In a groundbreaking study recently published, researchers have unveiled an extensive spatial and morphological analysis of the fortress relics scattered throughout Tianshui City in Gansu Province, China. Through integrating state-of-the-art geographic information technologies with rigorous field investigations, this study is the first of its kind to comprehensively catalog over 700 historic fortifications, providing unprecedented insights into their spatial layouts, sizes, and underlying environmental determinants. These ancient fortresses, often overlooked relics of regional defense, reveal nuanced details about human settlement patterns, environmental adaptation, and historical socio-political dynamics in this historically rich region.
The cornerstone of this research lies in the establishment of a cultural landscape database that amalgamates diverse data sources, including high-resolution remote sensing imagery, on-site archaeological surveys, archival historical records, and modern GIS techniques. This multifaceted approach enabled the accurate identification, naming, and geolocation of a remarkable total of 718 existing fortresses within Tianshui’s administrative boundaries. Such a comprehensive dataset offers a robust platform for analyzing the fortress distribution from both morphological and geographical perspectives, setting a precedent for similar future studies in other regions.
A meticulous analysis of the fortresses’ physical dimensions revealed remarkable diversity. The smallest fortress measured a mere 235 square meters, while the largest spanned an impressive 119,875 square meters. On average, fortress areas hovered around 5,338 square meters, roughly corresponding to a square footprint of approximately 60 meters on each side. These variations inherently reflect the differing strategic significance, construction eras, and perhaps the socioeconomic statuses of their builders. Understanding such dimensional diversity is critical, as it informs hypotheses about the defensive capacities and the functional dichotomies between these fortresses, ranging from military outposts to community refuges.
Spatial distribution analyses revealed intriguing patterns influenced strongly by both natural terrain and human socio-cultural factors. For instance, the highest density of fortresses was recorded in Wushan County, with as many as 17 fortresses per 100 square kilometers. This translates into an average spacing of only 1.71 kilometers between fortifications in this area, indicating a heavily fortified landscape. The distribution pattern in other counties varied, with some regions like Gangu showing more dispersed or seemingly random arrangements. This uneven spatial clustering corresponds with both topographical features and historical land-use dynamics, highlighting the interplay between environmental constraints and human strategic implementation.
Beyond sheer numbers and sizes, the morphological characteristics of the fortresses also offer critical clues. The measured shape index, averaging about 1.1354 with most values under 1.2, signals a predominance of regular geometric forms such as circles, ovals, and squares. Such geometric regularity is rarely accidental and likely reflects standardized construction techniques or cultural aesthetic preferences during the periods when these fortresses were erected. Morphology combined with location data further revealed that fortress placement closely followed the natural contours of the landscape, specifically ridges and hilly terrains, emphasizing strategic positioning in defensible topographies.
The relationship between fortress placement and natural environment variables such as elevation, slope, and orientation was rigorously quantified using spatial analytical methods. Most fortresses cluster between 1,000 and 2,200 meters above sea level, peaking notably within the narrower band of 1,600 to 1,800 meters. This altitudinal preference indicates a strategic balance between accessibility and defensibility, as well as possibly favorable climatic conditions for sustained human habitation. Moreover, fortresses overwhelmingly favored gentler slopes between 0 and 30 degrees and south-facing aspects, the latter aligning with traditional settlement preferences that maximize sunlight and shelter from prevailing winds, thereby facilitating both defense and daily life.
The study also expanded to analyze the influences of hydrological systems, transportation routes, and proximity to natural villages, suggesting a complex transmission mechanism wherein land productivity and population carrying capacity mediate settlement and fortification patterns. This finding underscores the importance of integrating both natural geography and anthropogenic factors when exploring historical settlement strategies. Despite individual environmental variables sometimes registering low explanatory power in isolation, their combined impact in shaping fortress distributions is substantial, reflecting a sophisticated interplay of ecological and socio-economic forces.
Complementing these environmental insights, the researchers traced the historical and cultural narratives underpinning fortress proliferation in Tianshui. The primary construction peak aligns with the mid-19th-century Tongzhi Hui Rebellion during the Qing Dynasty, a period characterized by widespread local defensive mobilization as residents erected these fortresses for self-protection. Thus, the Tianshui fortress network embodies a material history not only of past conflicts but also of communal resilience and adaptation. This cyclical pattern of construction and abandonment reflects the ebb and flow of regional stability and insecurity over centuries.
