RESEARCH ON THE TRANSFORMATION OF HISTORIC PATTERNS OF OLD SUMMER RESORTS USING SOCIAL NETWORK ANALYSIS: A CASE STUDY OF KULIANG IN FUZHOU, CHINA

Abstract

Abstract. Since modern times, Western immigrants have constructed summer resorts in subtropical regions of Asia, resulting in a unique historical occurrence. These summer resorts have loose and flexible distributions that reflect the specific needs and aesthetic preferences of the developers. In the Kuliang summer resort in Fuzhou, China, the seemingly random distribution of buildings and historical landscapes actually conceals complex social relationships between the hosts and managers. This paper discovered that the expansion of housing distribution in Kuliang is closely related to the social network of residents. The research employed various technological methods such as social network analysis and geographic information systems to compute and process complex social relationships and big data. Their analysis has led to three conclusions: (1) The seemingly randomized distribution of buildings and historical landscapes in Kuliang is a result of social relationship development. (2) The formation of Kuliang's summer resort is correlated with the selection of "central members" in the community and has distinct temporal characteristics. (3) Information technology has great potential for the analysis of the formation process of cultural landscapes. These research findings provide important reference for the protection of cultural heritage and understanding the role of social relationships in shaping cultural landscapes.