Spatial Differentiation of Intangible Cultural Heritage in South China and Its Influencing Factors

Abstract

In recent years, a lot of work has been done in the protection and utilization of intangible cultural heritage in South China, while there are dilemmas such as the variation of inheritance content, the extinction of heritage, and the absence of inheritors, it is urgent to strengthen the protection of intangible cultural heritage with realistic reasons. This paper adopts human geography research methods, based on SPSS mathematical statistics, GIS spatial analysis, and econometric models, to analyze the spatial differentiation characteristics of 10 types of intangible cultural heritage in the region and their influencing factors based on 1,708 intangible cultural heritage data from various regions in South China, according to five regions, Guangdong, Hainan, Guangxi, Hong Kong, and Macao. It was found that (1) the intangible cultural heritage in South China is distributed in clusters, with the Pearl River Delta in Guangdong and Guinan in Guangxi being the core areas of high-density intangible cultural heritage; (2) the characteristics of spatial differentiation of intangible cultural heritage in the region are influenced by a combination of factors, among which the pattern distribution is obviously influenced by cultural factors such as the distribution of ethnic minorities and the number of museums. Finally, from the perspective of revitalization, protection, and inheritance of intangible cultural heritage, the government should propose dialectical and integrated protection of intangible cultural heritage in South China while continuously enhancing its living and contemporary flavor.