Abstract:
The Dong ethnic group, a minority inhabiting Southwest China, possesses a multifaceted folk belief culture. As a vital component of intangible cultural heritage, this belief system exerts inherent influence on the spatial formation and evolutionary processes of Dong ethnic group traditional villages. This study investigates three quintessential Dong traditional villages-Pingtan Village in Hunan Province, Tang'an Village in Guizhou Province, and Gaoding Village in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region-employing space syntax theory for spatial quantification. Through a tri-dimensional analysis of choice, integration, and synergy metrics, the spatial attributes inherent to these traditional settlements are systematically decoded, thereby elucidating their intrinsic correlations with Dong folk belief culture. Findings indicate that Dong folk beliefs are externally expressed through ritual practices yet are materially embedded within the spatial configurations of specific villages. These multidimensional interactions ultimately produce settlement spatial characteristics that significantly diverge from the cultural and architectural paradigms of other ethnic groups.