Abstract

Against the backdrop of globalization and modernization, cultural heritage faces dual challenges in preserving “authenticity” and fostering “living development.” The theory of cultural genes provides a crucial analytical tool for systematically deconstructing composite heritage. As one of China’s four major historical and cultural lakes, Yingzhou West Lake represents a “natural-humanistic” composite system embodying the spirit of Tang and Song literati and the ecological wisdom of plain wetlands. Its contemporary transmission faces the dilemma of disconnect between historical cognition and public perception, coupled with a lack of systematic framework for heritage deconstruction. This study employs literature review and field investigation methods. Based on a “dual-core, three-tier” logic, it examines cultural perceptions of Yingzhou West Lake, identifies its cultural genes, and deconstructs the heritage. Findings reveal: The constructed cultural genealogy encompasses 24 core genes, with wetland ecology and the literati spirit embodied by Ouyang Xiu and Su Shi as dual cores. It is divided into 6 core-level, 10 intermediate-level, and 8 peripheral-level genes, revealing a structural feature where “ecology serves as the foundational guarantee, humanities as the soul pillar, and derivatives as the enabling means.” Gene evolution follows a “transmission-mutation-adaptation” mechanism driven by three factors: natural environment, social change, and human intervention. This study contributes to the theoretical framework of cultural heritage research by proposing strategies for core gene protection, derivative gene guidance, and cognitive bias correction. It provides an empirical benchmark and practical pathway for the living transmission and sustainable development of Yingzhou West Lake and similar heritage sites.

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