근대 중국 都市史 연구의 시각과 전망 : 天津 도시사 연구를 兼論함

Abstract

This article examines important Western and Chinese literatures on modern urban history of China since the early 20th century. The authors managed to identify main characteristics and perspectives of vast scholarly works of the field. According to the authors, the interests in urban life of China could be found in the missionaries’ and journalists’ reports on Chinese city life and its history from mid-19th century, but the urban studies, in the true meaning of the word, starts from H.B. Morse who studied treaty ports and China’s changing commercial system. <BR> The main Western works having an important influence on the studies of Chinese cities were Max Weber’s, which found no urbanism in the Chinese traditional cities. Weber’s theses continued to be influential in the Western academia, within which the notion “urban-rural continuum” of traditional China was widely accepted.<BR> Studies of Shanghai are still main stream in modern urban history of China, both in the West and in China. But the authors find some newly arising characteristics in the field: diversification of research themes, adoption of various methodologies, broadening of research interest beyond Shanghai, etc.<BR> As for Tianjin history, the research trends could be divided into three phases: the first(1949-1978), scholars focused on Communist revolutionary movement, mass movements including Boxers and labors; the second(1978-1990s), new methodologies were used, various historical materials including official archives were compiled, and local gazetteers in various administrative levels were published; the third(21st century), deepening of researches and dissemination of research achievements including popular publications.<BR> This article proposes, finally, some points for enhancing studies of Chinese urban history: creation of analytical frame and new theoretical method, combination of micro and macro approaches and expanding of material collection including about historical figures.