Anthropological research increasingly emphasizes infrastructure's role in shaping settlement spaces and reflecting social change. The Pearl River Delta's remarkable development is closely tied to its infrastructure. This study re-examines the interaction between infrastructure and human activities, social structures, economic development, and political decision-making in the Pearl River Delta, focusing on the spatial organization of settlements and evaluating the historical, social, and anthropological aspects of material space. The study hypothesizes that regional societies are complex systems, requiring an analysis that connects infrastructure, social organization, and spatial fields from a historical perspective. Two key questions guide the research: 1) How do anthropologists interpret settlement space evolution through the concept of infrastructure? 2) What are the underlying interconnected factors in the evolution of settlement space? The study aims to integrate and enrich existing literature, trace research trends, and offer references for future urban planning and sustainable development.

The paper begins with a comprehensive literature review spanning classical anthropological theories and historical documents related to infrastructure and settlement space. It traces the evolution of anthropological thought, starting from early studies of 'simple societies' and the focus on peasant communities, to the later incorporation of modern, complex social spaces and the interdisciplinary approach integrating anthropology with geography, political economy, and religious studies. The review highlights key figures like Morgan, Redfield, Lewis, Malinowski, and Lévi-Strauss who laid the groundwork for understanding social mechanisms, even without directly addressing infrastructure. It then examines the rise of 'infrastructure' as a core concept, from Rosenstein-Rodan's 'social overhead capital' theory to Appadurai's cross-cultural perspective on commodity flows. The literature review also explores the anthropological exploration of material space, highlighting scholars like Dewey and Jinnai, who emphasize infrastructure's role in reflecting and facilitating socioeconomic activities and its function as a bridge between sociocultural phenomena and the material spatial structure. The review traces the influence of Western theories on Chinese studies, mentioning Fei, Yang, Skinner, Liu, and others who utilized Western frameworks to analyze Chinese regional and local history. The review showcases the diverse studies on the interaction between infrastructure and settlement space, highlighting the economic activities, transportation networks, and the dynamic relationship between infrastructure and people, emphasizing the active role of individuals in the process of creating and being affected by space.

This study employs a qualitative approach, combining literature review and case study analysis. The research methods involve extensive literature mining across anthropological studies and research on the Pearl River Delta. This includes revisiting classical theories, analyzing historical documents, and conducting in-depth analysis of representative cases. The methodology focuses on the dynamic role of infrastructure as a medium from 'primitive society' to 'modern society', embedding infrastructure within the complex social system of the Pearl River Delta. The study examines the interaction between infrastructural elements (ports, salt pans, marketplaces) and economic fluctuations, social transformations, and the natural environment. It assesses how these interactions shape the structural characteristics of settlement spaces. The analytical framework utilizes a spatial anthropology perspective to evaluate the relationships between points (infrastructure), lines (spatial flows), and planes (regional areas), explaining social and spatial evolution. Drawing on complex system theory, the study explores the correlational mechanisms between infrastructure and the evolution of material space. The study uses functional characteristics of infrastructure to analyze spatial form and assess how 'invisible infrastructural skeletons' affect daily life and sustain societal functions. The framework offers a novel approach to understanding the dynamic evolution of settlement spaces by emphasizing infrastructure as a bridge between sociocultural phenomena and the material spatial structure.

The study focuses on three key infrastructural elements in the Pearl River Delta: ports, salt pans, and marketplaces. Regarding ports, the research traces their historical development, from ancient ports to the modern water transportation network. The analysis highlights how ports, as engineered infrastructure, have played multifaceted roles in global trade, economy, logistics, and culture, becoming a crucial medium for discussing spatial and social issues. For salt pans, the study explores the historical development of the salt industry, its trade policies, the role of salt merchant societies, and its impact on regional development. The analysis emphasizes the social and political significance embedded in salt production, distribution, and control. Marketplaces are examined as material spaces for transactions, entertainment, and social interaction. The analysis reveals how markets shaped the socio-economic structure at the grassroots level and their role in the commercial development and social transformation of the region. Additionally, the research considers other infrastructural elements such as fishponds, ancestral halls, railways, and post offices, highlighting their diverse influences on the region's social and economic transformation. The study analyzes the adaptability, self-organization, and emergence in the complex system of infrastructure and settlement space, showcasing the Pearl River Delta as a model of coordinated adaptation between population growth and infrastructure construction. The study highlights Shenzhen's transformation from a fishing village to a metropolis and the development of its metro network as an example of adaptability. The study uses Huaqiangbei Electronics Market as a case study of self-organized evolution of urban agglomeration, emphasizing the role of market mechanisms and social networks. Finally, the study explores the emergence of smart infrastructure and its integration with social governance, using 'Smart Guangzhou' as an example of how technology and society can combine to enhance urban management and economic innovation.

The findings demonstrate the significant role of infrastructure in shaping the evolution of settlement spaces in the Pearl River Delta. The study supports Lefebvre's theory of space production and Appadurai's concept of cultural landscape by revealing the social logic and historical context underlying material spatial changes. The study uses a genealogical perspective, viewing infrastructure not merely as a passive reflection of social structure but as an active shaper of social change. The research emphasizes the need for multidisciplinary integration to analyze complex social phenomena and the importance of understanding spatial organization within complex socio-cultural contexts. The study's findings offer valuable insights for urban planning and regional development, emphasizing the need for sustainable and equitable policies.

This study offers a spatial anthropological perspective on the evolution of settlement spaces in the Pearl River Delta, highlighting the crucial role of infrastructure as a driver of social and spatial change. The research framework, combining literature review and case studies, demonstrates the complex interplay between infrastructure, socio-economic factors, and the spatial organization of settlements. Future research should focus on expanding data collection, conducting cross-regional comparisons, and deepening ethnographic studies to further refine our understanding of this dynamic relationship. The Pearl River Delta case study provides valuable insights for understanding the complexities of urban development and offers valuable lessons for promoting sustainable development in other regions globally.

The study acknowledges limitations stemming from the availability of historical data, particularly the lack of detailed records for certain key periods. This may affect the comprehensiveness and accuracy of the historical analysis. Additionally, the intense focus on materiality and relationality in the analysis of infrastructure might limit deeper critical analysis of infrastructure itself. Future research should strive to address these limitations by expanding data collection, conducting cross-regional comparative studies, and deepening ethnographic investigations to further enhance the understanding of infrastructure's role in shaping settlement spaces.