Crucially, the study reveals that these fortresses lacked hierarchical stratification or a clear military defense system akin to the Great Wall or the concentrated fortification clusters in other Chinese regions. Instead, fortresses were distributed widely and relatively homogeneously around almost every rural settlement. Their seemingly random yet widespread placement suggests a decentralized model of defense, shaped more by local social structures and community initiative than by centralized military planning. This insight enriches our understanding of regional defensive strategies, showing how grassroots mechanisms of protection can leave monumental cultural imprints on the landscape.
The implications of this research stretch beyond archaeology and historical geography into broader considerations of human-environment interactions. The sequence of influence—flowing from natural conditions to land productivity, then population carrying capacity, through settlement distribution and culminating in fortress placement—highlights the nuanced feedback loops shaping human habitation patterns. This transmission chain elucidates how landscape features set foundational constraints within which communities adapt, grow, and defend themselves. In this light, the Tianshui fortresses become not just relics of military history but also markers of sustainable human ecological integration.
Methodologically, the study’s integration of cutting-edge GIS technologies with classical cultural landscape research techniques sets a benchmark for future spatial archaeology projects. Techniques such as remote sensing image recognition and spatial statistical methods (e.g., density analysis, proximity metrics, and shape indices) were instrumental in deciphering complex spatial patterns that would otherwise remain hidden. The resulting high-resolution fortress database enables ongoing monitoring and comparative studies, facilitating deeper inquiries into temporal changes, conservation planning, and heritage management.
Furthermore, the study’s revelations about spatial clustering and morphological regularities raise exciting prospects for reconstructing historical communication and defense networks across Tianshui. Understanding fortress proximities and their spatial relationships to water sources, roads, and rural settlements sheds light on how communication might have been maintained and how communities coordinated defense strategies over challenging terrain. Such insights contribute to a growing recognition of the sophisticated local knowledge and logistical capabilities possessed by historical populations.
The intersection between geography, history, and culture unveiled in this research also provides valuable perspectives for modern regional planning and cultural tourism. Protecting these fortresses and their landscapes preserves the tangible legacies of community resilience while supporting local identity and economic opportunities. Emphasizing the multi-dimensional significance of these fortresses could foster sustainable conservation frameworks that balance heritage protection with contemporary human needs.
In conclusion, this comprehensive investigation into the extensive network of Tianshui fortresses offers a new lens through which to view regional historical geography, human settlement dynamics, and cultural resilience. It eloquently demonstrates how advanced spatial technologies, when paired with traditional fieldwork and historical analysis, can unravel complex interdependencies between people and place. The fortresses are not merely stones and earthworks but dynamic cultural landscapes that narrate centuries of human ingenuity in the face of environmental and social challenges.
By mapping and analyzing hundreds of these structures with scientific precision, the researchers have enriched the global discourse on fortress studies, landscape archaeology, and settlement geography. Their results challenge simplistic notions of military architecture and instead highlight the myriad ways that communities across time have harnessed their natural surroundings, negotiated security concerns, and constructed spatial identities. This pioneering study paves the way for multi-disciplinary explorations combining technology, history, and ecology in revealing humanity’s past spatial strategies.
As technology progresses and archives expand, further research building on this foundational work may explore temporal dynamics, fortress construction phases, and comparative analyses with other fortress clusters across China and beyond. Such investigations carry the promise of deepening our collective understanding of how humans across cultures conceive of space, defense, and community—a testament to the enduring significance of the Tianshui fortress landscape within the wider tapestry of human history.
Subject of Research: Spatial distribution patterns and influencing factors of fortresses in Tianshui, Gansu Province, China
Article Title: An investigation into the spatial distribution patterns and influencing factors of fortresses in Tianshui, Gansu Province, China
Article References:
Song, S., Wang, S., Li, X. et al. An investigation into the spatial distribution patterns and influencing factors of fortresses in Tianshui, Gansu Province, China. Humanit Soc Sci Commun 12, 1337 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-05399-2
Image Credits: AI Generated
