Objective Since the initiation of reform and opening-up, China’s urbanization process has significantly accelerated, driven predominantly by economic benefits. This rapid development has led to extensive demolition and reconstruction in certain areas, which has compromised the character of these areas. New urban development projects often achieve swift renewal by replicating the styles of neighboring towns, while neglecting local distinctiveness, which consequently results in indistinct landscape character and a high degree of homogenization in appearance, contributing to the phenomenon of “a single face for a thousand cities”, Such uniformity negatively impacts regional competitiveness and attractiveness. This issue is particularly pronounced in geographically similar areas like the Yangtze River Delta, where flat terrain and gentle land slopes facilitate large-scale development, further exacerbating the trend towards landscape homogenization. Therefore, in areas with similar geographical characteristics and lacking sufficient historical imagery data, accurately identifying and refining the management of landscapes remains a significant challenge. In recent years, there has been an increasing recognition of the need to preserve and enhance the unique character of urban and rural landscapes. The loss of local identity due to rapid urbanization not only diminishes the aesthetic value of these areas, but also affects their cultural heritage. In areas such as the Yangtze River Delta, characterized by plain water networks, the challenge is compounded by the similarity in natural environments and the ease of large-scale development. Thus, developing effective strategies for landscape control that respect and highlight local distinctiveness is crucial for fostering sustainable development and enhancing regional competitiveness.

Methods In response to the need for precise identification to highlight urban-rural landscape, to the increasingly refined creation of distinctive spaces, and to the solving of homogenization issue in areas with similar geographical characteristics, this research reviews relevant literature, extends the conceptual connotation of urban-rural landscape , and summarizes the strengths and limitations of existing methods for landscape identification and delineation. An innovative approach integrating “spatial integrity”-oriented landscape character identification with “temporal continuity”-oriented semantic analysis of classical poetry is proposed. This approach aims to discern character homogenization and accurately delineate character control zones in areas with similar geographical characteristics. Taking the Nanxun Area in Huzhou City as the research area, the research first employs landscape character assessment to define the research scope, and leverages tools such as ArcGIS and eCognition to identify and partition landscape character zones. Subsequently, based on the Ming and Qing poetry collection Xunxi Poetry Collection (“Xunxishizheng”), it employs Python and Gephi for semantic analysis to reconstruct historical scenes. These scenes are then spatially located and superimposed onto the identified character zones to provide a comprehensive understanding of landscape evolution and homogenization.

Results Research results are summarized as follows. 1) Character zone identification: The application of landscape character assessment delineates six character zones in the Nanxun Area. However, the descriptive semantics of these zones exhibit minimal differentiation, highlighting challenges in distinguishing unique landscape traits. 2) Historical scene reconstruction: This analysis enables the reconstruction of five historical scenes: “A Distant Voyage by Boat”, “Residing in Harmony with the Waterside”, “Honoring the Land with Abundance of Game”, “Flourishing Flowers and Joyful Work”, and “Hidden Hermitage for Zen Meditation”. These scenes demonstrate historical associations with the identified character zones. 3) Overlaying character zones yield two contrasting results: The cross-zone distribution of similar historical scenes and the co-occurrence of multiple historical scenes within the same character zone. The former indicates a certain degree of landscape homogenization in Nanxun during the Ming and Qing dynasties, possibly due to the spread of pond-dike reclamation techniques and the concentric distribution pattern of “commercial trading centers and surrounding settlements”; the latter identifies key zones in the Nanxun Area that require precise control, particularly those located at water transport hubs.

Conclusion The method of dividing landscape control zones based on the integration of landscape character assessment and historical scene analysis aids in identifying critical zones for precise control in areas with similar geographical characteristics, while also finding historical reasons for landscape homogenization. This research provides methodological evidence for the landscape control of urban and rural areas in the Yangtze River Delta area, characterized primarily by plain water networks. The research addresses the core issues of current landscape homogenization and the loss of local character, offering technical pathways for planning practices aimed at enhancing landscape distinctiveness in the Yangtze River Delta. This approach contributes to boosting the overall attractiveness and sustainable development capacity of such areas.