Functional evolution of rural housing land: A comparative analysis across four typical areas representing different stages of industrialization in China

To understand the functional evolution of rural housing land at different stages of industrialization, a contrast analysis of rural housing land functions was conducted across four typical areas that represented four different socio-economic developmental stages, from the initial stage to the post-industrialization stage. Seven hundred fifty-four valid questionnaires were collected for analysis. The results showed that the production function was diminished but the living function was enhanced with socio-economic development. Moreover, in areas that had a higher level of socio-economic development, especially those with desirable locations or that were suitable for tourism, a profit function emerged that can be seen as resulting from an alteration in the rural housing land's function. Land-use standards could be established by analysing trends in the functional evolution of rural housing land structure; these standards could then provide guidance for the consolidation of rural housing land and village planning as well as for future rural housing design.