The wreck sites	22	Overview of Chinese underwater archaeology on the Maritime Silk Road
The DEM data	The resolution of 30m	The geospatial data cloud platform of the Chinese Academy of Sciences
The land cover type data	The 10-meter land cover data in 2022	The ESRI
The urban road data of Fujian	The Vector data in 2022	The Autonavi map platform

Study area

Fujian Province, with its rolling hills and mountains, is rich in forestry resources and kaolin, which provides reliable support for ceramics production. The Min River basin is crisscrossed with rivers and the coast twists and turns, which facilitated shipping and overseas trade for the area’s ancestors. Since ancient times, Fujian has been a famous coastal ceramic hometown in southeastern China, and its porcelain is world-renowned. Fujian plays a pivotal role in the history of Chinese ceramics and it is famous for its black glaze and blue and white glaze. Fujian is one of the representative provinces in the country.

Figure 1. Study area of Fujian Province.

This study focuses on the heritage space of ancient kiln sites in the Song and Yuan dynasties, during which development of the Maritime Silk Road was prosperous, the export of porcelain reached its heyday, and the handmade porcelain industry was thriving.

The study area is Fujian Province, especially its six prefecture-level municipalities, namely, Ningde, Fuzhou, Putian, Quanzhou, Xiamen, and Zhangzhou (see Figure 1).

Research Methods

Framework for the heritage corridors

Based on the ArcGIS platform, this study organizes and visualizes the heritage information of ancient kiln sites in the Song and Yuan Dynasties to analyze their spatial distribution characteristics. The kernel density analysis is adopted to determine the degree of spatial agglomeration. The cost path in GIS is calculated based on weighted resistance data. Specifically, to calculate the lowest cost path from the departure to the target ancient kiln site and by applying the minimum cumulative resistance (MCR) model, the study propose to construct a heritage corridor to protect the heritage of the ancient kiln site as a whole. The framework for building the heritage corridor is as follows (see Figure 2):

Figure 2. Framework for heritage corridor building.

The main idea behind the elements considered in the model is derived from Kongjian Yu’s analysis of the construction of the urban heritage corridor in Taizhou (Yu, Li et al., 2005). Primarily, land use types and heritage corridor elements were analyzed.Yanhua Yuan utilized suitability analysis to assign different resistance coefficient values to different land use types, such as water bodies, meadows, roads and, buildings, as elements of the urban heritage network in Luoyang (Yuan, Xu et al., 2014). By comparative reference to the Jingdezhen porcelain heritage corridor construction (He, Wang et al., 2022), the selection of resistance elements was refined by considering ecological, location, and cultural factors. The selection of elements comprehensively refines that of previous studies and combines the specific auxiliary cultural factors in Fujian Province.

The elements that need to be considered in the construction of a heritage corridor are the physical heritage and the landscape elements that connect them. The MCR model considers ecological, location, and cultural factors that are compatible with the natural ecology and socioeconomic, cultural aspects of history. The ecological elements can be analyzed and screened, such as water bodies, grasslands, woodlands, and other landscape elements with recreational value. In terms of location, we can analyze the spatial location of the ancient kiln site and its distance from the road. As for cultural factors, we can link the elements of the Maritime Silk Road heritage sites, which are closely related to the ancient kiln sites, and analyze the correlation between their distribution. Furthermore, from the perspective of historical geography, a more comprehensive understanding of the relationship between the ancient kiln site and other cultural heritage elements can be obtained.

Minimal cumulative resistance (MCR) model

The suitability analysis answers the question of where heritage corridors must be located. Quantifying the level of suitability within the study area makes it possible to determine where such corridors must be placed to connect heritage sites. The formula is as follows:

  

$MCR={\int }_{}^{}min\sum _{j=m}^{i=m}(D_{\mathrm{\text{ij}}}\times R_i)$

…………………………………………………(1)

where MCR is the minimum cumulative resistance value; Dij is the spatial distance of the experiencer from the environment and landscape elements, element i to the heritage source j; Ri is the resistance coefficient of the environment element i to the spatial movement process of the experiencer. Based on this formula, after determining the sources of heritage recreation and the resistance coefficients of the different characteristics of the landscape surface to this activity, the cost–distance analysis tool in GIS can be used to calculate and simulate the accessible areas of the landscape and the suitable zones for the heritage corridors.

