Research on the Perceived Image of Shiquan Street after Its Revitalization Based on Network Text Analysis

¹ Department of Architecture, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
² China-Portugal Belt and Road Joint Laboratory on Cultural Heritage Conservation Science, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
³ International Cooperative Joint Laboratory of Jiangsu Universities Supported by 145 Projects, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
⁴ Department of Chemistry, University of Évora, Evora, Portugal

^* Corresponding author: wuyao@suda.edu.cn

Abstract

Under the new era context, the conservation and renewal of historic urban districts also require new approaches and methodologies. Social media can, to some extent, reflect public perception regarding the image of these areas after conservation and renewal. Taking the renewed Shiquan Street historic district within the ancient city of Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, as the research subject, this study utilizing methods including word frequency analysis, sentiment analysis of text, and semantic network analysis, it explores public perception of Shiquan Street's image post-renewal. The results indicate that following the renewal, Shiquan Street faces issues such as traffic congestion, monotonous business formats, and a lack of distinct local cultural characteristics. Therefore, recommendations for subsequent conservation and renewal efforts can be proposed from three aspects: optimizing traffic flow, strengthening cultural heritage preservation, and enhancing the management of business formats. This study also provides a reference for the continuous renewal of other historic urban streets.