Exploration of the Landscape Gene Characteristics of Traditional Villages along the Jinzhong Section of the Wanli Tea Road from the Perspective of the Village Temple System

Traditional villages along the Jinzhong section of the Wanli Tea Road possess unique geographical locations and cultural heritage, showcasing a rich variety of cultural landscapes. Among these, village temple buildings play a crucial role as the core of spiritual and belief life in traditional villages. In the context of rapid urbanization and modernization, a new perspective is needed to thoroughly explore the deeper connotations of cultural landscape characteristics in traditional villages along the Wanli Tea Road, particularly by examining the composition and inherent features of their landscape genes. This study employs landscape gene theory, using the village temple system as a lens to identify and analyze the landscape genes of traditional villages along the Jinzhong section of the Wanli Tea Road. Based on the results, a genealogy and a map of landscape genes are constructed to clearly and effectively present the typical characteristics and expressions of these genes in a logical and visual manner. The findings indicate the following: (1) The village temple system in traditional villages along the Jinzhong section of the Wanli Tea Road is closely related to the formation and expression of their landscape genes and can play a critical role in the protection and transmission of cultural landscapes. (2) As important nodes along the historical trade route, the landscape gene characteristics of these villages reflect their unique natural environments and historical development trajectories, illustrating the deep intertwining of commercial activities and local cultural landscapes. (3) This study establishes a replicable research framework that is not only applicable to local studies but also provides valuable references for broader cultural landscape research.