Urban System of China: History, Present Status, and Prospects

Author: Gu Chaolin
Publisher:
Publishing Time: Not available
Features: The theoretical methods studied in this book are based on extensively absorbing and fully utilizing domestic and international research achievements. It strives to apply the basic principles of historical materialism, comprehensively and systematically researching the origins of Chinese cities, the emergence and development of the Chinese urban system, the organizational structure of the modern Chinese urban system—regional spatial structure, hierarchical scale structure, functional combination structure, and network system structure. It also examines the further development conditions of the Chinese urban system, the impact of urbanization level, urban population growth, national regional development, and other factors on the development of the Chinese urban system. On this basis, it provides a scientific outline for the future characteristics of the development of the Chinese urban system. It can be said that this is a scientifically rigorous, well-structured, clearly organized, thoroughly researched, and clearly argued work. It offers valuable scientific discussions on several key issues and holds a high academic level. In summary, this book covers the following key points:
About the Origins of Chinese Cities. The author has extensively researched necessary and rich historical materials, applying Marxist theoretical methods to argue that the origins of Chinese cities are a historical process. Based on this, the author firmly believes that early Chinese cities originated in the capitals of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, took initial shape during the Xia Dynasty, and fully developed during the Shang Dynasty.
About the Emergence of the Chinese Urban System. When did the Chinese urban system actually emerge? This has long been an unresolved question among urban scholars both domestically and internationally. The author, by establishing three fundamental relationships among cities—regional proximity, functional complementarity, and scale hierarchy—clearly proposes that the Chinese urban system emerged during the historical period of the transition from the slave society of the Spring and Autumn and Warring States to the feudal society.
About the Development Process of the Chinese Urban System. Based on a thorough application of research findings from various fields such as China's economic history, urban construction history, and historical geography, as well as extensive literature, the author, following the chronological changes in social and political history and the evolution of the urban system driven by productivity and economic development, provides a relatively scientific periodization of the development process of the Chinese urban system. It also conducts an in-depth study of the organizational structural characteristics of the urban system in each period, establishing a new theoretical framework for systematic research on urban development in China.
About the Development and Current Characteristics of the Urban System in New China. The author fully utilizes systematic urban statistical data since the founding of the People's Republic of China, comparing the development of the urban system in New China with that of ancient and modern China, summarizing the characteristics of the urban system in New China. Additionally, based on national urban and town statistics from 1985 and employing computer analysis methods, the author conducts a comprehensive and systematic study of the four structural characteristics of the modern Chinese urban system, proposing the idea of developing the urban system in a location-specific and zoned manner.
About the Development Forecast of the Chinese Urban System. The author primarily focuses on three aspects—analysis of new urban development, population development forecasts for cities, and the organization of urban economic zones—to systematically forecast the development of new cities in China by 2050 and 2100. Through an analysis of factors influencing urbanization in China, the author establishes prediction models for urban population and urban hierarchical systems. Furthermore, starting from the rational organization of urban economic zones in China, it conducts preliminary research on the development strategy and organizational structural characteristics of the urban system in the 21st century.
This book is currently the first comprehensive and systematic monograph in China that examines and studies the formation, development, current state, and future of the Chinese urban system from multiple perspectives—urban geography, urban planning, urban economics, urban history, and territorial planning. It represents a welcome contribution to urban geography research. It is believed that the publication of this book will provide valuable reference and practical value for formulating regional development strategies, spatial layout of productivity, macro-control, as well as territorial development, urban master planning, and other related fields.