From military defense to cultural continuity: the spatial transformation of Tunpu settlements in central Guizhou, China

Conflict and defense strategies significantly shape the evolution of settlement space. This study examines the Tunpu settlements in central Guizhou, China, as a case example to investigate the spatial adaptation mechanisms of military defense heritage within conflict-affected environments. By integrating historical documents, GIS analysis, and field investigations, the research identifies three adaptive characteristics that emerged during the transition of Tunpu from a state-led military system to a community-based self-defense structure: first, the strategic use of karst terrain to create a “natural-artificial” composite defense system, reflecting the ecological wisdom of “low-tech, high-intelligence” design; second, the coexistence of multi-ethnic architectural techniques fostering the secularization of functional spaces; and third, the dynamic transmission of military heritage through cultural hybridity. A comparative analysis with international defensive settlements reveals that the resilience of Tunpu settlements resides in a community-led mechanism of functional continuity and spatial reproduction. Building on these findings, this paper proposes an adaptive cycle conservation strategy to support the dynamic inheritance and sustainable development of cultural heritage.