Coupling and Coordination Relationship between Traditional Mosques and Urbanization: A Case Study of the Grand Canal in Shandong Province, China

Abstract

The impact of urbanization is multifaceted, especially in China, the coordinated development between cities and traditional architecture is paramount. Therefore, to further promote the coordinated development between cities and traditional architecture, this study selects Traditional Mosques (TMs) along the Shandong section of the Grand Canal and their urban contexts as research subjects. By capturing Point of Information (POI) data from mosques along this section, the study observes the coupling relationship between traditional buildings and urban development within this area. The research reveals that TMs along the canal predominantly exhibit two distribution patterns: random and clustered. These patterns correspond to two types of relationships with urban development: alignment with the direction of the city and concentric inclusion. Within the random distribution pattern of TMs, a clustering phenomenon emerges, indicating a strengthening of the coupling and coordination between mosques and urban areas. Additionally, with the highest core densities of mosques at 212.2 and 106.1, it is evident that highly dense areas contribute to the agglomeration of the city’s economy and population, whereas less dense and isolated clusters have a lesser effect on the urban economy and population cohesion. Furthermore, the study finds that the central distribution of TMs is primarily driven by Hui migration and Muslim commercial settlement. Combined with the coupling and coordination values (C and D), it is observed that the distribution of mosques increasingly aligns and coordinates with urban development.