[Objective] From the perspective of socio-cultural space, this study investigates the generative mechanisms of protected areas as a special type of socio-cultural space, thereby providing theoretical support for the management of human activities and cultural resources in these areas. [Methods] Building on the theory of the production of space and integrating the methodology of cultural sedimentation, this study constructed a three-layer analytical framework of “site-documentation-imagery”. Using methods including historical document verification, GIS spatial analysis, online text mining, and semi-structured interviews, this study systematically integrated multi-source, long-term data to analyze the generative mechanisms of socio-cultural space in the typical case of Wuyishan National Park. [Results] The empirical study showed that: (1) in the site layer (dominated by spatial practice), a significant vertical gradient differentiation was observed. Spiritual sites, such as sacrificial sites and academies, were highly concentrated in the low-altitude original scenic areas, while productive sites related to the tea industry and transportation extended into the high-altitude core protection zones. (2) In the documentation layer (dominated by representations of space), Neo-Confucian educational activities and tea industry practices during the Song and Ming dynasties formed areas of high-density overlap, constructing stable core narrative zones and demonstrating the diachronic sedimentation of spatial representations with social significance. (3) In the imagery layer (dominated by representational spaces), the visitors focused on iconic tourist landscapes, while local residents retained living cultural memories and emotional connections in deeper natural areas, highlighting differences in the representational spaces experienced by different groups. These results revealed the long-term process of expansion and formation of the socio-cultural space in Wuyishan National Park under the driving and embedding effects of human activities. [Conclusion] Based on empirical evidence, this study operationalizes the theory of the production of space into a “three-driver and three-layer” analytical framework, coupling the triadic dialectic of space with the three layers of “site-documentation-imagery”. This achieves the operational transformation of spatial production theory in protected areas and deepens the proposition that protected areas are “artifacts of social relations and historical environments”. The study provides a scientific basis for optimizing heritage interpretation systems in protected areas and for the coordinated governance of ecological conservation and cultural inheritance.