Jiangnan Cities In Ming And Qing China

Using the Refrence of structural and regional history's holistic and deep-setted perspective and spatial method of geography , this Article takes a spatial-based integrated study of Jiangnan Cities. After the analysis of geographycal, historical and the social-economical enviroments, the paper makes a diachronic study on quantity , size and population proportion of Jiangnan cities in Ming and Qing China., and put its focus on the synchronic research of urban spttial-ognization in middle Qing Dynasty. Furthermore, the thesis gets an evaluation of Jiangnan cities through the Jiangnan-WesrEurope comparative study according to convolving theories. This Article has 5 chapters.The introduction defines the study range and research design.In the first chapter , after giveing a comment about structural history and regional history , and summarizing the research results about Jiangnan cities in Ming and Qing China , The author proposes that integrated study should put spatial-based synchronic method into diachronic mothod, which is the speciality of traditional hoistory.The second chapter analyses the physical ,history environment and the cities' social-economic foundation in Ming and Qing Dtnasty. Mainly as a lacustrine plain encircled by mountains,reviers and sea , Jiangnan region could be devided four physcigeographic sub-regions : Taihu lacustrine plain , eastern esturine delta , northwestern marine accumulation plain and southwesten low-moutain relief . Till Ming Dynasty Jiangnan go through four obvious histric circles :prehistoric cycle , Chunqiu and Qinhan cycle , Liuchao and Suitang cycle , Five and Songyuan cycle. In the end of Yuan Dynasty , regional development is nearly finished in Jiangnan. The main part of population and cities finished the spatial shifting from upper to lower reaches. In the last of this chapter, the paper focus on the cities' social-economic foundation in Ming and Qing Dtnasty, especially on the population, land, foodstuffs, cash crop, handicraft industry, commerce and market. The most important character of Jiangnan economy in Mingqing period is the commercial economy and proto-industrialization, which is mainly caused by population pressure. Jiangnan is not only the best developed region nantionwide, but also the hinge of national trade.The third chapter, called piachronic study, research the development of cities in quantity, size and population percentage. The population percentage of cities in Jiangnan rises to 22% in middle Qing Dynasty from 9.0% in the beginning of Ming Dynasty.The forth chapter ,named synchronic study, analyzes the spatial organization of cities in middle Qing Dynasty. Rank analysis devides cities into five ranks:standardtown, central town, local city, central city and metropolis. Its' radius of service is about equal to quanter-day interval , half-day interval, one-day interval, two-days tinterval and four-days interval. Type analysis indicates the regional regularity. The cities have more ranks and quantities in cotton region and less in silk region. In the last, the paper studies the adaption and ajustmental of governmental and non-govement contral to the spatial organization of cities.The last chapter anasyzes the possibility of Jiangnan's transformation to modenlization throngh Jiangnan-Euope comparative study accodding to relative theories. Having similar living level with Europe, supporting more population and having more competive strength in handicraft industrial production, Jiangnan has more advanced commercial economy than Europe. The succession of England's tansformation to modernlization is owed to such occasional factor:oversea colony and the lacation of coal mine.,which contributes to ease and break population pressure. Jiangnan has nealy chance to tansform to modernlization. Jiangnan's trends is not the orbit of England, England's trend shoule be the orbit of Jiangnan without such occasional factors. Since Jiangnan 's orbit sybols a commom model of pre-industrialization, the cities both in Jiangnan and Europe have more similiarities: the commercial function is much important than industrial , having more comsume function , having a near linkage with rural district.Summary concludes the main viewsof the aiticle, points out the origionalities and shortages.