Rural service centers in China: development, spatial distribution, and urban sustainability
With the rise of rural revitalization, rural service centers, specialized in governing and serving rural areas and characterized by certain cultural attributes, have emerged in rural planning. This article aims to analyze and evaluate the spatial distribution of these rural service centers across di...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Earth Science |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2025.1539842/full |
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| author | Shuai Yang Junxin Song Yile Chen Liang Zheng Yurong Ma Yue Huang |
| author_facet | Shuai Yang Junxin Song Yile Chen Liang Zheng Yurong Ma Yue Huang |
| author_sort | Shuai Yang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | With the rise of rural revitalization, rural service centers, specialized in governing and serving rural areas and characterized by certain cultural attributes, have emerged in rural planning. This article aims to analyze and evaluate the spatial distribution of these rural service centers across different regions, including their distribution patterns and the specific layout and zoning of micro-spatial functions. A combination of field surveys, data collection, and Geographic Information System analysis is employed to investigate the spatial characteristics of rural service centers in China. The study found that: (1) the number of rural service center construction projects across Chinese provinces has increased since 2017, peaking in 2021; and (2) the regional distribution varies significantly. Eastern and southeastern provinces such as Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Guangdong exhibit a high concentration of rural service centers, attributed to strong economic development, compact urban construction bureaus, and high land-use efficiency. In contrast, the western and northeastern provinces—including Gansu, Heilongjiang, and Jilin—show a lower concentration, due to factors such as challenging natural environments, climate conditions, and slower economic development. This spatial distribution clearly reflects regional disparities in economic development, population density, and levels of urban and rural infrastructure. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c4fdfb6daecc41ae9c1719f082a0e9a5 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2296-6463 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Earth Science |
| spelling | doaj-art-c4fdfb6daecc41ae9c1719f082a0e9a52025-08-20T03:47:41ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Earth Science2296-64632025-05-011310.3389/feart.2025.15398421539842Rural service centers in China: development, spatial distribution, and urban sustainabilityShuai Yang0Junxin Song1Yile Chen2Liang Zheng3Yurong Ma4Yue Huang5Center for Liangzhu Civilization Studies and Center for Cultural Heritage Studies, Hangzhou City University, Hangzhou, ChinaInstitute for Research on Portuguese Speaking Countries, City University of Macau, Macau, Macao SAR, ChinaFaculty of Humanities and Arts, Macau University of Science and Technology. Avenida Wai Long, Taipa, Macao SAR, ChinaFaculty of Humanities and Arts, Macau University of Science and Technology. Avenida Wai Long, Taipa, Macao SAR, ChinaDepartment of Chinese Language and Literature, Faculty of Arts, Hong Kong Shue Yan University, Braemar Hill Campus, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, ChinaHangzhou Animation & Game College, Hangzhou Vocational & Technical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, ChinaWith the rise of rural revitalization, rural service centers, specialized in governing and serving rural areas and characterized by certain cultural attributes, have emerged in rural planning. This article aims to analyze and evaluate the spatial distribution of these rural service centers across different regions, including their distribution patterns and the specific layout and zoning of micro-spatial functions. A combination of field surveys, data collection, and Geographic Information System analysis is employed to investigate the spatial characteristics of rural service centers in China. The study found that: (1) the number of rural service center construction projects across Chinese provinces has increased since 2017, peaking in 2021; and (2) the regional distribution varies significantly. Eastern and southeastern provinces such as Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Guangdong exhibit a high concentration of rural service centers, attributed to strong economic development, compact urban construction bureaus, and high land-use efficiency. In contrast, the western and northeastern provinces—including Gansu, Heilongjiang, and Jilin—show a lower concentration, due to factors such as challenging natural environments, climate conditions, and slower economic development. This spatial distribution clearly reflects regional disparities in economic development, population density, and levels of urban and rural infrastructure.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2025.1539842/fullrural service centersspatial distributionurban sustainabilityspatial formbuilding typecultural preservation |
| spellingShingle | Shuai Yang Junxin Song Yile Chen Liang Zheng Yurong Ma Yue Huang Rural service centers in China: development, spatial distribution, and urban sustainability Frontiers in Earth Science rural service centers spatial distribution urban sustainability spatial form building type cultural preservation |
| title | Rural service centers in China: development, spatial distribution, and urban sustainability |
| title_full | Rural service centers in China: development, spatial distribution, and urban sustainability |
| title_fullStr | Rural service centers in China: development, spatial distribution, and urban sustainability |
| title_full_unstemmed | Rural service centers in China: development, spatial distribution, and urban sustainability |
| title_short | Rural service centers in China: development, spatial distribution, and urban sustainability |
| title_sort | rural service centers in china development spatial distribution and urban sustainability |
| topic | rural service centers spatial distribution urban sustainability spatial form building type cultural preservation |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2025.1539842/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT shuaiyang ruralservicecentersinchinadevelopmentspatialdistributionandurbansustainability AT junxinsong ruralservicecentersinchinadevelopmentspatialdistributionandurbansustainability AT yilechen ruralservicecentersinchinadevelopmentspatialdistributionandurbansustainability AT liangzheng ruralservicecentersinchinadevelopmentspatialdistributionandurbansustainability AT yurongma ruralservicecentersinchinadevelopmentspatialdistributionandurbansustainability AT yuehuang ruralservicecentersinchinadevelopmentspatialdistributionandurbansustainability |