How Do Natural Environmental Factors Influence the Spatial Patterns and Site Selection of Famous Mountain Temple Complexes in China? Quantitative Research on Wudang Mountain in the Ming Dynasty

Ancient temple complexes in China's mountainous landscapes, such as the UNESCO-listed Wudang Mountain site, were strategically planned to align with environmental factors like terrain, hydrology, climate, and soil conditions. Research using geospatial analysis reveals that temples were deliberately positioned along ridge-aligned belts with a southwest-northeast orientation, avoiding geotechnical extremes while prioritizing zones of moderate thermal, hydrological, and vegetative stability. Cliffside temples, in particular, showed strong correlations with soil pH, porosity, and bulk density. These findings indicate that temple planning was an active process integrating environmental adaptation and cultural symbolism, offering new insights for the conservation of mountain cultural heritage sites.

Yan, Y., Bai, Z., Hu, X., & Wang, Y. (2025). How Do Natural Environmental Factors Influence the Spatial Patterns and Site Selection of Famous Mountain Temple Complexes in China? Quantitative Research on Wudang Mountain in the Ming Dynasty. Land, 14(7), 1441. https://doi.org/10.3390/land14071441