Spatial–Temporal Patterns of Cultural Heritage in the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River and Their Relationship with the Natural Environment

Against the backdrop of a gradual shift in the focus of cultural heritage (CH) conservation and utilization toward the integrated system formed by CH and its surrounding environment as well as regional systems, research on the coordinated protection of nature and culture to promote regional high-quality development has become a new trend. However, systematic summaries of the spatial–temporal distribution of CH in cross-regional typical geomorphic units at the river basin scale and their correlation with the natural environment remain insufficient. This study takes 387 Cultural Relics Protection Units in the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River (the Three Gorges region) as the research objects, utilizing GIS spatial analysis technology to examine the impact of the natural environment on CH across different periods and types. The theory of time-depth is introduced to reveal the layering mechanisms and underlying cultural logics. Coupled with the Minimum Cumulative Resistance (MCR) model, this study constructs a cultural corridor network and proposes spatial planning strategies. The findings are as follows: (1) The absolute core area for the distribution of CH across all periods remains the gentle slope zone near the river, characterized by elevations below 500 m, slopes within 25°, and distances from water systems within 1 km. However, the adaptive scope exhibits a diachronic evolution from core accumulation to peripheral expansion. (2) Different types of CH exhibited distinct natural adaptation strategies and vertical accumulation. Settlement Sites in the Before Qin Dynasty Period formed the foundational layer of survival rationality, while Ordinary Tombs in the Qin–Yuan Dynasty Period reinforced sedentism. Ancient Architecture in the Ming–Qing Dynasty Period underwent a transformation from “adapting to nature” to “reconstructing nature” as a product of environmental construction. Modern and Contemporary Significant Historical Sites and Representative Buildings in the After Qing Dynasty Period are characterized by a ruptured insertion on steep slopes, inscribing revolutionary memory onto space. The main stream of the Yangtze River serves as the core area of continuous deposition, while the extremely steep slopes form a distinctive stratigraphic accumulation of precipitous terrain. (3) Based on these distribution patterns, the study further proposes a spatial framework for CH called “One Corridor, Three Wings.” This framework uses the main stream of the Yangtze River as the spatial–temporal axis, linking the four core overlapping nodes of Fengjie, Wushan, Badong, and Xiling, supplemented by three secondary cultural clusters of the red heritage sites in southern Badong, the ancient town along the Daning River in Wushan, and the fortress sites in the Xiling–Yiling area. This research not only reveals the evolutionary path of CH in the Three Gorges region, but also provides a scientific basis for the systematic conservation and differentiated utilization of regional CH. Furthermore, it serves as a planning foundation and strategic reference for planning the Yangtze River National Cultural Park, as well as for the integrated preservation and utilization of river basin CH and linear CH with the aim of coordinated natural and cultural conservation.