Results and Discussions

Determination of resistance surfaces in heritage corridors

Heritage corridors are characterized by the overall unity of protection and development, which can integrate resources. Corridor construction can integrate the ecological, cultural, and economic values and reflect that all of these individual values are less than that as a whole by referring to the relevant research results and comprehensively considering the land use situation in the study area.

Taking the existing 436 ancient kiln sites in Fujian during the Song and Yuan Dynasties as the heritage source, this study summarizes the types of resistance factors that constitute the comprehensive resistance surface in terms of the natural environment, transportation network, and the Maritime Silk Road remains. Elevation, slope, and land use type are selected for the natural environment, and values are assigned to construct each resistance surface in combination with the actual situation of Fujian Province. The calculation of the cost path in GIS is based on the weighted resistance data to determine the lowest cost path of the ancient kiln site. In such assignment, the higher the value of elevation and slope, the higher the resistance value of the area. According to the ecological suitability division, the area with the highest resistance coefficient is the building zones, followed by cultivated land, forest land, grassland, and water and so on. The transportation connectivity aspect is selected to be determined by calculating the distance to roads, highways, and rivers. Euclidean distance is used to calculate the resistance surface. Shorter distance to the road and river means higher accessibility and lower resistance value. In terms of heritage, the Maritime Silk Road site points, museums, ancient shipwrecks are selected, and the kernel density estimation is used to construct the resistance surface, and the places with high density are rich in cultural heritage and can integrate the historical value of culture in the region, and the resistance value is lower. In this study, the resistance value is set as 1-5 and low value means low resistance, which is suitable for planning heritage corridor.

Table 2. Resistance Factors and Their Weights and Relative Resistance Values for the Heritage Corridors of Song-Yuan Ancient Kiln Sites in Fujian Province.

Resistance factors	Weights	Resistance value
		1	2	3	4	5
Elevation(m)	0.15	0~100	100~300	300~600	600~900	> 900
Slope(°)	0.10	0~7	7~14	14~21	21~28	> 28
Land use	0.20	Waters	Grass lands	Forest land	Cropland	Building site
Distance from rivers(km)	0.15	0~0.2	0.2~0.4	0.4~0.8	0.8~1.2	> 1.2
Distance from highways(km)	0.0625	0~0.1	0.1~0.2	0.2~0.3	0.3~0.4	>0.4
Distance from primary roads(km)	0.0625	0~0.1	0.1~0.2	0.2~0.3	0.3~0.4	>0.4
Distance from secondary roads(km)	0.0625	0~0.01	0.01~0.02	0.02~0.03	0.03~0.04	>004
Distance from tertiary roads(km)	0.0625	0~0.1	0.1~0.2	0.2~0.3	0.3~0.4	>0.4
The museums ( number of places)	0.05	>35	25~35	15~25	5~15	0~5
The Maritime Silk Road sites (number of places)	0.05	>20	15~25	10~15	5~10	0~5
The wreck sites (number of places)	0.05	>20	15~25	10~15	5~10	0~5

Figure 3. Comprehensive resistance surface (above) and Potential heritage corridors (below).

Taking the ancient kiln site as the heritage source point, combined with the comprehensive resistance surface, the potential heritage corridor network is obtained. Developed traffic arteries and interwoven river networks are important factors affecting the direction of heritage corridors. In addition, the heritage corridor network takes integrity and connectivity into account.

