Using network modeling to explore historical evolution of urban systems in the Jiangnan Canal area

Canals influence the formation and development of urban systems in adjacent regions, yet the the long-term changes in the relationships between cities remains insufficiently explored. Focusing on the Jiangnan Canal area, this study applies network analysis methods to reveal the structure and evolution of historical urban networks and canal’s role in urban-system change. Results show that (1) The overall network remained long-term concentrated along the canal trunk, and exhibited a development pattern of “polycentric–monocentric –hierarchical differentiation”;(2) Urban clusters in the canal’s middle reaches remained the principal connectivity hub, radiating influence to other clusters;(3) Brokerage roles in the northern canal section increasingly shared by trunk and branch nodes, while trunk-core nodes in the middle and south maintained multiple roles, among which gatekeeper was the most stable. This study supports re-establishing the contemporary value of historical cultural routes and advancing the integration of regional cultural heritage resources.