Abstract: The urban and rural historical settlements along the Tianjin section of the South Canal, as an integral part of the Grand Canal, hold significant historical, cultural value, and social functions. Current research on the Grand Canal heritage pays limited attention to the integrated conservation of urban and rural settlements, and further in-depth analysis is needed to depict the spatial network formed with the canal. This paper employs a combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods to propose a research pathway for the Tianjin section of the South Canal 'identification of urban and rural settlements-selection of heritage corridor routes-clustering of urban and rural historical cultural settlements-construction of integrated spatial networks'. This approach aims to fully excavate and utilize the value of the linear corridors formed by the water system of the Tianjin section of the South Canal and the historical cultural settlements along its banks, proposing a comprehensive protection strategy for these settlements.