Exploring spatial heterogeneity and influencing factors of cultural inheritance level in mountain traditional villages: a case of Leishan County

In Southwest China’s multi-ethnic mountainous regions, fragmented terrain has preserved numerous traditional villages. Yet the progression of urbanization and tourism has eroded cultural heritage in these villages, rendering the preservation-development equilibrium an urgent challenge. Crucially, the specific factors affecting cultural inheritance in local villages require further investigation. To address this gap, this study applied Cultural Ecosystem Theory to evaluate the Cultural Inheritance Level (CIL) of 43 villages in Leishan County, Guizhou. The Multiscale Geographically Weighted Regression (MGWR) model was employed to identify driving factors and quantify their spatially varying impacts. The findings revealed significant regional spatial differentiation in the CIL. Notably, areas with rugged terrain were more affected by positive factors—cultural heritage protection policies. The pressures of mass tourism are negatively correlated with CIL, with amplified effects in tourism-developed regions. This study delivers a CIL assessment framework and targeted policy recommendations for cultural heritage protection within this regional context.