Lanzhou Urban Space Changes And Social Development Of The Republic Of China

Lanzhou is located at the spot where is as the strategic passage by adjoining thenatural defense of the Yellow River. It’s always as a place contested by all strategistssince the city had been established, and every Chinese ancient government attachedgreat importance to it. To the end of the Qing Dynasty, the city size had reached theperfect form after more than two thousand years of elaboration since the foundation.During period of the Republic of China (1912-1949), the process of social modernizehad been continuously advanced. Such profound changes had been taken place in thecity not only on urban structure and function, but also on every aspect of urban sociallife. It would be another development period of opportunity that was as Lanzhou cityofficially established and outbreak of the anti-Japanese War. After this shortdevelopment period, the urban modernize of Lanzhou was carried to a new stage.The thesis involves four chapters. It will mainly focus on the analysis of urbanspace evolution and social development of Lanzhou during the period of the Republicof China. What’s more, I’ll try to discuss their relationship. Among the chapters, theopening chapter describes the geographic environment of Lanzhou from the point ofview of environmental factors and climate. Chapter Two gives a brief historicaloverview of establishment, relocation and expansion of Lanzhou city. Among which,it offers more details about the urban development during the Qing Dynasty, for thetime is much close to the Republic of China. It helps to unscramble the urbandevelopment during the Republican period by analyzing the former condition. InChapter Three, the research is based upon the Republican period to discuss thechanges proceeding from the components of urban space, and to verify such changesand development from the new look of urban development. The final chapter aims toinvestigate and reveal the relationship between urban space changes and socialdevelopment of Lanzhou. Furthermore, I try to figure out the fundamental causes ofsuch development. Anyway, the only purpose is to uncover the panorama of urbandevelopment of Lanzhou.