{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,14]],"date-time":"2026-08-14T18:35:27Z","timestamp":1786732527176,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":33,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"8","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,14]],"date-time":"2026-08-14T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1786665600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100012226","name":"Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["20826041G4171"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["20826041G4171"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100012226","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS One"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Intangible cultural heritage (ICH) exhibits pronounced spatial unevenness, yet the spatial patterns and driving mechanisms of traditional drama as a form of living performing heritage remain insufficiently understood. Taking Southwest China as a case, this study analyzes 257 traditional drama ICH items, comprising 54 national-level and 203 provincial-level items. Using kernel density estimation, nearest neighbor index, standard deviational ellipse, and the geographical detector methods, we examine spatial distribution, typological differentiation, temporal evolution, and influencing factors. The results show that: (1) traditional drama ICH displays a \u201cdense in eastern section while sparse in western section\u201d pattern, with core clusters in eastern Guizhou and the Sichuan\u2013Chongqing\u2013Guizhou border region; (2) clear typological differences exist, with Dengxi Opera, Tibetan Opera, and small-scale dramas (Others) showing clustered patterns, while Sichuan Opera, Di Opera, and shadow puppetry are more dispersed; (3) from 2006 to 2025, the spatial pattern\u00a0evolves from scattered distribution to multi-core agglomeration, with a relatively stable gravity center in the Sichuan\u2013Chongqing\u2013Guizhou border area; and (4) terrain, traditional villages, and cultural institutions are the main driving factors, with interaction effects enhancing explanatory power, while economic and urbanization variables show no significant independent effects. This study responds to critiques of spatial disconnection from ICH\u2019s living attributes and integrates cultural ecology, therapeutic arts, and digital heritage perspectives. It provides empirical support for the spatial governance and living preservation of performing ICH.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0355102","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,14]],"date-time":"2026-08-14T17:58:43Z","timestamp":1786730323000},"page":"e0355102","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Uneven development of intangible cultural heritage: A spatial analysis of traditional drama in Southwestern China"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"21","author":[{"given":"Yun","family":"Qin","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Zhiyi","family":"Zeng","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Keyao","family":"Qin","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jiexi","family":"Xiong","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4563-3197","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Xiang","family":"Yan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,14]]},"reference":[{"issue":"7","key":"pone.0355102.ref001","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1026","DOI":"10.3390\/land13071026","article-title":"A contribution to the integration of international, national and local cultural heritage protection in planning methodology: a case study of the Djerdap Area","volume":"13","author":"A Nikovi\u0107","year":"2024","journal-title":"Land"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0355102.ref002","article-title":"Historical Geographical Information System (HGIS): social trajectories of two Chinese historical figures Su Shi and Zuo Zongtang in spatial context","volume":"12","author":"J Fu","year":"2024","journal-title":"Herit Sci"},{"issue":"14","key":"pone.0355102.ref003","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.3390\/su16145833","article-title":"Balancing social and cultural priorities in the UN 2030 sustainable development goals (SDGs) for UNESCO world heritage cities","volume":"16","author":"BF El Faouri","year":"2024","journal-title":"Sustainability"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0355102.ref004","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"353","DOI":"10.1093\/jel\/eqad020","article-title":"Protection of biocultural heritage in the anthropocene: towards reconciling natural, cultural, tangible and intangible heritage","volume":"35","author":"HV Bhati","year":"2023","journal-title":"J Environ Law"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0355102.ref005","article-title":"The spatial distribution of traditional intangible cultural heritage medicine of China and its influencing factors","volume":"11","author":"X Nie","year":"2023","journal-title":"Herit Sci"},{"key":"pone.0355102.ref006","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"687","DOI":"10.1016\/j.sbspro.2016.05.238","article-title":"Cultural heritage as a tool of polycentricity, synergy and territorial cohesion: a case study from Northern Greece","volume":"223","author":"P-K Sofianou","year":"2016","journal-title":"Procedia Soc Behav Sci"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0355102.ref007","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"527","DOI":"10.1007\/s10824-024-09510-4","article-title":"The countervailing effects of spatial competition in the performing arts: examining local versus traded market performance","volume":"48","author":"R Briesch","year":"2024","journal-title":"J Cult Econ"},{"key":"pone.0355102.ref008","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Rzasa K, Ogryzek M, Kulawiak M. 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