The attainment of a regionally balanced carbon budget is fundamental for the realization of carbon neutrality. This study involved the quantification of the carbon budget related to land use across Southeast China from 2005 to 2020, which was achieved through the calculation of both carbon emissions and carbon sinks. Subsequently, we scrutinized the mechanisms driving the observed dynamic changes in the carbon budget, pinpointed the impact of land-use efficiency (LUE) on the carbon budget, and proposed sustainable spatial planning and management strategies for diverse functional areas at the county level. The core findings are as follows: The dynamics of the carbon budget were spatially heterogeneous, characterized by a gradual increase in carbon emissions over time, while carbon sinks remained relatively constant. The Gini coefficient (G) manifested a gradual increase throughout the study period, reflecting an imbalanced evolution between carbon sinks and emissions. There was also an observable imbalance in the distribution of the carbon ecological carrying coefficient between coastal and inland regions. Land-use-related carbon emissions demonstrated a substantial spatial spillover effect, whereas a weak spatial spillover effect was noted in land-use-related carbon sinks. The correlation between LUE and the carbon budget varied significantly across different functional areas, as the driving effects of LUE displayed remarkable spatial heterogeneity. A quantification of the spatio-temporal alterations and the driving mechanisms behind the carbon budget can aid in the advancement of urban sustainability and regional carbon neutrality.

Yangmingism, a crucial component of Chinese Confucianism, has profoundly impacted the development of Eastern civilization throughout history and gained new significance within modern contexts. This study employs social network and GIS spatial analyses to investigate the spatio-temporal evolution and patterns of Yangmingism during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Conclusions drawn include: (1) Yangmingism spread during the Ming and Qing dynasties followed five phases (rise-peak-decline-revival-trough), consistent with general cultural diffusion processes. (2) The spatial structure of regions accepting Yangmingism changed from polycentric to localized ribbon-polycentric, then to monocentric, polycentric, and ultimately, fragmented distribution. Diffusion began with a point-axis structure along traffic routes, transitioned to a core-periphery spatial structure, and returned to a point-axis structure due to reduced diffusion potential energy. (3) Yangmingism diffusion exhibited distance decay characteristics, with the most extensive diffusion in the Han cultural region, primarily located within the middle and lower reaches of the Ganjiang River basin and the Yangtze River Delta. (4) Yangmingism diffusion reflected influences from local administrative hierarchies and cultural development. During the rise-to-peak phase, Yangmingism reached areas with higher administrative and cultural levels, while during the peak-to-decline phase, it disseminated from higher to lower hierarchy regions. (5) The spatial diffusion of Yangmingism is mainly relocation diffusion, followed by expansion diffusion. In the process of relocation diffusion, Yangmingism may reverse the diffusion from the “target regions” to the “source regions” due to the influence of the radiation of the high-ranking regions and the cultural innovation of the “target regions”.