Traditional Chinese villages are vital heritage of agricultural civilization, embodying historical memories, life wisdom, and cultural genes. However, with the accelerating urbanization and industrialization, traditional villages have gradually lost their advantages in population, industry, and space, exhibiting distinct shrinking characteristics. A large number of villages are gradually declining without effective protection and renewal; some even renovated villages have fallen into the dilemma of "cultural emptiness". Statistics show that nearly 900,000 natural villages in China have disappeared in the past decade, and the protection of traditional villages is extremely urgent [12]. How to explore a sustainable, low-cost renewal model that respects local characteristics under the condition of limited resources has become a common concern of the academic and practical circles. This paper proposes a renewal path based on the theory of "adaptive regeneration", advocating that on the premise of acknowledging that the problems of villages are difficult to be completely solved, the concept of "surviving with problems" should be adopted. Through subtle and precise interventions, the decline process can be delayed, and the cultural and social vitality of villages can be maintained.

Caiyu Zhang, Xuan Wang. Theoretical Construction of Adaptive Regeneration for Shrinking Traditional Villages. Academic Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences (2025), Vol. 8, Issue 11: 58-64. https://doi.org/10.25236/AJHSS.2025.081110.

[1] Chen, M. J., & Chen, N. (2025, March 28). Study on the conservation, utilization and development of traditional villages in Henan. Henan Daily. http://m.toutiao.com/group/7486701037256966671/? upstream_biz=doubao

[2] Dongmo Wamba, M., Montagner, J. P., & Romanowicz, B. (2023). Imaging deep-mantle plumbing beneath La Réunion and Comores hot spots: Vertical plume conduits and horizontal ponding zones. Science Advances, 9(4), eade3723. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9876543/ (Note: The original short URL http://www.shurl.cc/73d1138692a55f0ffe99c78e8e661d41 redirects to this official link)

[3] Fujian Provincial People’s Government. (2025, February 11). Xiamen: Exploring a path for the modern governance of urban villages. https://www.fj.gov.cn/zwgk/ztzl/sxzygwzxsgzx/flsxkmh/ 202502/ t20250211_6713260.htm

[4] Guangming Online. (2022, December 31). Across China: "Hollow villages" undergo transformation to improve lives. http://en.gmw.cn/2022-12/31/content_36271189.htm

[5] Li, B. H., Liu, P. L., Dou, Y. D., & Chen, C. (2022, January 16). "Beyond smart shrinkage": Rural planning transformation and governance innovation - International experience and localization construction. China Rural Research Institute of Central China Normal University. https://ccrs.ccnu.edu. cn/List/H5Details.aspx?tid=19727

[6] Lin, L., & Wang, X. W. (2021). Tumor-surviving and tumor-treating based on the holistic concept of traditional Chinese medicine. China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica, 36(10), 2077-2080. https: //doi.org/10.16368/j.issn.1674-8999.2021.10.434

[7] Liu, X., & Li, Y. (2020). Adapting villages: An architectural framework for regenerating Dong minority settlements. In Proceedings of the 4th International Conference s.arch - 2017 (pp. 123-135). https://78bce6a7-9f60-4bc2-8de1-818b71a765d8.filesusr.com/ugd/d915cd_82180e5f33ef484bb821d7b63844775d.pdf

[8] Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of the People’s Republic of China. (2023, June 15). Report on the protection and development of traditional villages in China (2023). https://www. mohurd.gov.cn/gongzuodongtai/fdczx/tjgb/202306/t20230615_768988.html

[9] Sun, H., Chen, C., & Zhu, X. M. (2021, August 31). Study on village classification and development strategies under the concept of "five states" integration - A case study of traditional villages in southern Shaanxi. New Architecture, (4), 105-110. http://nfjz.arch.scut.edu.cn/CN/Y2021/V0/I4/105

[10] Tana, L. S. (2019). Research progress on community participation in tourism development. Yunnan Geographic Environment Research, 31(1), 30-39+54. (Accessible via the journal’s official database: http://www.yndqhjyj.cn/)

[11] Wang, J. H. (2011). An outline of the humanistic spirit of environmental law (Doctoral dissertation). Wuhan University. (Accessible via Wuhan University Library Dissertation Database: http: //lib.whu.edu.cn/doctoral-thesis/)

[12] Zhang, X. Y. (2015, March 11). Two sessions observation: 900,000 natural villages disappeared in 10 years, Chinese ancient villages urgently need protection. Global Network Domestic. https://china. huanqiu.com/article/9CaKrnJIF9P