Holistic protection and sustainable planning: exploring the spatial association characteristics of traditional villages in Tibetan-Yi Ethnic Corridor, China

The static single-dimensional and isolated-island protection of traditional villages’ cultural heritage in ethnic corridors has led to value decline, and even extinction. This paper aims to explore how the spatial network structure of traditional villages can be optimized, in line with rural and cultural revitalization’s global goals. This study investigates 618 traditional villages in the Tibetan-Yi Ethnic Corridor (TYEC), employing the gravity model and social network analysis (SNA) to reveal the structural features of the villages’ spatial association networks. The results show that the spatial association network of traditional villages in the TYEC is characterized by low network density, insufficient intermediary function of nodes, marked differentiation among cohesive subgroups, and an entrenched core–periphery structure. Specific measures are proposed to optimize the spatial network structure. Furthermore, this study provides valuable insights for the conservation and development of traditional villages in complex multi-ethnic mountainous regions, both in China and globally.