Exploring the spatial pattern and its influencing mechanism of cultural heritage is of great significance for the systematic protection, inheritance and utilization of cultural heritage. In this study, the national-level cultural heritage of China as the research object, and the spatial patterns of the cultural heritage (CH), tangible cultural heritage (TCH) and intangible cultural heritage (ICH) are analyzed are summarized using the multiple geospatial analysis method, and their spatial distribution differences. Then, the optimal parameter geodetector model was further used to analyze the influencing and interaction effect of natural environment (NE) factors, socioeconomic and cultural environment (SCE) factors on the spatial distribution of CH, TCH and ICH, and the interaction mechanism was deeply discussed. The results show that high-density region of CH are mainly located in the southeastern Heihe-Tengchong Line of China, while low-density region are mostly located in the northwestern Heihe-Tengchong Line. In terms of local spatial differences, the spatial distribution of material cultural heritage is different in different river basins, different terrains and different climates. The spatial distribution of ICH mainly shows significant differences in terrain and climate, and does not show significant differences in river basins. In terms of influencing factors, sociocultural environment, education level, historical settlement environment, road traffic, climate, economy, population and terrain factors all have a significant impact on the spatial distribution of CH and TCH. Sociocultural environment, education level, historical settlement environment, road traffic, climate, economy and population have a significant impact on the spatial distribution of ICH, while topographic factors and water system factors have no significant impact on the spatial distribution of ICH. Compared with ICH, TCH is more likely to be directly affected by topographic conditions (altitude, relief of terrain) and hydrological conditions (production and living water sources and flood risk) during its formation stage. At the same time, topographic and hydrological conditions can also indirectly affect the spatial distribution of TCH by directly affecting human agricultural activities, economic activities and cultural activities.

Livelihood vulnerability inquiries in their current form prove insufficient in accounting for the dynamic aspects of livelihoods. In consideration of the generally adopted “Scenic spots + communities + smallholder” tourism development model in rural revitalization in China, a Tourism Livelihood Vulnerability Index (TLVI) was developed to estimate the vulnerability of tourism smallholders in the upper reaches of Yihe River, China. Data was collected from 524 smallholders and 7 tourism villages. The statistical results showed that the livelihood strategies of smallholders in tourism destination communities can be divided into four categories: Tourism – oriented (TO), Tourism and part-time migrant work (TPM), Migrant work and part – time tourism (MPT), and Migrant work – oriented (MO). The TLVI showed significant disparities among four livelihood groups, with MPT smallholders emerging as the most vulnerable, sensitive, and least adaptive. In contrast, TO smallholders displayed the least sensitivity, exposure, TLVI, and the highest adaptive capacity. The result suggested that low diversity degree livelihoods are less vulnerable than high diversity degree livelihoods in rural transformation. The contributing factors of the household livelihood vulnerability were highly community – household livelihood strategy specific. Four recommendations were at household and community level to enhance livelihood resilience and reduce vulnerability. The TLVI contributes to a better understanding of the livelihood vulnerability characteristic of household tourism operation systems in the context of tourism-guided rural transformation.