Traditional settlements are vital carriers of Chinese agricultural civilization yet face mounting challenges in protection and inheritance amid rapid urbanization. Taking ancient Huizhou as a case study, this research analyzes the spatial distribution patterns of cross-provincial traditional settlements and constructs a multi-level heritage corridor network through circuit theory modeling and space syntax analysis. The study reveals a “small aggregation, large dispersion” spatial structure shaped by natural geography and socio-cultural dynamics. Simulation of multi-path cultural flows and network analysis show that high betweenness corridors concentrate along the northeast–southwest axis, promoting efficient cultural circulation, while low betweenness areas highlight gaps in direct connectivity. Closeness analysis identifies She County as the cultural core with a single-center radial structure, though internal fragmentation persists. Based on these findings, the study proposes a “three-core-driven, two-axis linkage, multi-source synergy” protection strategy to strengthens the spatial integrity and resilience of the heritage network. This research not only provides a systematic framework for the holistic conservation of Huizhou settlement heritage but also offers methodological references for the protection of traditional settlements in broader regions.

Currently, historical areas in China are facing issues of color authenticity and excessive commercialization. Colors, as an important element of historical areas, reflect their history and culture. However, there are some flaws in the existing research methods, so a more scientific and systematic method is needed to obtain accurate and objective color visualization results to promote the sustainable development of historical areas. In order to explore the methods and applications of visualizing the environmental color patterns of historical areas, Shiquan Street in Suzhou, China, was taken as the research object; ArcGIS 10.5 was used to obtain the street-view photo samples; Matlab was used to summarize the architectural colors of the historical areas; and K-means clustering was used to generate the central color card of the historical areas, thus completing the color visualization of the historical areas, followed by further searching for the color patterns and central colors, so as to explore the strategies for sustainable development of historical areas. The various quantified color models of historical areas can explore the regional uniqueness and color locality of historical areas, which avoids problems such as homogenization of block colors, unclear styles and features, and an excessive proportion of commercial colors caused by poor color guidance and control in the design related to historical areas, providing approaches to the research on the harmonious unity of environmental colors and features related to historical areas. A color-based research method has been proposed to protect and maintain the original appearance of historical areas. The application of this method provides a new perspective and possibility for the protection of historical areas, allowing these areas to achieve historical sustainability while maintaining their historical characteristics and values.

This research proposes a virtual restoration system and method for 3D digital cultural relics based on a fuzzy logic algorithm, aiming to solve the problems of the low classification accuracy and poor splicing effect of Terra Cotta Warrior fragments. This method adopts a series of steps to improve the efficiency and accuracy of fragment splicing. Firstly, features such as curvature, torsion, and left and right chord lengths were extracted from the fracture surface contour lines of the cultural relic fragments to form feature vectors. Then, the feature vector was fused and compressed by using the multilayer perceptron. The multilayer perceptron is a neural network model that can process and learn input data via multiple levels of computation, resulting in more expressive feature representations. Next, we used the calculation results of the multilayer perceptron to perform the splicing operation on the fragments. This means that, based on the calculation results of the feature vectors, the system can automatically select appropriate splicing methods to accurately match and splice fragments. Finally, by adjusting the weight of the multilayer perceptron, the error rate of fragment splicing can be reduced, further improving the accuracy of repair. The experimental results show that the method proposed in this article is significantly better than traditional methods in terms of time consumption and can effectively improve the efficiency of fragment matching and stitching. Conclusion: The fragment-stitching algorithm based on multi-feature adaptive fusion improved the speed and effectiveness of stitching in fragment-stitching tasks. In summary, the fragment-stitching algorithm based on multi-feature adaptive fusion can improve the speed and effectiveness of stitching in fragment-stitching tasks. The application of this method is expected to play an important role in the field of cultural relic protection, such as the restoration of Terra Cotta Warrior fragments.

This study focuses on constructing a heritage corridor for traditional villages in the Taihu Lake region, aiming to promote the cultural heritage preservation and sustainable development of these villages through innovative pathway design. Based on the spatial distribution characteristics of traditional villages across five cities surrounding Taihu Lake (Suzhou, Wuxi, Changzhou, Huzhou, and Jiaxing) and the existing transportation network, this research integrates the Circuit Effective Conductance (CEC) theory with ArcGIS spatial analysis methods to optimize the pathways of the heritage corridor. The results show that the expected nearest neighbor distance of 307 traditional villages in the Taihu Lake region is 5245.61 m, with the actual nearest neighbor distance being 3385.60 m, a z-score of −11.85, and a nearest neighbor index of 0.645786, indicating that traditional villages in this region exhibit clustered distribution. Combined with kernel density results, a “dual-core–four zones–multiple scatter points” spatial structure of traditional villages in the Taihu Lake region is revealed, with Dongshan Island and Wujiang District serving as the primary and secondary cultural cores, respectively. By establishing a “dual-ring heritage corridor” spatial network, a stable pathway for village heritage preservation and cultural transmission has been formed, consisting of 137 heritage corridors. Meanwhile, the CEC model demonstrates high adaptability in generating circular heritage corridors, particularly in creating closed-loop structures around the lake, thereby enhancing the spatial connectivity of the corridors and facilitating the effective flow of cultural resources. Through the strategic design of outer and inner ring corridors, this study successfully links traditional villages in the Taihu Lake region and develops optimal travel routes. The study provides practical solutions for the protection, revitalization, and integration of cultural tourism in the region and offers a new perspective for constructing heritage corridors in lakefront geographies in China.

As the cradle of Jiangnan culture, Suzhou is home to a dense concentration of historical architectural heritage that is currently facing existential threats from rapid urbanization. This study aims to develop a spatial heritage corridor network for conservation and sustainable utilization. Using kernel density estimation, this study identifies 15 kernel density groups, along with the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), to pinpoint clusters of historical architectural heritage and assess the involved resistance factors. Current Effective Conductance (CEC) theory is further applied to model spatial flow relationships among heritage nodes, leading to the delineation of 27 heritage corridors and revealing a spatial structure characterized by one primary core, one secondary core, and multiple peripheral zones. Based on 15 source points, six cultural relics-themed routes are proposed—three land-based and three waterfront routes—connecting historical sites, towns, and ecological areas. The study further recommends a resource management strategy centered on departmental collaboration, digital integration, and community co-governance. By integrating historical architectural types, settlement forms, and ecological patterns, the research builds a multi-scale narrative and experience system that addresses fragmentation while improving coordination and sustainability. This framework delivers practical advice on heritage conservation and cultural tourism development in Suzhou and the broader Jiangnan region.