A Study on the Examination of Ethnic Ecological Culture from the Geospatial Dimension: A Case of the Qilian Mountains in China

Ethnic ecological culture is a concept derived from ecological anthropology. It refers to a cultural system formed by ethnic minorities in their long-term production and life practices, which enables harmonious coexistence with the natural environment. This cultural system embodies ecological ethics and values of respecting, following, and protecting nature, and possesses profound ecological ideological resources and cultural connotations. The evolutionary mechanisms of ethnic ecological culture are highly complex, shaped by multiple factors such as natural environmental changes, socioeconomic development, policy and institutional reforms, and population mobility. Analyzing the spatial distribution, pattering logic, and interaction mechanisms of regional ethnic ecological culture can illuminate the intricate connections between culture and geography. This study focuses on the Qilian Mountain area, employing literature review (n=210), field surveys (n=114), case studies, and spatial analysis to investigate the spatial characteristics, connotative traits, and inheritance patterns of its ethnic ecological culture. The results reveal that: (1) at the macro level, the Qilian Mountain area serves as a hub for cultural exchange and integration; at the micro level, rural village cultures exhibit a hierarchical structure of “family-village-township-region”; (2) the region’s ethnic ecological culture reflects harmonious human-land relationships, cultural symbiosis, and traditional inheritance; (3) traditional buildings, cultural relics, and family-community practices are pivotal for cultural transmission; and (4) urbanization and migration have hollowed out villages, creating intergenerational gaps, while tourism has converted culture into economic capital, sometimes compromising authenticity. These findings underscore the need for multi-dimensional development strategies that balance the protection of cultural heritage with the activation of rural cultural vitality, shifting from “static preservation” to “dynamic inheritance”. Integration cultural inheritance into urban-rural planning, industrial development, and ecological protection can promote the coevolution of “territorial space” and “cultural identity”, offering a Chinese model for global mountain culture conservation.