Challenges and governance paths for the conservation and utilization of underdeveloped traditional villages:A case study of Taixiangsi village in Yanchuan county, Shaanxi province

The conservation and utilization of underdeveloped traditional villages face significant challenges stemming from the absence of effective internal agency and insufficient external institutional support. This study adopts Taixiangsi village in Yanchuan county, Shaanxi province as a representative case to examine these issues through qualitative research methods. By introducing the "participation-feedback-response" analytical framework, this research systematically investigates the primary constraints hindering the revitalization of such development-challenged traditional settlements and explores sustainable governance approaches. (1) The preservation and utilization dilemmas manifest in three interconnected dimensions: difficulties in transforming resource values into sustainable development outcomes coupled with inadequate external support systems; insufficient benefits for community members leading to diminished participation motivation; and capacity limitations among key stakeholders constraining effective conservation actions. (2) The study identifies a potential pathway for breaking this cycle through the synergistic interaction of three mechanisms: comprehensive stakeholder mobilization to enhance villagers' engagement willingness, internal structural transformation that generates catalytic effects to attract external resources, and strategic external activation to improve the endogenous system's adaptability. This research demonstrates that achieving sustainable revitalization requires establishing a mutually reinforcing relationship between internal and external systems. The continuous interplay of these elements can create a virtuous cycle that addresses both the structural and motivational barriers to conservation. The study contributes to the field by providing a novel theoretical framework, a practical action logic, and valuable implementation insights for the regeneration of traditional villages, with important implications for policymakers and practitioners engaged in rural revitalization and cultural heritage preservation.