Modernity And National Identity:A Study On The Greater Shanghai Plan Of 1929

The paper applies the basic theory and methods of dialectical materialism and historical materialism.It’s a multidisciplinary study based on the historical science,absorbing the relevant political,economic,social and urban planning and other multi-disciplinary knowledge.From the perspective of global urban modernization and planning history,it focuses on the background,content,implementation and the reasons for failure of the Greater Shanghai Plan(1929),tries to show the troubles and efforts of modern Shanghai when it responds to the era theme:modernization and national independence at the time.With reference to the Plan of Chicago(1909)(U.S.A),the paper describes the appearance of the Greater Shanghai Plan in global view mainly based on the historical data.It explains that the emergence of the plan is the intrinsic demand of Shanghai not only for growing to the nation’s economic center,but also for strengthening regime of the national government and chasing the national revival.It traces the main content of the Greater Shanghai Plan and summarizes that the modernization of Shanghai reflects the contradiction and unification between tradition and modern by containing the demands of national independence and revival.By stating the implement process of the Greater Shanghai Plan,it analyzes the reasons of its failure,and reveals that the plan contributes to the modernization of the city,but to a large extent,its implement is restricted by the non-independent nation.With an outline of the planning activities after the Greater Shanghai Plan,it analyzes the plan’s profound influence,and proposes that even the plans have inherited the thoughts of the Greater Shanghai Plan,and the task of modernization is highlighted after national independence been realized,what the government concerned during the tumultuous times is not modern municipal reform,but national unity.Finally,it emphasizes that the urban planning is both the production and reflection of era.The traditional culture and nationalist elements will affect the modernization of the city.From one side,the Greater Shanghai Plan just indicates that the modernization needs national unity and national independence.