Page 162 - JCAU-7-2

Journal of Chinese
Architecture and Urbanism Tracing Minyue Kingdom’s roads with LCP

such as forts, trading posts, and settlement areas. the riverine routes, connections between Minyue and
These nodes were essential for the strategic control Jiangxi province, and military expedition routes toward
and economic development of the Minyue Kingdom. Nanyue and Dongou. Collectively, these routes spanned
The nodes not only served logistical purposes but over 10,000 km, connecting a vast area encompassing
also facilitated cultural interactions and the spread of present-day Fujian, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, and Guangdong
goods and ideas across the region. provinces, in China.
(iii) Topographical and geographical impacts: Fujian’s The identification of these routes, along with previously
diverse topography significantly influenced the undocumented branches, underscores the adaptability
development of road networks. The rugged terrain
dictated the placement and structure of roads, and strategic design employed by ancient societies in
shaping the economic and military strategies navigating challenging terrain. This extensive network
of the Minyue Kingdom. The roads adapted to facilitated not only inter-regional economic activities but
mountains, valleys, and waterways, illustrating an also social, cultural, and religious exchanges, suggesting
intricate understanding of landscape utilization and the existence of a sophisticated infrastructure essential to
management. the socio-political development of the Minyue Kingdom.
(iv) Cultural and historical insights: The reconstruction The application of the LCP model allowed for precise
of the road networks offered deeper insights into the mapping of these pathways, offering new historical insights
social and cultural dynamics of the Minyue period. The and a validated approach for reconstructing ancient road
roads were more than mere conduits for travel; they networks. By pinpointing specific route nodes, such as
were lifelines that carried cultural narratives, artisanal trading posts and forts, our analysis provides valuable
knowledge, and religious practices. They facilitated data on the spatial distribution of strategic points that
the spread of Buddhism and other cultural elements significantly influenced the kingdom’s economic and
from South to East Asia, enriching the cultural fabric cultural landscape. These findings have broad implications,
of the region. contributing not only to archaeological research on the
(v) Technological validation: Our use of the LCP model Minyue Kingdom but also providing a foundation for
validated its effectiveness in archaeological and future studies in other historically rich, yet geographically
historical studies. The model not only accurately complex regions.
mapped known roads but also predicted previously
undocumented routes based on geographical and In summary, this study demonstrates the profound
topographical data. This capability underscores the utility of GIS technology in archaeological and historical
potential of GIS and remote sensing technologies in research, paving the way for innovative preservation
uncovering and preserving unseen aspects of human strategies and enhancing the understanding of ancient
history. civilizations. The methodology established here serves
as a replicable model for similar analyses worldwide,
These results collectively contribute to a nuanced reinforcing the significance of integrating technological
understanding of the Minyue Kingdom’s transportation tools in exploring and safeguarding cultural heritage.
infrastructure and its broader socio-economic and cultural
contexts. The successful mapping and analysis of these 6. Conclusion
ancient roads open new avenues for the exploration of
historical interactions across Asia, providing a valuable The findings of this study provide valuable insights into the
framework for future archaeological investigations and ancient road networks of the Minyue Kingdom. To ensure
heritage conservation efforts. the validity of our propositions, we employed a multi-faceted
validation approach. Specifically, our results were cross-
5. Discussion referenced with existing archaeological evidence, including
artifacts and historical records, where available. In addition,
This study leverages GIS and the LCP model to reconstruct we conducted a sensitivity analysis to assess the impact of
and analyze the ancient transportation networks of variations in model parameters, thereby reinforcing the
the Minyue Kingdom, providing critical insights that robustness of our findings. This methodological rigor
enhance the understanding of early Chinese civilization’s underscores the credibility of our study.
logistical, economic, and cultural practices. As illustrated
in Figure 6, particularly, the key findings highlight In discussing our results, we acknowledge the
13 principal routes that constituted the backbone of importance of contextualizing them within the existing
the Minyue Kingdom’s transportation network. These body of research. While limited studies specifically address
included essential military and trade pathways, such as the ancient road networks of the Minyue Kingdom, we

Volume 7 Issue 2 (2025) 12 https://doi.org/10.36922/jcau.4226