Temporal–Spatial Evolution and Formation Mechanism of Cultural Landscapes in Poetry: The Case of Yangtze River National Cultural Park in Hubei Province

Chinese poetry is rich in cultural landscapes, and the cultural spirit in poetry imbues these landscapes with profound meaning and value. Exploring and integrating the cultural landscape resources in poetry offers a novel approach for the planning and development of national cultural parks (NCPs). In this study, the Yangtze River NCP in Hubei Province is chosen as the case study area, owing to its deep historical heritage in poetic literature and its wealth of poetic works. The temporal–spatial evolution and formation mechanisms of cultural landscapes in poetry (CLP) from the Pre-Qin period to the Republic of China period are examined by using the landscape index, ArcGIS spatial analysis methods, Geodetector, and cultural ecology theory. This study contributes to research on CLP in two key ways: (1) The landscape index is used to evaluate the cultural value of CLP and is subsequently incorporated as a weighting factor in spatial analysis. It enables more precise identification of the spatial patterns of CLP and highlight the most iconic and culturally significant landscapes. This supports the optimization and integration of Chinese poetic cultural resources. (2) Drawing on cultural ecology theory, Geodetector is applied to examine the influencing factors and underlying mechanisms shaping the temporal–spatial evolution of CLP. It offers theoretical insights into the formation mechanisms of spatial distribution in other forms of cultural heritage. Overall, this study broadens the perspective on cultural landscapes in Chinese poetry and provides practical guidance for the planning and construction of the Yangtze River NCP in Hubei Province.