Building rural public cultural spaces for enhanced well-being: evidence from China

Abstract

ABSTRACT Rural public cultural spaces are important living environments that improve resident well-being. According to space theory, this research explored the core dimensions of rural public cultural spaces, and analyzed the relationship between these spaces and resident well-being through a case study. The moderation of place attachment and mediation of space openness between rural public cultural space on resident well-being was tested based on a survey of 1,755 residents in Foshan, Guangdong, China. The results showed that physical, power and meaningful spaces were the three core dimensions of rural public cultural spaces. Rural public cultural spaces positively impacted resident well-being. Furthermore, the effects of public cultural spaces on resident well-being were mediated by place attachment and strengthened by space openness. These research findings not only provide new insights on enhancing resident well-being during the transformation period of China, but also enrich the theoretical perspectives on rural public space production.