Abstract: ObjectiveIn order to align with international standards and promote the construction of a global ecological civilization while ensuring the distinctive protection of China’s natural and cultural resources, China has gradually clarified the deepening reform plan for the natural protected area system.Scenic and historic areas encompass natural and cultural landscapes with unique Chinese characteristics within the national territory, and their management system has been continuously improved over the past forty years of development.The scattered layout of multiple areas in Mount Heng has led to an imbalance in the protection, control, inheritance, and development of scenic resources in each area.In the context of the reconstruction of the natural protected area system, how to respond to the protection and control demands of scenic and historic areas is still an urgent issue that needs to be explored. In the context of the new era, combining the assessment of landscape characters from the integration perspective of aesthetic value, this paper attempts to explore the management and protection of scenic and historic areas, and attempts to explain the internal temporal and spatial order and correlation reflected in various types of landscapes, which helps to reduce the fragmentation and incompleteness of landscapes, expand the protection boundaries, connotation boundaries, and time boundaries of landscape resources.It can assist in delineating the key protection areas of scenic and historic areas guided by aesthetic values, thereby achieving overall protection from point scenery to area scenery.It can provide new perspectives for solving a series of problems in the process of integrating and optimizing scenic spots, such as the demand for sightseeing activities, conflicts in urban development, and the inheritance of ecological and cultural values. And be able to improve the international heritage aesthetic evaluation system from a Chinese perspective. Methods Based on the guidance ideas, evaluation methods, technical platforms, and conclusion descriptions of relevant landscape character assessment at home and abroad, and on the basis of determining the scope of the research object, a research framework for aesthetic value assessment of Mount Heng integrated with landscape character assessment is constructed through the combination of elbow method, K-means, entropy weight method, and TOPSIS method, which includes two stages: landscape character assessment and aesthetic value assessment.The stage of landscape character assessment mainly includes three steps: 1) screening and classification recognition of landscape character elements; 2) Classification and mapping of landscape character; 3) Translation and description of landscape character types.The stage of aesthetic value assessment mainly includes two steps: 1) screening of aesthetic value assessment indicators; 2) Aesthetic value grading and regional identification.Taking the Mount Heng, which has a scattered layout of multiple protected areas, as an example, this study conducts an aesthetic value assessment practice that couples the identification of landscape characters. Results Screened and classified the character elements of the scenery of Mount Heng, and used ArcGIS 10.6 to encode and visualize the classified elements, identified the spatial area ratio and distribution characteristics of each element.Using ArcGIS 10.6 spatial analysis tool, 14738 150m × 150m cells were constructed for the research scope of Mount Heng, and a gridded geographic information database of various elements was established. Identified 24 types and regions of landscape character in Mount Heng. Screened and classified the aesthetic value assessment indicators of Mount Heng, and constructed a grid database for each assessment element; We conducted a 5-level assessment and classification of aesthetic value levels and regional distribution. Found that within the core area and peripheral protected areas of Mount Heng, the distribution ratio of aesthetic value areas at all levels is relatively balanced.Analyzed the distribution characteristics of different levels of aesthetic value regions and the types of landscape characters covered.The main factors affecting aesthetic value were identified based on the types of landscape characters included in various levels of aesthetic value regions, including cultural scenic spots, vegetation coverage index, and water. ConclusionThe research on aesthetic value assessment Integrated with landscape character assessment provides the possibility of formulating the protection intensity and utilization methods of scenic and historic areas based on different aesthetic value, providing a more macro perspective for the protection of scenic and historic areas.Expanded the scope of assessment objects, screened assessment elements that reflect the historical and cultural characteristics of scenic and historic areas, and balanced the subjectivity and objectivity of assessment methods.The assessment results illustrate the types of landscape characters and aesthetic value features of scenic and historic areas in the form of a "picture". Which can effectively connect with higher-level planning, guide the balanced development of various areas and types of landscape resources, and guide the resilience protection and sustainable development of scenic and historic areas.Under the research idea that resource characteristics, control objectives, and value orientation jointly determine protection norms, this paper focuses on explaining the feasibility of evaluating the overall, refined, and targeted protection of scenic and historic areas, as well as the necessity of balancing the protection and utilization of scenic and historic areas through assessment and coordination under the management concept of "protecting as much as possible".