A Collection of Essays on the History of Urban Development in China

Author: Zhao Gang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features: The issues of urban development and urbanization have become hot topics in academia, with a surge of "literature" both above and below ground, and a flourishing trend of Sino-Western cultural comparison. Historically, Chinese urban studies have a long tradition, with renowned works like Dream of the Eastern Capital and Dream of Liang as well as a vast number of local chronicles and even "street and lane chronicles" passed down to this day. However, no comprehensive urban history has been left behind, and the discussions often focus more on natural conditions and social life. Nowadays, Chinese urban researchers tend to use European cities as models, even explaining the history of Chinese urban development through Europe's feudal system and industrial revolution, which is somewhat like scratching an itch on the wrong spot. In contrast, this book has two unique strengths. First: It adopts a macro perspective to explore the tortuous development and special issues of Chinese cities from an economic standpoint. Second: It fully recognizes the high complexity of China, a country with extensive culture and a unique civilization, and studies its urban development history from this perspective.