The Research On The Transformation And The Modes Of Protection And Utilization Of The Fortress Settlements Along The Great Wall In The Ming Dynasty In Shanxi Province

The Great Wall is not just a single wall, but constituted by the walls, watch towers,passes, fortresses, beacon towers and other fortifications to be a rigorous and completedefense engineering system with a certain depth. The Great Wall is designated as theworld cultural heritage, and the military fortresses along the Great Wall, which is anintegral part of the military defense system, deserve attention and protection. However,historical and cultural information implied in most of the military fortresses along theGreat Wall of the Ming Dynasty suffered severe damage and the protection situation isnot optimistic. Shanxi Province, which is located in the heart of the military defensesystem of the Great Wall in the Ming Dynasty, retained a lot of military fortresses.Except several of the military fortresses have been designated as the Historical andCultural Towns (or Villages) by government, the large number fortresses not beingselected are facing the following dilemmas: the fragile ecological environment, the“island” and “marginalized” problems of the cultural heritage, the destruction ofheritage body, slow economic and social development and other issues. Based onanalysis of historical evolution of the military fortresses and the new concept inheritage conservation field, the dissertation explores sustainable ways for conservationand utilization of the military fortresses along the Great Wall in the Ming Dynasty inShanxi Province, which has importantly theoretical and practical significance.Starting from the historical development process, this dissertation analyzes thehistoric pattern and transformation of the military fortresses along the Great Wall in theMing Dynasty in Shanxi Province, summarizes the historic spatial relationshipsbetween the military fortresses and the Ming Great Wall and its historical layout characteristics, analyzes influencing factors of historic transformation of the militaryfortresses，and reveals four transformation types of the military fortresses along theGreat Wall in the Ming Dynasty: regional central towns or ordinary villages and towns,commercial towns, being abolished fortresses and uninhabited fortresses. Based on thehistorical evolution process and combined with the analysis of the landscape types aswell as the landscape elements, the dissertation further analyzes scientific value,artistic value, cultural and social values of the military fortresses along the Ming GreatWall.Taking the value assessment as a basis, the dissertation elaborates theconservation and utilization strategies and methods of military fortresses in threedifferent layers, from the regional area, the settlement to the element, using the conceptof heritage corridor. On the regional level, it emphasizes on coordination betweenheritage conservation, ecological protection and economic and social development,harmonization of the protection relationship between the military fortresses, the MingGreat Wall and other military elements, establishment of the cooperative mechanism ofthe Ming Great Wall heritage corridor areas; On the level of settlement, it studies theoverall spatial pattern of the settlements along the periphery of the military fortresses,integrates it into the Ming Great Wall heritage corridor and highlights the “coherentstructures” of the military fortresses in order to realize the conservation of spatialstructure of the military fortresses; On the level of elements, it specifically addressesthe conservation and utilization strategies and methods of the walls and traditionalresidence based on value assessment.With the concept of heritage corridor, the dissertation proposes the protectionnetwork mode of “region-heritage corridor-node” from the regional perspective. Thismode is an organic military fortress conservation network system which is composedby ecological and economic zones, green corridors, tour path system and exhibitionand utilization system, including the elements of point, line and area. Firstly, throughconstruction of ecological and economic zones along the Great Wall of the MingDynasty, building eco-economic system of military fortresses; Secondly, by buildingthe green corridors network, forming the green protection system of military fortresses;Thirdly, through the plan of tour path system, improving the transportation system of military fortresses; Fourthly, by dividing sub-areas of display and utilization,promoting the facilities construction of display and utilization of military fortresses.On the settlement layer, learning from the concept of cultural landscape, the authoremphasizes on the principle of integration in three aspects: time, space, and culturalproperty of the military fortresses. Furthermore, the dissertation proposes threeconservation and utilization modes. The first one is the activation sightseeing modeadapted to the type of dependent fortresses in scenic. The second type is organicrenewal mode adapted to the form of livable fortresses. The third type is ecologicalpicturesque mode adapted to the uninhabited fortresses, which have unique ecologyvalue and age value. Regarding to conservation measures, the third mode implements"mere protection" to the ruins, on the one hand, the dissertation proposes "maximum"principle of protection to the ecological environment considering values of theuninhabited fortresses. That is to achieve conservation function of ecologicalenvironment on the ruins through regional small watershed governance and greencorridors building. on the other hand, it puts forward ecological picturesque modewhich implements "minimum" principle of protection on the ruins of uninhabitedfortresses, but the maintenance and reinforcement, not in favor of changing its originalfeatures.