Spatial distribution characteristics and protection strategies of National intangible cultural heritage in the Pearl river basin

While the spatial analysis of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) is well-established at national and provincial scales, cross-jurisdictional river basins remain a critical research gap. This study investigates the spatial heterogeneity of 289 national-level ICH items within China's Pearl River Basin to inform regional conservation planning. Employing Kernel Density Estimation and the Geographical Detector, the analysis identifies distribution patterns and quantifies the influence of key geographical and socioeconomic factors. Results reveal a pronounced upstream-downstream gradient, with ICH concentration culminating in Guangdong Province (52.2%), and a significantly clustered distribution forming primary agglomerations in the Pearl River Delta and Chaoshan regions. The Geodetector analysis indicates that topography is the dominant factor shaping the spatial pattern ([Formula: see text]= 0.27), while its interaction with transportation exerts the strongest synergistic effect ([Formula: see text] = 0.393). These findings suggest that the geography of national-level ICH is shaped more by foundational, path-dependent landscape features than by contemporary macro-economic indicators. Consequently, effective conservation necessitates a differentiated framework that focuses on protecting cultural originality in upstream "source" areas while leveraging the industrial capacity of downstream "sink" areas for sustainable development.