Statistical analysis of the site locations

A total of 436 ancient kiln sites from the Song and Yuan dynasties were discovered, with 378 sites from the Song Dynasty and 164 sites from the Yuan Dynasty, including the Song Continuation heritage sites. Moreover, 89 black glazes, 297 celadon glazes, and 222 bluish-white glazes were found. This study also covers 24 ancient ports related to the Maritime Silk Road during the Song and Yuan dynasties.

Ancient kiln sites are widely distributed in Fujian province, which is an important area for export porcelain. The distribution is closely related to the river and ocean, given that the porcelain trade is mainly carried out on water transportation and overseas (see Figure 4).

Figure 4. Distribution of ancient kiln sites in Song and Yuan Dynasties in Fujian Province.

Characterization of the spatial distribution of sites

The results of kernel density analysis show that the heritage sites of ancient kiln sites have condensed distribution and are mainly concentrated in the three central areas of Fujian province, namely, Quanzhou-Dehua in the southeast, Fuzhou-Minqing in the northeast, and Jianou-Jianyang in the north of Nanping. The formation of three heritage cores is conducive to the composition of heritage corridors.

During the Song Dynasty, the sites are distributed in the southern region of Fujian. The distribution of the degree of aggregation is more intensive and the probability of occurrence is high in Zhangzhou and Quanzhou Cities, which are called high-density aggregation areas. Eastern Fujian centered by Fuzhou is a sub-dense aggregation area. Nanping and Sanming Cities in northern Fujian have lower densities of aggregation in patches. Overseas trade flourished during the Song Dynasty, giving rise to the trading ports of Quanzhou and Fuzhou. Porcelain from Quanzhou port was mainly sold to Southeast Asian and European countries, while Fuzhou port took Northeast Asia as its main trade target. With the exchange of Chinese and foreign trading ships, porcelain spread far and wide, and the ceramic industry also flourished. Fuzhou, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou and other centers are along the ocean. Along the river hinterland, the cities formed a porcelain production belt. The sites and cities are a community with the same density. The formation of a heritage core is conducive to the construction of a heritage corridor.

During the Song Dynasty, a high intensity of agglomeration formed in the southeastern part of Fujian province. This agglomeration concentrated in the eastern part of Fujian province and was also distributed in the northern part (see Figure 5 above). With the development of commodity economy, the porcelain trade was in great demand, and overseas trade flourished.

During the Yuan Dynasty, due to the construction of royal kilns, several porcelain kilns were closed. Dehua white porcelain kiln was conserved (see Figure 5 below).

Figure 5. Kernel density of ancient kiln sites during the Song Dynasty (above) the Yuan Dynasty (below).

Figure 6. Kernel density of black-glazed porcelains (above) and celadon-glazed porcelains (below).

Figure 7. Kernel density of bluish-white porcelains.

With the flourishing of the tea custom in the Song Dynasty, the technology of building black glaze porcelain spread from the north of Fujian to the east and south (see Figure 6 above). The technology of celadon and bluish-white porcelain was influenced by Longquan in Zhejiang Province and Jingdezhen in Jiangxi Province, and the kiln sites in southern Fujian produced these two kinds of porcelain at the same time (see Figure 6 below and Figure 7).

From the kernel density analysis, the densest concentration of ancient kiln sites is in the distribution area of Quanzhanxia–Dehua kilns–Anxi kilns–Tingxi kilns in the southeastern part of Fujian Province, and thus can be considered the key heritage areas. Second, a concentration of Nanping–Jian and Fuzhou-Yi kilns is observed in the northern and eastern parts of Fujian Province, respectively.

Generation of potential heritage corridors

Heritage corridors connect various heritage sites and serve as a link between heritage conservation and ecological protection. The potential heritage corridor consists of the heritage sites of ancient kiln sites and the integrated resistance surface and cost distance as constituent elements. The shortest paths between heritage sites are then calculated.

