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Study on Historic Urban Landscape Corridor Identification and an Evaluation of Their Centrality: The Case of the Dunhuang Oasis Area in China

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  • Bin Feng

    (College of Geography and Environmental Science, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, China
    Key Laboratory of Resource Environment and Sustainable Development of Oasis, Lanzhou 730070, China)

  • Wei Li

    (College of Geography and Environmental Science, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, China)

Abstract

With the development of international cultural heritage, the positive shift from historic environments to historic urban landscapes has been explored in China. At the same time, China is also trying to extend its heritage corridors to historic urban landscape corridors; thus, the spatial organization characteristics and themes of historic landscapes are being explored. This study took the Dunhuang Oasis area as an example and, based on regional, cultural, and natural heritage sites and man-made environmental characteristics, identified and evaluated historic urban landscape corridors. The least cumulative resistance model was applied to identify historic landscape corridors, and the multicenter evaluation model was used to classify the historic landscape corridors. From the perspective of corridor identification, the military defense and historic landscapes of the city ruins together reflect the human need for “city administration–border defense–ancient trade and commerce”. Grottoes and scenic landscapes are more dependent on the Gobi Desert, mountains, and other areas intertwined with the oasis. The drainage system and water conservancy landscape consists of four stable landscape corridors containing east, west, north, and south canals, which are the basic driving force for the growth of the town. From the corridor hierarchy, we studied layer formation from the Dunhuang urban area, the western and northern local oasis dry canal, Mingsha Mountain–Crecent Spring, etc., as interconnected trunk corridors. The periphery of the Dunhuang urban area encompasses the southern trunk canal, southeastern Mogao Grottoes–Sanwei Mountain road, and other branch corridors. This study determined the composition and level of importance of historic landscape corridors, while at the same time enhancing the visual representation and skyline organization, which can be used for territorial spatial planning and research in functional urban areas.

Suggested Citation

  • Bin Feng & Wei Li, 2025. "Study on Historic Urban Landscape Corridor Identification and an Evaluation of Their Centrality: The Case of the Dunhuang Oasis Area in China," Land, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-18, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:14:y:2025:i:3:p:585-:d:1609149
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Fatmaelzahraa Hussein & John Stephens & Reena Tiwari, 2020. "Cultural Memories and Sense of Place in Historic Urban Landscapes: The Case of Masrah Al Salam, the Demolished Theatre Context in Alexandria, Egypt," Land, MDPI, vol. 9(8), pages 1-16, August.
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    3. Wojciech Samól & Szymon Kowalski & Arkadiusz Woźniakowski & Piotr Samól, 2023. "Where the Second World War in Europe Broke Out: The Landscape History of Westerplatte, Gdańsk/Danzig," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-22, March.
    4. Xiaotian Ma & Junqiao Sun, 2024. "A Study of Historic Urban Landscape Change Management Based on Layered Interpretation: A Case Study of Dongxi Ancient Town," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-33, December.
    5. Junjun Li & Jin Wang & Xun Li, 2024. "Heritage Value Assessment and Landscape Preservation of Traditional Chinese Villages Based on the Daily Lives of Local Residents: A Study of Tangfang Village in China and the UNESCO HUL Approach," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-20, September.
    6. Teresa Cunha Ferreira & Julia Rey-Pérez & Ana Pereira Roders & Ana Tarrafa Silva & Isabel Coimbra & Isabel Breda Vazquez, 2023. "The Historic Urban Landscape Approach and the Governance of World Heritage in Urban Contexts: Reflections from Three European Cities," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-15, May.
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