Abstract: In the development of villages, water environmental factors cause the material space of settlements to form a unique pattern. This paper studies the influence of the water environment on the settlement form of pit ponds in southern Henan Province, and analyzes the spatial distribution characteristics of traditional pit pond villages in Xinyang through ArcGIS visualization, employing research methods such as checking ancient books, field investigations, and spatial comparisons. Based on the spatial relationship between water and villages, the paper abstracts the distribution pattern into three levels of ‘surface-line-point’ and summarizes the spatial characteristics of the villages. The distribution of villages and the spatial pattern between villages and water systems are explored from the area level of ‘water-region’. The spatial distribution of village streets, roads, and water systems is explored from the line domain level of‘water-street’. From the point domain level of ‘water-architecture’, the functional space and detailed design of architecture under the influence of the water environment are discussed. Adhering to the concept of ‘water-adaptive’ development, this paper combs through the water culture of the pit pond settlements in southern Henan Province, providing a reference for the development of villages in the Huaihe River basin of Henan Province, thereby building beautiful villages and promoting the sustainable development of villages.