Most local crafts are particularly suited to the specific regional environment in which they originate. They are the result of the harmonious relationship between nature and humans, and are currently in a phase where the revitalization of traditional crafts and the construction of an ecological civilization are equally prioritized. The work aims to combine the principles of ecological adaptation characteristics and anthropology to explore the transmission and innovation of local craftsmanship through investigating the combination of variables inside a particular region. With the Yellow River waterwheel, a typical farming tool used in the upper reaches of the Yellow River, as an example, by conducting field surveys and reviewing local county records, the study thoroughly analyzed the factors related to farming and the conflicts between humans and the local ecosystem that existed prior to the invention of the Yellow River waterwheel. The relationship between the field elements in the area where the Yellow River waterwheel was located were mainly analyzed. And different types of mapping relationships between these elements were classified. A two-dimensional matrix mapping model was constructed based on the analysis of the regional field elements. The regional two-dimensional matrix mapping model of local crafts was transformed into an eco-design model to seek transformational opportunities for contemporary eco-design of traditional tools within a specific field. Finally, a fundamental method to local craftsmanship innovation design was proposed based on field theory and cultural adaptation. In conclusion, this case study is highly significant for the inheritance and innovation of local craftsmanship in the Yellow River Basin, the revitalization of rural communities, and the conservation of the environment and the promotion of sustainable development in the same region. Applying a two-dimensional matrix mapping analysis methodology, which is based on regional field elements, offers valuable guidance for regional ecological design.