ABSTRACT
The water management system of a traditional village in the southeastern province of Shanxi, an arid region in northern China, reflects ecological wisdom developed over time to address water scarcity.
This chapter examines the water collection system in Houzhuang Village, Jincheng City, by reading three distinct spatial scales: the landscape scale (watersheds), the urban scale (village), and the elements’ scale (constitutive built elements). This approach reveals the relations between urban layout, built fabric, and the formation and transformation of public spaces in relation to water-retention infrastructure.
This chapter highlights that a water-retaining pond is a territorial strategy with environmental functions, where water is managed within defined boundaries. Its operation relies on social consensus, community cooperation, and cultural factors, reinforced by moral and religious practices. The pond plays a central role in reinforcing the “people-water-city” paradigm.
