Search

Given the complex interplay between economic and cultural–historical factors, this paper explores scene perception and its mechanism in individual and collective cognition of historical commercial streets. Based on a perception model constructed from scene theory, the study utilizes user scene experience feedback from Beijing Road, a commercial pedestrian street in Guangzhou. It conducts a systematic assessment using hierarchical analysis (AHP) across three dimensions: authenticity, theatricality, and legitimacy. The findings reveal the following: (1) according to visitors, traditional cuisine, cultural and creative arts, and Lingnan's intangible cultural heritage received low ratings; (2) historical relics and traditional cuisine are dominant factors, highlighting public attention to cultural heritage, but the role of historical–cultural characteristics and festival activities is relatively marginalized; (3) cultural–historical relics and traditional cuisine are the leading factors that contribute to an authentic experience, while historical context and festival activities constitute secondary factors; (4) cultural landscapes and arts are central to theatrical experiences, with modern visual elements playing a lesser role; (5) diversified commercial formats and public services are the core factors influencing legitimacy experience, reflecting the role of market diversity and policy orientation in building consumer trust. The design of historical and cultural streets should prioritize the preferences of those experiencing them to promote cultural identity and historical continuity. Additionally, the synergy between commercial diversity and policy orientation should be strategically emphasized to form a business ecosystem supporting sustainable development. Future commercial street renewals should focus on the key role of visual narrative in shaping brand culture. This paper offers insights into the dynamic process of constructing scene experience from perspectives of spatial materialization and emotional empowerment to cultural identity, providing references for strategies in historical place renewal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chinese New Year has traditionally been welcomed with fireworks, but this has meant this holiday can experience intense peaks of pollutants, particularly as particulate matter. Such environmental issues add to other risks (e.g., accident, fire, and ecological and health threats) posed by firework displays, but cultural reasons encourage such celebrations. This study examines air pollution from fireworks across a time of increasingly stringent bans as a time series from 2014–2021 using a random forest (decision-tree) model to explore the effect of year-to-year weather changes on pollutant concentrations at Chinese New Year. Peak concentrations of firework pollutants have decreased in cities and hint at the importance of well-enforced regulation of these traditional celebrations, e.g., Beijing, Tianjin, and Chongqing. The model suggested relative humidity was an important controlling variable, perhaps as the presence of water vapor might also accelerate particle growth but also as a surrogate parameter related to atmospheric mixing. Bans on fireworks, resisted at first, have shown evidence of growing public acceptance. The regulations are increasingly effective, even in the outer parts of cities. Celebrations might safely return as public firework displays, including light shows and the use of lanterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globalization can promote the flow of production factors across countries and regions. Developing "global cities" in China is conducive to enhancing China's international competitiveness and participation in the world's economic activities. Relevant theories reveal that globalization is of great significance to urban socio-spatial restructuring, and the social polarization or professionalization issues brought by "global cities" have been controversial. Based on the data from the statistical yearbooks of Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, this study tries to test the global city hypothesis through the analysis on these three "global cities" in China. The study finds that Beijing and Shanghai have shown certain social polarization characteristics in the process of social differentiation, while Guangzhou has not. The results can provide scientific support for the formulation of urban management and household registration policies in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In order to further understand the initiating mechanism of positive cloud-to-ground flashes, the characteristics of initial breakdown pulse trains are investigated and compared by using the data of electric field observed in Beijing and Guangzhou. According to the difference in initial polarity between initial breakdown pulse and the first return stoke, three types of initial breakdown pulse trains, including the same polarity (type I), the opposite polarity (type II) and the composite polarity (type III), have been identified. The categories of initial breakdown pulse trains in Beijing are the same as those in Guangzhou. However, in Beijing and Guangzhou, the percentages of the types are obviously different, which may be caused by different charge configuration. In Beijing, the percentages of type I, type II and type III are 55%, 39% and 6%, respectively. In Guangzhou, the percentages of type I, type II and type III are 81%, 15% and 4%, respectively. By comparsion of the pulse train parameters, it can be found that the width of individual pulse and the interval of adjacent pulses are larger in Guangzhou than those in Beijing. The difference may be caused by different discharge distance. At the same time, both in Beijing and Guangzhou, the value of pulse train duration and the ratio of the maximum peak amplitude of initial breakdown pulse train to the amplitude of first return stroke peak for type II are smaller than those for type I. However, the value of the interval between initial breakdown pulse train and first return sroke for type II is larger than that for type I. We also find that, for type II, the ratio of the maximum peak amplitude of initial breakdown pulse train to the amplitude of first return stroke peak is obviously larger in Beijing than that in Guangzhou. We believe that the intensity of initiation breakdown process as type II is larger in the region with higher latitude. It can be speculated that the intensity of initial breakdown pulse train preceding positive first return stroke is further affected by the strength of lower positive charge region. Some possible causes of the differences have been discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]