Spatial Distribution and Influencing Factors of Intangible Cultural Heritage Based on Four-Level Data: A Case Study of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region

Intangible cultural heritage (ICH) embodies national memory. China has established a four-level ICH protection system covering national, provincial/autonomous regional, municipal, and county levels. The Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region possesses abundant ICH resources formed by intensive cultural integration. However, existing studies have mostly focused on the national and provincial levels and paid insufficient attention to county-level ICH, which restricts detailed analysis of its spatial characteristics. Based on 1546 four-level ICH items, this study employs GIS spatial analysis and the geodetector method to investigate the spatial distribution characteristics and driving factors of ICH. The results indicate that ICH quantity is the highest in Yinchuan (372) and the lowest in Shizuishan (163). Traditional skills (763) are predominant, while Quyi (15) is the rarest. The imbalance index (s = 0.1553) and the geographic concentration index (G = 46.1) demonstrate that ICH is unevenly distributed and clustered at the municipal scale, showing a pattern of high density in the north and low density in the south. The Hui population (q = 0.5639), cultural industry employees (q = 0.4835), and annual precipitation (q = 0.3809) are the main driving factors, with significant multi-factor interactions. This research provides a theoretical reference and practical paradigm for balanced ICH protection and living heritage in Ningxia.