Journal of Applied Science and Engineering

Published by Tamkang University Press

ESCI jase impact factor scopus logo open access rate of Scopus journal

The Spatiotemporal Evolution and Driving Factors of Chinese Cliff Stone Carvings: A Case Study of 146 National Heritage Sites in Mainland China

 2026

 Volume 34

Ji Zhou1,2, Zhuting Tan1,2, Jiaxing Hu1,2, and Chao Xie1,2

1Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Intelligent Protection and Utilization Technology in Masonry Artifacts, Hunan University of
Science and Engineering, Yongzhou 425199, China

2Hunan Engineering Research Center of Health Monitoring and Intelligent Utilization in Immovable Cultural Relics, Hunan
University of Science and Engineering, Yongzhou 425199, China

Received: March 23, 2026
Accepted: June 10, 2026
Publication Date: August 05, 2026

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The study area and spatial distribution of the cliff stone carvings

 Copyright The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are cited.

Download Citation:  BibTeX | http://dx.doi.org/10.6180/jase.202611_34.017  

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Cliff stone carvings are a valuable form of material cultural heritage that integrates stone carving art with writing, calligraphy, historical records, and religious beliefs, serving as tangible evidence of the continuity of Chinese civilisation. This study investigates 146 nationally designated cliff stone carving heritage sites in mainland China. Using geospatial analytical methods-including Kernel Density Estimation (KDE), Geographical Concentration Index (GCI), and Standard Deviation Ellipse (SDE)-combined with ArcGIS spatial analysis, the spatiotemporal distribution patterns and driving factors are systematically examined. The results show that cliff stone carving activities span from the pre-Qin period to the Republic of China, peaking during the Song and Yuan dynasties. Spatially, sites display significant clustering, with core concentrations in Sichuan and Zhejiang and secondary clusters in Hunan, Shandong, and Fujian. Their distribution evolved from early dispersion to later concentration and convergence. Topography, waterways, socio-political development, and religious diffusion jointly influenced this pattern, offering insights for heritage conservation and sustainable regional
development.

Keywords: Cliff stone carvings; Spatiotemporal evolution; Geographic analysis methods; Driving factors

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