Spatial Distribution Characteristics and Influencing Factors of Hakka Traditional Villages in Fujian, Guangdong, and Jiangxi, China

Hakka traditional villages are an important segment of traditional Chinese villages. Analysis of the process of selection of a Hakka site can deepen our knowledge of Hakka culture. In this study, we selected Hakka traditional villages in Fujian, Guangdong, and Jiangxi provinces as research sites. We extracted basic data for these traditional villages using geographic information system coordinates, identified several potential influencing factors, and analyzed correlations among the factors using the R language. Finally, the degree of influence of each factor on the site selection of Hakka traditional villages in the study area was determined using a geographic probe to confirm the dominant factors. The results showed that Hakka traditional villages in Fujian, Guangdong, and Jiangxi had an overall significant clustered distribution. Distance to water, elevation, and vegetation richness were the dominant factors influencing the location of Hakka villages, while the interaction of multiple factors had a facilitating effect on the location of Hakka village foundations. This study utilized the observed distribution of Hakka villages in different regions and the differences between them resulting from the interaction of influencing factors, combined with data analysis, to provide a theoretical basis for the development and protection of Hakka traditional villages.