Dentification of Cultural Genes in Rural Marketplace Regional Lifestyle and Analysis of Resident-Tourist Preferences : A Case Study of Weichuan Market in Henan, China

In the context of rural revitalization, rural markets function as key carriers of regional lifestyles, yet they have long been overlooked in existing research and practice. Based on field investigation of Yuchuan Market in Henan Province, this study established an identification pathway of “regional lifestyle → cultural carrier → cultural gene” through a four-stage process of “carrier identification - carrier classification - carrier decomposition - gene identification.” Through participant observation and interviews, textual data was collected to derive cultural genes categorized into two major classifications (material and spiritual) and eight subcategories (space, goods, facilities, food, trade, social interaction, language, and activities). A Likert scale was designed to conduct descriptive statistics and independent sample t-tests on 188 resident questionnaires and 154 tourist questionnaires. The research findings are as follows: (1) Food genes (3.262), social interaction genes (3.258), and activity genes (3.255) constitute the core elements of market culture; (2) Tourists' evaluations of cultural genes were generally higher than those of residents, with the greatest dimensional differences observed in facility, language, and commodity genes; (3) Based on these differential characteristics, a revitalization approach is proposed that positions residents as core users and tourists as incidental users. Theoretically, this study extends the concept of cultural genes from static villages to dynamic markets, providing an integrated paradigm of “qualitative excavation + quantitative verification.” Practically, the eight-dimensional cultural gene inventory and dual-circulation strategy present practical tools for the renewal, operation, and evaluation of rural markets.