Objective  The Hakka subgroup is a branch of the Chinese nationalities. Western Fujian has become a unique cultural area due to the settlement of Hakka there. Western Fujian includes Changting County, Liancheng County, Shanghang County, Yongding District, Wuping County, Ninghua County, Qingliu County and Mingxi County. The total area of this region is 19400 km². The traditional Hakka villages in Fujian are a material space formed under the dual influences of Hakka culture and the geographical environment in Western Fujian. During the construction of ideal living environments and the maintenance of rural social order, the traditional Hakka villages also reflect the cultural identity of Hakka people in Fujian. To this end, this research selects 138 traditional Hakka villages identified by national and provincial departments in this area for research, so as to fill in the gap of research on the regional types of traditional village groups in Fujian, further promote the regional protection, utilization and vitalization of traditional Hakka villages in Fujian, and provide ideas for the protection planning and construction of such villages.

Methods  Based on the analysis of such village characteristic information as dwelling characteristics, topographic slope, altitude, river characteristics, village space and village morphology, the research conducts a group-based study on 138 traditional Hakka villages in Western Fujian using the ArcGIS spatial analytical tool and the quantitative method for spatial pattern.

Results  The research reveals the following geographical spatial differentiation of traditional Hakka villages in Fujian under the same cultural background. 1) According to the regional spatial distribution of traditional Hakka dwellings in Fujian, the research identifies five characteristic village areas in Western Fujian, namely the village area characterized by terraced dwellings in the west, the village area characterized by patio-style dwellings in the east and southwest, the village area characterized by courtyard-style dwellings in the middle, the characteristic village area characterized by Lung Wai housing in the south, and the characteristic village area characterized by Yongding classic earth building in southeast. The division of these characteristic areas is more affected by the topographic water system than the administrative boundary. 2) According to the spatial distribution of village terrain slope, the research reveals that village siting and construction pay more attention to slope rather than elevation. The Hakka villages in Fujian are mainly located in areas with gentle slope, and the number of villages decreases with the increase in slope. The number of villages distributed in each altitude area is positively correlated with the specific area thereof, and the correlation between altitude and the spatial distribution of Hakka traditional villages in Fujian is weak. 3) According to the spatial distribution of the relationship between Hakka villages and river grade and river space, the research reveals that these villages are mostly located along low-grade rivers, so as to ensure sufficient water for living and production and avoid the danger of flood. More than 80% of the villages are closely related to river space. 4) Through analyzing village space using the spatial fractal dimension index, the research finds that the villages are highly dense and village construction lands highly intensive, leaving only a few public open spaces. 5) Through analyzing village morphology using the boundary shape index, the research finds that 88.5% of the villages are clustered and divided into 6 aggregation forms. The boundary of each village separates the inside and outside of the village. Clustered villages with clear village boundaries can strengthen the sense of ownership and security within the Hakka clan. The research further reveals the relationship between Hakka culture and spatial characteristics from three aspects: 1) influenced by the migration attribute of Hakka culture, the traditional Hakka villages in Western Fujian take survival as the primary goal, with the natural environment space therein presenting the character of passive adaptation; 2) influenced by the reclamation attribute of Hakka culture and in response to the goal of efficient space utilization, the village space presents the characteristic of high densification; 3) influenced by the clan attribute of Hakka culture, the village space presents the characteristic of strong cohesion.

Conclusion  The research reveals the diversified characteristics of traditional Hakka villages in Western Fujian, attempting to build a balanced protection and development system for traditional Hakka villages in Western Fujian. The research results may help transform the development pattern of traditional villages from single protection to group-based regional protection. Future researches are supposed to dig into the evolution and development law of the spatial characteristics of traditional Hakka villages in Fujian, discover the endogenous logic of the spatial construction of these villages, and explore the spatial model and formal language that conform to the traditional characteristics of Hakka villages in Fujian.