Research On The Modernization Of Cities And Towns In Northwest China During The Period Of The Republic Of China

The research on urbanization in Northwest China from the perspective of historical geography will enrich historical city geography theory and broaden the study of northwest modern history.The range of "Northwest" in the Republic of China diverged a lot.Based on the in-depth analysis of regional research theory,the paper adopts today's administrative regional division of "Northwest":the five provinces of Shaanxi,Gansu,Qinghai,Ningxia,and Xinjiang.The definition of city varies from discipline to discipline.So does standard of the city.Taking into account of the development of the Northwest towns in the Republic of China,Northwest towns of the Republic of China are set to the location of government of the county or above,which is the county or the province.The modernization of city is from the traditional to the modern city.As the core of modernization is industrialized,the core of city modernization is the town of the industrialization of the economy.Different regions,the research contents of city modernization will have difference,this paper intends to examine the evolution of administrative division and town evolution,new city transportation and town development,town population evolution and its grade level research,urban economic function evolution(from the perspective of modern industry,commerce,finance and so on),and the development of science and education,culture and public health undertakings in towns.In the Republic of China,the establishment of the new county,Xinjiang,Ningxia and Qinghai province,has become a major factor in promoting urban development;it reflects the unique model in minority,nomadic,border area.In Republic of China,Xinjiang experiences 4 periods:Heyangzengxin,Jin shuren,Sheng shicai and the Kuomintang.The new county doubles;until 1949,there is 1 city,78 counties,and 2 Administrative Bureaus,amounting 81 towns in total.Qinghai and Ningxia undergo a qualitative change of the establishment of the province;until 1949,there is 1 city,19 counties,2 Administrative Bureaus under the jurisdiction of Qinghai province.Seven towns in the beginning of the establishment of the province evolve into 22 towns.9 counties in the early establishment of Ningxia Province have developed intol city,13 counties,2 Administrative Bureau,which are 16 towns in total.New transportation has become the significant factor in propelling regional town modernization in modern times.Northwest China in the Republic of China experiences start-up phase in the 1920s,development in the early 1930s,the building climax stage in the Anti-Japanese War and stagnation in post-war.Transport network mainly based on road transport has been basically formed.The Longhai Railway is the only railroad to reach Tianshui.Aviation industry is in the initial development.Focused on the evolution of the Longhai Railway and Guanzhong area as well as the modernization of Baoji cities and towns,the study finds that the new traffic results in the significant changes in transportation mode and capacity in Guanzhong area,which further causes the cargo flow changes leading to the transfer of regional economic center.Traffic geographic changes help the emergence of new towns along the traffic line,expansion of the scale of the original town,and decline of some towns.The development of the Northwest city population of the Republic of China can be roughly divided into two stages:population stagnation or even recession in early Republican city period(1912-1936);rapid growth of the city population in late Republic stage(1937-1949).Northwest city development in the Republic of China is not only at low level but also has a huge gap between the national urbanization.Grade scale of the urban system is incomplete.A large city rises up until the Late Republic and the medium-sized cities are unavailable,while the rest are generally small counties.The whole region lacks of not only a very strong economic growth and strong medium towns,but also tough medium-sized towns.Most of them are mainly county-based small towns.This demonstrates that the Northwest urban development is at a relatively initial stage.Unbalanced structure of urban geographical space exists.In accordance with the "County Organization Act" announced by Nanjing government in the Republic of China and development of the city population,this paper divides the urban population of the northwest region of the Republic of China into four levels.The urbanization in Northwest China is assessed to 13.1%by empirical plus reasoning approach.From the three distinctive aspects of city modernization,that is,modern commerce,modern industry,modern finance,the study examines the evolution of the economic function of the Northwest towns in the Republic of China.The commercial development of crucial towns in Northwest China in Republic of China has significant advantages in commodity sorts,financial range,commercial system and so on,especially the historic rise of new type commercial organization-Corporation Limited.Modern industry gets an initial development in Northwest region.There is some progress in chemistry,electricity,textile,food,pharmaceutics,flour,matches,tanning,energy and other types of industries,especially during the war,gaining the opportunity of development.However,the uneven development is outstanding.Shaanxi province mainly spreads in Guanzhong area with Xi'an as the center;nearly half of the factories locate in Xi'an alone.Lanzhou industrial enterprises account for more than half of the provincial total amount.The existing financial institutions in Northwest China go to decline after a period of continuation;new financial institutions develop with the progress of the social economy,and form the modern financial system cored with National Bank,based on the local banks,supplemented by commercial banks.Urban economic functions get further enhancement;financial center has been established.But still uneven development among different regions has been significant.The process of town modernization,is not only displayed in the modernization of economy,commerce,industry,finance,transportation,but also needs more modernized transformation in education and technology,cultural and health undertakings.Education at all levels of the northwest region in the Republic of China have a greater progress,causing development of modern cultural career in science and cultural groups,libraries,newspapers and the shaping of the modern health career.All these are symbols of transformation in Northwest modernization.The Republic of China is an important stage in China's modernization.The National Crisis block Chinese people to explore the pace of social progress,the Northwest,however,gets a good opportunity for development and set foot on urbanization.The regional characteristics of town modernization are so noticeable in Northwest China.The administrative evolution is the motivation factor to propel minority,nomadic and border area to town modernization.The town modernization in Northwest China has shown that small quantity in town number,small scale and unbalanced layout,low economic modernization.Natural environment,political and military and local factors such as the true power is the main factors of influence city modernization.