The heritage corridor of ancient kiln sites in Fujian Province is based on the “source” of heritage resource sites, and the integrated resistance is the minimum cumulative resistance to reach each site. Based on the minimum cumulative model, the suitability evaluation of the spatial process of the heritage experience is carried out by utilizing the cost distance tool of GIS, and the results are further classified into five suitability zones: high, medium-high, medium, medium-low, and low (see Figure 8 above). Then, based on the evaluation results of the suitability of heritage corridors and the overall distribution of ancient kiln sites in Fujian Province, the GIS cost path tool is used to generate multiple shortest paths, and then the potential cultural heritage corridors of ancient kilns are simulated (see Figure 8 above). Since the calculation of the paths results in a cross overlap, the integrity and connectivity of the heritage corridors needs to be optimized by selecting and grading the potential heritage corridors.

This study presents potential corridors from the Song and Yuan dynasties (see Figure 8 below). The potential heritage corridor of the ancient kiln sites of the Song and Yuan Dynasties in Fujian Province is based on the river system and forms an H-shaped pattern of “one axis and two belts,” with Min River as the axis in the coastal zone. From Min River, the corridor extends from the coast to the inland hinterland and passes through the key kiln sites of Fuzhou kiln such as Dongzhang Kiln of Fuqing, Pukou Kiln of Lianjiang, and Minqing Yi Kiln. These sites mainly produce celadon and bluish white porcelain. The two zones are the central kilns of the coastal plain, from northwest to southeast along the traffic lines, including Ningde to Fuzhou in the east to Quanzhou, Nan’an, Dehua, Yongchun and other places in the south, with Feiluan Kiln, Zhuangbian Kiln and Dehua Kiln being representative along the Jinjiang River basin to the Dayun Mountains. The other area is from Longyan through the Nanshan ancient kiln site, Haokeng Pan and other key kiln sites, to Jianyang Shuiji Kiln and other central production areas of the Song Dynasty black porcelain. Baima Qian, Shunchang Guanshan, Sidu, and Dendou, among others, belong to this system to form a large-scale kiln group, to reach the Huanggang Mountains.

Better selection of heritage corridors

The heritage corridors for ancient kiln sites are presented with the river and coastline as the support, showing an H-shaped feature similar to wings. The heritage corridors are classified into four types, with high in the center and low around the edges (see Figure 9 below).

Figure 8. Potential heritage corridors (above) during the Song and Yuan Dynasties (below).

Figure 9. Ancient Kiln Site Heritage Corridors (above) and buffer zone (below).

Based on the spatial relationship between the heritage resources and the corridor, the appropriate width of the corridor is 3–5 km, which encompasses most of the sites with high levels of protection (see Figure 9 below). Based on the characteristics of the spatial composition of the Heritage Corridors of ancient kiln sites during the Song and Yuan Dynasties in Fujian, the study proposes a spatial conservation strategy that integrates the region (macro), corridor (meso), heritage sites (micro). Then, targeted zoning protection strategies are proposed for the core, buffer, and edge areas from the overall region at the macro level, and focuses on corridor conservation based on the hierarchical center of the heritage corridors of the ancient kiln sites at the meso level. Furthermore, this study classifies and grades the many heritage sites along the road at the micro level, and formulates different conservation strategies for the cultural heritage of each level. The core protection zone of the heritage corridors mainly includes the corridor route, its adjacent natural elements, and a large number of cultural heritages along the road, which must focus on heritage protection and ecological restoration. Yushi Utaka contributes to the future management of heritage sites through the effective management of buffer zones (Utaka, 2015).

The buffer area of the heritage corridors mainly includes regional natural elements and scattered heritage sites along the road (see Figure 9 below). The buffer zone is constructed to strengthen its connection with the core area while protecting the heritage and restoring the ecology of the site. Appropriate construction activities and resource development are carried out to realize the self-renewal and sustainable development of heritage resources through income generation from tourism. At the edge zone of the heritage corridor, very few heritage sites are observed. This zone must be placed under controlled protection to avoid destructive development.

