Study on Zhongshan’s Urban Construction in Modern Era under the Influence of Xiangshan Commercial Ideologies

Abstract

As the hometown of Sun Yat-sen, the urban construction of Zhongshan City during the modern era has played a pioneering role in the history of Chinese urban construction. The commercial ideologies originated in Xiangshan district which is the cradle of modern commerce in China has exerted profound influence on the consumption habits, life styles, commerce development and other aspects of Chinese soceity. Through delving into the connotation of Xiangshan Commercial Ideologies and analyzing the history of Zhongshan's urban construction, this thesis probes into the relationship between Xiangshan Commercial Ideologies and Zhongshan's modern urban construction, shed lights on the profound impact of such relationship on the urban construction of Zhongshan City and China at large and reflect on China's urban construction during the modern era. Introduction: An Overview of the Urban Construction in Ancient Xiangshan Back in ancient times, Xiangshan's economy developed at a glacier's pace due to the dual bondage of feudalist reigns and the old-fashioned ideas of agriculture first, commerce next and top priority for agriculture. The urban construction as a whole was stagnant. Even after 750 odd years of development from its founding in the 22 nd year of Shaoxing Emperor's Reign of Song Dynasty (1152) to the end of Qing Dynasty, the total area of Xiangshan County was still a meager 1.5 square kilometers. The pillar industries of its economy were agriculture, fishery, salt and handicraft. In 1909, the first year of Xuantong Emperor's Reign of Qing Dynasty, the total population engaged in commerce only accounted for 1.1% of the County's labor force (1) . On the other hand, the urban transportation, in the absence of massive real demand, also suffered slow progress, creating great travel inconvenience. According to the Xiangshan County Chronicle compiled during Guangxu Emperor's Reign of Qing Dynasty and the Xiangshan County and Township Chronicle compiled at the end of Qing Dynasty, most of the roads in the city proper and outskirt were slate-paved avenues. The artery road directly linking the West gate and the Jindu Dock of Shiqi, the county center, was still a sandstone-paved one, so narrow that it could only allow two carts passing through side by side. The major types of architecture in the county were confined to government offices, government warehouses, academies, public schools, temples, linear halls, monasteries, public alters, philanthropic halls, feudal clubs and receiving officials pavilion, etc., heavily tinged with feudalism (2) . As the cradle of China's commerce in modern times, Xiangshan began to play a significant role since the end of Qing Dynasty. The commercial ideologies of modern Xiangshan has transformed Chinese people's consumption habits, lifestyles and even the trajectory of commerce development in China. The various crowning achievements scored by Zhongshan in modern era gives credits to its reputation as the pioneering city of Chinese civilization. Only through in-depth research and drawing positive experience from it to guide the current urban construction can we attain the ultimate goal of employing the past experience to serve the current purposes.