Ecological Wisdom and Inheritance Thinking of the Traditional Village’s Water Resources Management in Taihang Mountains

Abstract

ABSTRACT In the context of China’s rapid urbanization, the landscape texture and ecosystem of traditional villages are being constructively damaged, especially the water ecosystem responsible for maintaining the sustainable development of villages. It is urgent to explore the green construction technology of traditional villages. However, some traditional villages in Taihang Mountain area exist and develop in the environment of drought and flood, which contains rich ecological water resources management wisdom. Therefore, in this paper, Taihang Mountain is selected as the research area to collect data through literature analysis, field research, and in-depth interviews. This study uses ArcGIS spatial analysis and statistical functions to analyze the acquired data and explore the water resources management practices of traditional villages based on three aspects: safety, function, and spirit. Then it summarizes four key inspirations for contemporary water resources management: “adapt to local conditions, pay equal attention to water use and prevention”; “division of labor and cooperation complement each other”, “low cost, low technology, low maintenance” and “make the best use of materials and compound functions”. These advantageous insights can be offered for the preservation of traditional villages, the enhancement of the living environment, and the management and growth of urban stormwater.