Abstract:To address the erosion of local cultural identity and the homogenization of traditional village landscapes, this study proposes a comprehensive evaluation system for rural landscape features in southern Jiangsu, grounded in the concept of landscape genes. Landscape genes are classified into four types: core genes, variant genes, missing carrier genes, and general genes. An indicator system comprising four dimensions, eleven categories, and twenty-seven sub-indicators was constructed. Six representative villages in the region were selected for empirical analysis using the AHP-TOPSIS method. Results show that while the overall preservation and development of rural landscape in the region are satisfactory—particularly in geographical and sociocultural aspects—significant disparities remain in architectural and spatial morphology elements. Accordingly, the study proposes strategies for enhancing rural identity, including identifying and protecting core genes, restoring missing carriers, rehabilitating variant genes, and reactivating general landscape genes to promote localized, sustainable development.