Conclusion

In this study, the MCR model is used to construct the heritage corridors of ancient kiln sites from the Song and Yuan Dynasties in Fujian, and the suitability analysis enhances the scientificity and feasibility of the corridor construction. Based on the river system, the heritage corridors of ancient kiln sites are characterized by the distribution along rivers and coasts and the gathering along harbors. The heritage corridor of ancient kiln sites show an H-shaped distribution, with Min River and its tributaries at its core, and the mountainous area in the west and coastal area in the east form its wings. Four types of ancient kiln sites heritage corridors are observed and are characterized by high distribution in the center and low distribution at the edges.

The ancient kiln sites heritage corridors are linked by national-level conservation units and the most densely distributed heritage cluster conservation area. The highest-level corridors are the Quanzhou–Dehua and the Nanping–Jian kiln sites, which produce the two most representative porcelain types in Fujian during the Song and Yuan dynasties and are important export porcelain types in ancient Fujian. As the most densely distributed ancient kiln sites and the heritage corridor with a high level of protection, the Quanzhang–Anxi Kiln, Tingxi Kiln, and Cizao Kiln Heritage Cluster area is undergoing correlative protection, which allows for the promotion of regional tourism and the development of ceramics-themed cultural and tourism experience projects.

In terms of culture, history is reflected through the construction of the heritage corridors of ancient kiln sites in Fujian during the Song and Yuan dynasties. During such times, the Ceramic Road was also the Maritime Silk Road that starts from Quanzhou. The focus area of relics conservation reflects the close correlation between the flourishing economy of the ceramic handicraft industry and the economic prosperity of the city.

In terms of economy, the heritage corridor drives the integrated development of local urban and rural areas, revitalizes and protects the use of ancient kiln sites along the road and drives the revival and development of nearby villages. Such construction integrates cultural and creative cross-border and business models to revitalize heritage resources. Mapping and analyzing cultural heritage to reach spatial realization can promote tourism (Akil, Pradadimara et al., 2022). As scholars reported, historical sites contribute to shaping the city brand and can help benefit the people (Wang, S., Zhang et al., 2023).

The heritage corridor of ancient kiln sites is a bond of relics conservation and ecological plan. The construction of such corridor can represent the production and trade situation at that time, reconstruct the historical network, and is significant to the conservation and utilization of ancient kiln sites. An appropriate means is found to conserve the ancient kiln sites and recommendations are provided for cultural conservation. The heritage corridors of Song and Yuan Dynasties’ ancient kiln sites in Fujian are also important in exploring how ceramic heritage can play a role in urban development. This endeavor extends and expands the types of heritage corridors with diversity and typicality, which is of reference value for regional cultural heritage protection in China.

The construction of the Heritage Corridors involves many influencing factors. Given that the greenway system in Fujian Province is still under planning and construction, only the river water system and land type were selected as the natural resistance factors in this study whereas the greenway system in Fujian Province was not considered but may affect the results of the study. Future research can consider the greenway system to ensure the scientificity and rationale of the construction of corridors.

Author Contributions

Conceptualization, Jiaxin Cheng: Writing – original draft, Methodology, Formal analysis, Conceptualization. Qiuyi Zhang: Writing – review & editing, Methodology, Funding acquisition, Formal analysis, Conceptualization. Di Yang: Writing – review & editing, Validation, Formal analysis. Peifeng Yang: Writing – review & editing, Validation. Zhihan Ren: Writing – review & editing, Validation. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Ethics Declaration

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of the paper.

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the Youth Fund of the Ministry of Education for Humanities and Social Sciences (No.22YJC840041) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.42201225). Publishing is also supported by National Key R&D Program of China (2021YFE0200100)2021 Policy Directed Program of Jiangsu Province (BZ2021015, Project No.SDYY2203).

