The spatial distribution of traditional villages is a key factor for rural revitalization and sustainable development. However, the rapid expansion of cities has resulted in the disappearance and decline of many traditional villages. Therefore, for the protection of traditional villages, it is necessary to analyze the spatio-temporal differentiation characteristics and driving factors. In this study, a total of 500 traditional villages were selected in Shaanxi Province. With the support of spatial analysis tools such as ArcGIS and Geo-detector, the spatial differentiation and its driving factors were analyzed. It was found that traditional villages showed a three-core distribution mode, indicating a typical aggregation distribution of tendency. In Shaanxi, the directional evolution of traditional villages was characterized by a spatial and temporal trajectory toward the north, and then towards the south. In addition, traditional villages existed in areas with underdeveloped economies, far from the cities and close to water sources, with an elevation over 500 m and a slope less than 25°. Traditional villages in Shaanxi Province are experiencing uneven spatio-temporal evolution due to regional cultural differences and uneven economic development in southern, central, and northern areas. It is possible to provide strategies for the development, protection, and utilization of traditional villages and promote the development of rural revitalization based on the traditional villages.

Traditional villages (TVs) are physical manifestations of traditional culture, and their spatial structure embodies the essence of regional culture. The spatial form of TVs in the Ando Tibetan area can be used to understand the historical evolution, turnover, and inheritance of traditional culture in the region. This study uses four typical TVs in the Huangnan Prefecture (HNP). Using the fractal theory, spatial syntax theory, GIS, and geomorphological statistical analysis, this study analyses the spatial morphology structure of TVs of the Huangnan Tibetans. Analyses are conducted from the perspectives of external morphology and internal structure. A quantitative system of spatial morphology of TVs is constructed. This study found that three out of the four sample villages in the HNP have high fractal values (>1.5046) and belong to the strongly structured agglomeration morphology regarding overall morphological characteristics. Furthermore, the public space patches exhibit a more complex spatial morphology and typical fractal characteristics. The morphological characteristics of the village boundaries in the four sample villages exhibit band-like, mass-like, and point-like characteristics. The types of belt and mass tend to point to Muhesha (MHS), JaJia (JJ), and Shuangpengxi (SPX), while Tufang (TF) does not exhibit a clear tendency. The over-spatial permeability of the village is poor, making it hard to perceive the overall space. The average depth, degree of integration, and village selection are concentrated in the central area and the primary and secondary roads. The geometrical center is the core of the village’s degree of integration. This study presents traditional Ando Tibetan villages’ complex and diverse spatial morphology, providing scientific references for their protection, development, and utilization.