The Identification of County-Level Rural Territorial Function Types and Research on Rural Revitalization Path in Sichuan Province

TAbstract: The rapid development of the economy and society and the coordinated advancement of industrialization and urbanization have led to the intensification of the man-land contradiction. It requires the use of spatial multi-functionality to maximize the value of regional space, promote the diversification of social needs, and help rural areas meet multi-functional needs. Correct identification of rural regional functions is an important way to implement the strategy of rural revitalization and comprehensively deepen rural reform. Taking Sichuan Province as the research subject, we constructed a multi-functional evaluation index system for rural areas from four perspectives, that is, economic development, food production, social security, and ecological protection. We used the comprehensive evaluation method to investigate the spatial distribution characteristics of various functions, and the vertical and horizontal comparison method to identify the dominant function and short board function, and the regional types were divided accordingly. In cognizance of the five major economic zones in Sichuan Province, this paper puts forward corresponding rural revitalization paths of various regional types to provide a benchmark for the implementation of a rural revitalization strategy in Sichuan Province. A clear spatial pattern differentiation of the rural regional function in Sichuan Province was noted. The regional characteristics of the economic development function and the social security function are the same, showing a gradual weakening differentiation pattern from southeast to northwest Sichuan. The spatial agglomeration characteristics of the grain production function in the Chengdu Plain Economic Zone and the Anning River Basin in Panxi are obvious, and the ecological conservation function is gradually enhanced from southeast to northwest Sichuan. Via the identification of the dominant function and the short board function, we divided Sichuan Province into three categories: dominant development type, polarization development type, and comprehensive development type. Among them, the dominant development type and the polarization development type were divided into nine sub-categories according to their characteristics. The specific implementation paths of rural revitalization are proposed according to different regional types, in which the dominant development type gives priority to playing the dominant function while integrating and coordinating other functions to promote comprehensive rural revitalization development. While giving full play to its advantages, the polarization development type complements the shortcomings and achieves basic balanced development. Based on the existing foundation, the comprehensive development model realizes industrial upgrading and becomes the leading means of demonstration of rural revitalization and development in Sichuan Province. The main contribution of this paper is therefore the consolidation of the convergence of poverty alleviation and rural revitalization. The dominant function and short board function are used to classify the regional functions of rural areas in Sichuan Province. The division results are consistent with the regional differentiation of nature and economy in Sichuan Province from different perspectives. The development path of rural revitalization provided decision-making reference for this regional type