Funding Statement

This research was funded by the Youth Fund of the Ministry of Education for Humanities and Social Sciences (No.22YJC840041) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.42201225). Publishing is also supported by National Key R&D Program of China (2021YFE0200100)2021 Policy Directed Program of Jiangsu Province (BZ2021015, Project No.SDYY2203).

References

•  Akil,  A.,  Pradadimara,  D., et al. (2022). "Spatial Historical Evolution of Urban Tosora Cultural Heritage". International Review for Spatial Planning and Sustainable Development, 10(3), 188-212. doi: https://doi.org/10.14246/irspsd.10.3_188.
• bin  Saleh,  Y.,  bin Ghazali , M. K. A., et al. (2023). "The Heritage City Sustainability Index in Malaysia". International Review for Spatial Planning and Sustainable Development, 11(4), 39-53. doi: https://doi.org/10.14246/irspsd.11.4_39.
•  Gong,  D.,  Yuan,  Y., et al. (2016). "The Analysis of the Operational Mechanism of the American National Heritage Corridor and Its Enlightenment to the Conservation and Development of the Large-Scale Linear Cultural Heritage in China". Urban Development Studies, 23(1), 17-22.
•  Goula,  M. and  Vanucchi,  J. (2022). "Sustained Change: Design Speculations on the Performance of Fallow-Scapes in Time Along the Erie Canal National Heritage Corridor,(Ecnhc), New York". Sustainability, 14(3), 1675. doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/su14031675.
•  He, D.,  Wang,  Z., et al. (2022). "Research on the Construction of Jingdezhen Porcelain Heritage Corridor System Based on Mcr and Mca Model". Geography and Geo-Information Science, 38(03), 74-82.
•  Huang,  Y. (2007). "Geographical Perspective in the Study of Ancient Ceramics". Southeast Culture, 20(4), 69-73.
•  Huang,  Y. (2016). "A Review on Historical Geographical Research of Ceramic Industry". Journal of Chinese Historical Geography, 31(4), 18-16.
•  Husnéin,  A. (2017). "The Evolving Role of Modern Urbanistic Heritage in Shaping Sustainable Public Realm: The Case of Abu Dhabi". International Review for Spatial Planning and Sustainable Development, 5(3), 5-24. doi: https://doi.org/10.14246/irspsd.5.3_5
•  Li, R. (2011). "Current State,Problems and Countermeasures of the World Heritageprotection in China.". City Planning Review, 35(5), 38-44.
•  Li, W. and  Cao,  X. (2016). "The Research on the Construction Method of Heritage Corridor of the Traditional Settlements Along the Inner Great Wall in the Ming Dynasty in Shanxi Province Based on Suitability Analysis.". Development of Small Cities & Towns, 40(1), 59–68. doi: https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1009-1483.2022.01.009.
•  McHarg , I. L. (1981). "Human Ecological Planning at Pennsylvania". Landscape Planning, 8(2), 109-120. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/0304-3924(81)90029-0.
•  Meng,  Y. (2019). "Archaeological Discovery of China’s Ceramics for Export in Ancient Time and Lts Study in the Last 40 Years.". Journal of Maritime History Studies, 42(4), 16-52. doi: https://doi.org/10.16674/j.cnki.cn35-1066/u.2019.04.002.
•  Mikami,  T. (1984). The Ceramic Road: Exploring the Meeting Point of Eastern and Western Civilizations. Cultural Relics Publishing House, Beijing.
•  Miller,  W.,  Collins , M. G., et al. (1998). "An Approach for Greenway Suitability Analysis". Landscape and Urban planning, 42(2-4), 91-105. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0169-2046(98)00080-2.
•  Quan,  K. (2014). Talk About Pottery. Cultural Relics Press, Beijing.
•  Robert .R.M. (1993). "American history illustrated". 28(2), 10.
