Objective Agricultural cultural heritage, particularly grain field system, plays a crucial role in preserving traditional agricultural practices, safeguarding food security, and promoting ecological sustainability. In recent years, with the rapid growth of rural tourism, many agricultural cultural heritage sites have been integrated into tourism development plans. However, this process has led to challenges such as landscape degradation, cultural assimilation, and natural environment deterioration. In order to address these challenges, this research aims to develop strategies that can preserve the authenticity of agricultural cultural heritage while fostering sustainable tourism and cultural revitalization.

Methods This research utilizes the list of China Nationally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (China-NIAHS), designated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) of the People’s Republic of China, as the foundational dataset. Focusing specifically on 46 grain field agricultural heritage sites, this research integrates methods including field survey, systematic literature review, and in-depth case analysis. Key areas of investigation include the spatial distribution, landscape characteristics, and core elements of these heritage sites. The research further identifies major challenges and issues related to rural tourism development and proposes targeted strategies to enhance the tourism landscape of agricultural heritage within grain field system.

Results The research finds that the shaping of the tourism landscape of agricultural heritage within grain field system meets a series of challenges such as prolonged off-season, limited distinctiveness, and weakened cultural transmission ability. To address these challenges, this research proposes a series of targeted strategies aimed at enhancing the tourism value of agricultural heritage sites while preserving their unique characteristics: 1) Authenticity preservation. This strategy focuses on maintaining the intrinsic quality and authenticity of agricultural landscape, emphasizing the protection of ecological foundations. By preserving traditional farming practices and natural landscape characteristics, this approach seeks to strengthen the heritage value of these sites and ensure their cultural significance is respected and sustained. 2) All-season landscape construction. Given the seasonal limitations that many of these sites experience, this strategy aims to develop an appealing landscape that can attract visitors all year round. It involves incorporating seasonal flora and planning cultural events in alignment with the agricultural calendar, thereby creating an ongoing scenic appeal and enhancing visitor engagement throughout the year. 3) Regional adaptation. Recognizing the importance of context-specific design, this strategy advocates for landscape adaptations that respect local environment, climate, and cultural context. It encourages tailored landscape characteristics that harmonize with regional characteristics, with a view to ensuring that tourism landscapes can reflect and enhance the unique identity of the sites where they are located. 4) Immersive experience. To foster a deeper cultural connection and visitor engagement, this strategy promotes the integration of interactive and experiential activities within the landscape. Examples include hands-on agricultural experience, cultural workshop, and educational tour, which allow visitors to engage directly with local cultural and agricultural heritage. By offering immersive experience, the strategy aims to strengthen the cultural transmission of traditional practices and enhance visitor satisfaction.

Conclusion This research presents a comprehensive framework to balance the dual objectives of preserving agricultural cultural heritage and fostering tourism development within grain field system. The framework provided can serve as a valuable reference for policymakers, landscape architects, and cultural heritage managers, helping them implement strategies that protect and commemorate the cultural legacy of agricultural system while fostering sustainable tourism that supports rural communities and stimulates long-term economic growth.