Reconstruction and Pattern Analysis of Historical Urbanization of Pre-Modern China in the 1910s Using Topographic Maps and the GIS-ESDA Model: A Case Study in Zhejiang Province, China

Zhiwei Wan, Xi Chen, Min Ju, Chaohao Ling, Guangxu Liu, Fuqiang Liao, Yulian Jia and Meixin Jiang
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Zhiwei Wan: Key Laboratory of Poyang Lake Wetland and Watershed Research Ministry of Education, School of Geography and Environment, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang 330022, China
Xi Chen: Key Laboratory of Poyang Lake Wetland and Watershed Research Ministry of Education, School of Geography and Environment, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang 330022, China
Min Ju: Key Laboratory of Poyang Lake Wetland and Watershed Research Ministry of Education, School of Geography and Environment, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang 330022, China
Chaohao Ling: State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
Guangxu Liu: School of Geography and Environmental Engineering, Gannan Normal University, Ganzhou 341000, China
Fuqiang Liao: Key Laboratory of Poyang Lake Wetland and Watershed Research Ministry of Education, School of Geography and Environment, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang 330022, China
Yulian Jia: Key Laboratory of Poyang Lake Wetland and Watershed Research Ministry of Education, School of Geography and Environment, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang 330022, China
Meixin Jiang: Key Laboratory of Poyang Lake Wetland and Watershed Research Ministry of Education, School of Geography and Environment, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang 330022, China

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 2, 1-18

Abstract: The pattern of urban land use and the level of urbanization in China’s pre-modernization period are of great significance for land use and land cover change (LUCC) research. The purpose of this study is to construct a 1910s spatial dataset of provincial land urbanization in pre-modern China. Using historical topographic maps, this study quantitatively reconstructs the built-up area of various cities in Zhejiang Province in the 1910s. The research indicates that: (1) During the early period of the Republic of China, there were a total of 252 cities and towns in Zhejiang Province, including 75 cities at or above the county level, 21 acropolis, and 156 towns. The total built-up area was 140.590 km 2 . (2) The county-level urbanization level had significant agglomeration characteristics. The overall urbanization rate of land was 0.135%. (3) Hot spots analysis showed that the Hang-Jia-Hu-Shao plain is hot spot. (4) The correlation coefficient between the city wall perimeter data recorded in the local chronicles and the measured city wall perimeter was 0.908. The research showed that the military topographic maps possessed a good application prospect for the reconstruction of urbanization levels. The research results provide direct evidence for urbanization and urban land use in China’s pre-modernization period.

Keywords: urbanization level; historical land use; pre-modern China; Zhejiang Province (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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