Heritage and Evolution of a Hakka Natural Village from the Perspective of Sustainable Development — Case Study of Tangxia Village, Guangzhou City

Abstract At present, the decline and disappearance of natural villages are widespread phenomena in China, with the appearance of problems such as one side of a thousand villages that are not conducive to the sustainable development of villages. China has a vast territory, and natural villages vary greatly in different regions. This study focuses on Hakka natural villages in Zengcheng district, Guangzhou city, Guangdong province. Taking Tangxia Village as an example, this study examines the heritage and evolution of a Hakka natural village space with reference to village site selection, homestead division, residential form, and public space. Several aspects that are not conducive to the sustainable development of villages are summarized in the paper, such as unreasonable site selection and homestead division, decline and vacancy of old buildings and low efficiency of new houses, and disappearance of the traditional style, etc. Comprising the largest proportion of villages in China, to a certain extent the development of natural villages determines the direction of sustainable development of the country’s rural areas. In order to explore the sustainable development path of natural villages, we must fully respect the local traditional culture and living customs, and the government, professionals and local residents should work together to maintain the lasting vitality of these villages.