Development of an evaluation framework for traditional villages in china : the case of Sichuan / Zhou Zihua

Faculty of Civil Engineering Technology

Thesis (Doctor of Philosophy) -- Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al Sultan Abdullah - 2026

Includes bibliographical references

Traditional villages in China are important carriers of regional culture, historical memory, and ecological wisdom. However, under the accelerating forces of urbanization and modernization, these villages are increasingly threatened by population outmigration, environmental degradation, and the loss of cultural heritage. While previous studies have addressed certain aspects of traditional village preservation, there remains a lack of integrated, data-driven frameworks capable of quantitatively assessing sustainability across multiple dimensions. This study develops a multidimensional evaluation framework for assessing the sustainable development of traditional villages and applies geospatial analysis to identify regional heterogeneity, classify development types, and support targeted revitalization strategies. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the study integrates field investigation, literature review, expert consultation, and geospatial data analysis to construct a comprehensive evaluation index system encompassing five core dimensions: economic, social, environmental, cultural, and geographical. Twenty-two key indicators were validated using the Delphi method, with weights optimized using AHP-Entropy combination weighting to ensure objectivity and dynamically quantify sustainability. Based on this framework, an empirical analysis was conducted on 396 traditional villages in Sichuan. The results quantitatively classified these villages into three sustainability levels (High: 6.3%, Medium: 67.9%, Low: 25.8%) and further identified nine distinct development types. The analysis revealed significant spatial imbalances and functional mismatches, providing data-driven justification for differentiated revitalization strategies. In-depth case studies of Xiuxi, Qinglinkou, and Yading villages validated the scientific robustness and practical applicability of the framework, while also identifying key development constraints and potential areas for improvement across different village types. This research fills a theoretical gap in the regional and data-driven evaluation of traditional village sustainability by proposing a novel multidimensional evaluation framework that integrates sustainability indicators with geospatial analysis. The findings provide practical support for government agencies to formulate differentiated conservation policies and allocate resources more effectively. The proposed framework is not only methodologically robust but also specifically adapted to the complex and diverse rural contexts of western China.