Reconstruction of ancient city planning: a case study of Shizhou through multiple dynasties

Rapid urbanization since the late twentieth century has fragmented the historical stratification within ‘dynastically overlying cities’. To overcome archaeological data scarcity and facilitate conservation, we propose a methodology for the reconstruction of ancient city planning (RACP) grounded in Guihua theory. Integrating multi-source historical-geographical data with ancient Chinese city planning theory, we leverage topography and landmarks to reverse-engineer the urban controlling schema. A case study of Shizhou reconstructs its spatial patterns across the Song-Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. The results demonstrate a dynamic negotiation between central ritual order and the local landscape. The urban morphology strictly adhered to the mathematical logic of ‘setting centres’, ‘drawing circles’, and ‘making squares’. By elucidating the hidden order of city stratification and defining core planning heritage, including walls, gates, streets, and axes, this research offers scientific spatial guidelines to support holistic conservation and heritage-centric urban renewal.