From living heritage to healing place: synergistic healing mechanisms of the water villages in Lingnan, China

Lingnan water villages in the Pearl River Delta, China, represent a unique form of living cultural and ecological heritage. Although their heritage and landscape values are widely recognized, less is known about how these everyday rural environments contribute to visitors' restorative experience and rural well-being. This study investigates the perceived restorative potential of Lingnan water village landscapes using the Perceived Restorativeness Scale (PRS), Attention Restoration Theory (ART), and structural equation modeling (SEM). Survey data were collected from 415 visitors across six representative villages. Results indicate that natural landscapes and traditional street-alley spaces form a dual foundation for restoration, while folk culture is particularly associated with psychological “Being Away” and fascination. The healing potential is not dominated by a single element but emerges from the synergy of ecology, spatial structure, and cultural practices. This study contributes to rural studies by reframing therapeutic landscapes as a mechanism of rural well-being, place-making, and differentiated revitalization in peri-urban heritage villages. It also offers practical implications for integrating ecological conservation, cultural continuity, and experience-oriented rural tourism.