Analysis of the Spatial Distribution Characteristics and Influencing Factors of Traditional Mosque Architecture in the Hehuang Area (China)

Abstract

Clarifying the spatiotemporal distribution and influencing factors of mosque architecture in China’s Hehuang region has significant positive implications for the overall protection and development of the region’s architectural cultural heritage. This study utilizes field surveys and acquires POI data of traditional mosques built before 1993 in the region to analyze the distribution characteristics of mosques, aiming to explore future development trends of these religious structures. It also investigates the influencing factors, with the goal of emphasizing the primary and secondary factors affecting mosque distribution. The study finds the following: (1) Mosques are generally centered around the Huangshui Valley, displaying a “central clustering, peripheral dispersal” distribution pattern, forming a spatial structure of “two cores, one belt, multiple points”, with distinct differentiation and overall uneven distribution. (2) Mosques are primarily situated at elevations between 2147 and 2764 m; on slopes less than 15°, in sunny and gentle slopes; within 20 km from rivers; within 14 km from roads; in areas receiving 400–500 mm annual rainfall; and within temperature ranges of 5.54–10.22 °C. (3) The study also finds that the spatial distribution of mosques is profoundly influenced by both natural geographical factors and human environmental factors. The better the natural location, the larger and denser the population, the richer the cultural resources, the higher the level of economic development, and the greater the concentration of Hui people, the more numerous and concentrated the mosques. (4) Population factors are the dominant factors for the clustered distribution of traditional mosques in the Hehuang area. Since the construction of mosques in the region is closely related to the number of Hui people and the proportion of Muslim adherents, areas with a high concentration of mosques also have relatively larger populations of Hui people. Temperature, precipitation, altitude, rivers, and roads are foundational factors for traditional mosques in the Hehuang area, influencing mosque distribution as external factors.