Stage Characteristics and Evolution Process of National Park Research in China

In this study, we collected and analyzed the literature regarding national park research by using CiteSpace, and then discussed the research history, stage characteristics, evolutionary process and future trends. The research of national park by Chinese scholars can be divided into three phases, i.e. the sprouting period from 1980 to 2005, the slow warming-up period from 2006 to 2012, and the sharp rising period from 2013 to 2020. The topic and content of national park research are featured by staged evolution, and significantly influenced by the practice of establishing national park system. With the happening of national park establishment practice, some new topics have become hot among Chinese academic community, such as Chinese national park administration system and the case studies of pilot national parks in some provinces.