Research on the Sustainable Development of Villages in China’s Minority Regions Promoted by Cultural Factors<br/>—A Case Study of Changyang Tujia Autonomous County in China

Abstract

The harmonious and sustainable development of countryside is the key topic of current rural area development in China. The heterogeneity of the geographical environment results in the basis of diversified development modes of villages, besides, the regional differences of culture formed various “regional gene” in rural development. Under the background of cultural highlights and rural revival, cultural tourism has become a key factor of rural area development in minority regions, which featured by minority culture exhibitions and folk culture experiencing activities. Due to the impetus of the cultural tourism, both the introversive developing pattern in traditional rural areas and the social organization structure of these villages have been changed; nevertheless, this mode is bringing uncertain factors to rural areas development. This paper takes the villages of Tujia Autonomous County in Hubei Province as an example. Based on the historical development information of this region, the research tries to figure out the connotation of the Tujia culture; thereafter, the author attempts to generalize the core competitiveness of rural tourism through the activity planning of characteristic culture, which combined with rural industry development, social interaction, environmental renovation and rural reconstruction, to establish a sustainable development framework of the countryside. The study attempts to provide useful experience through this case to give some ideas on how to make breakthroughs on rural development in minority areas.