•  Searns , R. M. (1995). "The Evolution of Greenways as an Adaptive Urban Landscape Form". Landscape and Urban planning, 33(1-3), 65-80. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/0169-2046(94)02014-7.
•  Sha,  D.,  Jin,  X.-l., et al. (2012). "Suitability Evaluation of the Heritage Corridor Based on Ahp ——Take Liling City in Hunan as an Example". Hubei Agricultural Sciences, 51(7), 1399–1403. doi: https://doi.org/10.14088/j.cnki.issn0439-8114.2012.07.015.
•  Song,  J. and  Li,  F. (2012). "Corridor Heritage: Concept, Theoretical Origins and Value Appraisal.". Human Geography, 25(2), 74-77. doi: https://doi.org/10.13959/j.issn.1003-2398.2010.02.006.
•  Tang,  Y. and  Shao.,  L. (2013). "Evaluation of Heritage Corridor Tourism Development Potential: Zhongdong Railway Case.". Planners, 32(2), 96-101.
•  Utaka,  Y. (2015). "Managing “Buffer” a Special Focus on the Itsukushima Shinto Shrine World Heritage Site, Japan". International Review for Spatial Planning and Sustainable Development, 3(2), 79-95. doi: https://doi.org/10.14246/irspsd.3.2_79.
•  Wang,  S.,  Zhang,  L., et al. (2023). "Determining How Historical Sites Create Value". International Review for Spatial Planning and Sustainable Development, 11(2), 150-167. doi: https://doi.org/10.14246/irspsd.11.2_150.
•  Wang,  X. (2015). "The Maritime Culture of Ancient Ceramic Industry in Southeastern China.". Journal of Xiamen University(Arts & Social Sciences), 90(02), 139-145.
•  Wang,  Z. and  Sun,  P. (2001). "Heritage Corridors a Comparatively New Protection and Conservation Method of Heritages.". Chinese Landscape Architecture, 77(05), 86-89.
•  Wu, C. (2003). "The Development and Change of the Pattern of Maritime Porcelain Industry in Ancient Southeast China.". Journal of Chinese Social and Economic History, 22(03), 33-41.
•  Wu, G.,  Dang,  A., et al. (2023). "Study on Historical Cities Conservation Monitoring Supported by High-Resolution Remote Sensing". International Review for Spatial Planning and Sustainable Development, 11(2), 240-258. doi: https://doi.org/10.14246/irspsd.11.2_240.
•  Xiong,  H. (1995). "Research on Technical Development and Exchange History of Kiln Industry in East Asia". Nanjing University Press, 1(Jan), 1-19.
•  Yang,  G. (1996). "Reflections on the Maritime Social and Economic History of China". Journal of Chinese Social and Economic History, 15(02), 1–7.
•  Ye, W. (1984). "Export of Ceramics in Southeast Coastal Areas of China in Song and Yuan Dynasties ". Journal of Maritime History Studies, 6(00), 32-38.
•  Yu, K.,  Li,  W., et al. (2005). "Suitability Analysis of Heritage Corridor in Rapidly Urbanizing Region: A Case Study of Taizhou City". Geographical Research, 24(1), 69-76.
•  Yuan,  Y.,  Xu,  J., et al. (2014). "Construction of Heritage Corridor Network Based on Suitability Analysis: A Case Study of the Ancient Capital of Luoyang". Remote Sensing Information, 29, 117-124. doi: https://doi.org/10.3969/i.issn.1000-%203177.2014.03.021.
•  Zhu,  Q. and  Li,  W. (2007). "Heritage Area: A New Approach for the Preservation of Large-Scale Cultural Landscape". China Population,Resources and Environment, 18(1), 50-55.

Appendices

APPENDIX

Name of the figure

Clarification

The distribution of resistance by factors in the heritage corridor

This study summarizes the types of resistance factors that constitute the comprehensive resistance surface in terms of the natural environment, transportation network, and the Maritime Silk Road remains. In combination with the actual situation of Fujian Province. The calculation of the cost path in GIS is based on the weighted resistance data to determine the lowest cost path of the ancient kiln site.