Modern Zhabei In Northern Jiangsu (1900-1949)

This paper is a research on the Subei people. Zhabei is a new district which gradually rose on the north corner of Shanghai City, during the half-century history(1900—1949) from open to the liberation, through many vicissitudes, flourish and depression. This paper bases on that background, survey on the largest immigrant groups-Subei people, from the aspect of their living conditions after entering urban from rural area. Emphases on several aspects of their occupancy, work, marriage, entertainment and community relations, discuss several problems on the evolution from "rural migrants" to "urban communities" and its effect on Zhabei. Base on this structure and ideas, this paper is divided into five chapters.In the first chapter, at first we will make a brief introduction to Zhabei's modernization process, content is condition of Zhabei's administrative reform and fundamental developments; followed by a simple outline to the reason why Subei people came to Shanghai and the trace of their migration and also analysis the reason why Subei people became the largest immigrant groups in the later 1940s.From the village came to the city, facing the widely different habitation, the new immigrants who live in cities must have a lot of maladjustments, while also a process of gradual integration into the city. The second chapter and the third chapter separately from the live, work, marriage and entertainment, emphasize particularly on their living conditions in Zhabei, and discuss the reason which causes their wicked living conditions.For new immigrants, with the change of their living environment, not only their habits, the social networking must also very different than before. In the fourth chapter, through describing two levels of different townee and gangsterdom, further discuss the Subei people's activities in different organizations. Finally, the article also make a case of the story of Green Gang magnate Gu Zhuxuan, introduced his legendary life in Shanghai.After the description on several aspects of Subei people's living conditions, the fifth chapter thinks over the geographical and self identity change from the "rural migrants" to "urban communities" evolution and its impact on Zhabei.In the conclusion, through the summarize on angle of migration and city interaction, deepen the understanding such issues as Subei people's life in Shanghai, the process of neutralization, Shanghai general public transferred their "ethnic discrimination" upon Subei people to the "regional discrimination".