Research on the Spatial Distribution Characteristics and Influencing Factors of Central China’s Intangible Cultural Heritage

In the context of China’s rural revitalization strategy, it is of profound significance to explore the spatial distribution characteristics and influencing factors of intangible cultural heritage (ICH) in Central China, not only for the inheritance of Chinese traditional culture and the development of ICH, but also for the implementation of the rural revitalization strategy itself. From the perspective of cultural ecology, this study analyzed the spatial distribution and clustering characteristics of 407 national intangible cultural heritages in Henan, Hubei, and Hunan provinces in Central China by using the ArcGIS geographic concentration index, kernel density, and other methods. This study also explored natural and social environmental influencing factors and their interaction on ICH spatial distribution using geographic detectors. The findings revealed that the ICH distribution in Central China has an obvious agglomeration trend, showing a “five cores” distribution structure (dense in the upper and the middle areas but sparse in the lower area). The regions with high kernel density are mostly river-flowing regions and are comparatively developed. In terms of influencing factors, the influence of economic and environmental factors together is stronger than that of natural environmental factors alone, and the interaction force between rivers and economic development is the most influential. Based on the above research findings, we put forward suggestions on the protection and development, as well as “era value” exploration of ICH in Central China, in the hope of promoting regional coordinated advancement.