Urban village (China)
Encyclopedia
Urban villages are a unique phenomenon that formed part of China’s urbanization efforts
.
The villages appear on both the outskirts and the downtown
segments of major cities, including Beijing
, Shenzhen
and Guangzhou
. They are surrounded by skyscrapers, transportation infrastructures, and other modern urban constructions.
Urban villages are commonly inhabited by the poor and transient, and as such they are associated with squalor
, overcrowding and social problems. However, they are also among the liveliest areas in some cities and are notable for affording economic opportunity
to newcomers to the city.
is vastly different from the tradition
al agricultural way of life due to the lack of farmland
. A new lifestyle has developed in which landowners build multi-story houses (which is allocated by the village collective) and rent
them to the city’s floating population
, who are not able to afford an apartment
in the better parts of the city.
Urban villages are not regulated by any form of centralised urban planning
. Most of them are heavily populated, overdeveloped, and lack infrastructure. Some villages' building density is greater than 70%. They are composed of overcrowded multi-story buildings ranging from three to five (or more) floors, and narrow alleys, which are difficult for vehicles to pass through. Inside villages, it can be dark and damp year round and lighting
may have to be kept on even during daylight
hours. However, many villages have designated areas at their core which house cultural facilities and examples of historic architecture
, while others have special shopping and market streets, sometimes reserved for pedestrian
s.
On the one hand, the villages serve to provide cheap accommodation for the impoverished population who come from the rural areas to try to make a living in the city. On the other hand, they have become the breeding grounds for social problems such as crime
, drug addiction, alcoholism
, and prostitution
. Some consider urban villages to be a form of slum with Chinese characteristics.
is considered to be one of the fundamental causes for the development of urban villages. The villages used to be located on the outskirts of the city, but with the expansion of the city, farmlands formerly cultivated by the villages were compulsorily purchased
and turned into urban land by the government whereas the villages themselves were reserved due to the high social and economic costs: to compensate the villagers for their lost dwellings, the government had to arrange jobs and larger apartments in the city for these unskilled villagers. Such inefficient planning was usually abandoned during the early period of China's reforms
.
Soon after their purchase, the villages tend to be surrounded by rising skyscrapers. though situated in the midst of the urban area, they are still "rural" and villagers still share a rural household identity in terms of municipal administration
. Consequently, the villages become de facto independent kingdoms, outside of urban planning, infrastructure construction, and other forms of administrative regulations and public policy
.
Because of the prosperity of the neighbouring area, the value of the villages' land also increased dramatically. Village landowners became rich landlords and built much larger buildings in the villages, making any urban renewal
planning impossible due to the huge corresponding compensation
that would have to be paid. While the villages are often a hub for a transient
population, authorities are wary of any plans to rapidly remove them, fearing possible negative social effects and instability.
Urbanization in China
Urbanization in the People's Republic of China increased in speed following the initiation of the reform and opening policy. By the end of 2010, the mainland of the People's Republic of China had a total urban population of 665.57 million or 49.68 percent of the total population.The rural-to-urban...
.
The villages appear on both the outskirts and the downtown
Downtown
Downtown is a term primarily used in North America by English speakers to refer to a city's core or central business district ....
segments of major cities, including Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, Shenzhen
Shenzhen
Shenzhen is a major city in the south of Southern China's Guangdong Province, situated immediately north of Hong Kong. The area became China's first—and one of the most successful—Special Economic Zones...
and Guangzhou
Guangzhou
Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...
. They are surrounded by skyscrapers, transportation infrastructures, and other modern urban constructions.
Urban villages are commonly inhabited by the poor and transient, and as such they are associated with squalor
Squalor
Squalor was a 4 issue limited series published by First Comics which ran from December 1989 through March 1990. It was created by Stefan Petrucha and Tom Sutton . The covers for each issue were painted by Jeffrey K...
, overcrowding and social problems. However, they are also among the liveliest areas in some cities and are notable for affording economic opportunity
Opportunity
Opportunity may refer to:*Opportunity International - An International microfinance network that lends to the working poor*Opportunity NYC is the experimental Conditional Cash Transfer program being launched in New York City...
to newcomers to the city.
Characteristics
Modern life in China's urban villageUrban village
An urban village is an urban planning and urban design concept. It refers to an urban form typically characterized by:* Medium density development* Mixed use zoning* The provision of good public transit...
is vastly different from the tradition
Tradition
A tradition is a ritual, belief or object passed down within a society, still maintained in the present, with origins in the past. Common examples include holidays or impractical but socially meaningful clothes , but the idea has also been applied to social norms such as greetings...
al agricultural way of life due to the lack of farmland
Arable land
In geography and agriculture, arable land is land that can be used for growing crops. It includes all land under temporary crops , temporary meadows for mowing or pasture, land under market and kitchen gardens and land temporarily fallow...
. A new lifestyle has developed in which landowners build multi-story houses (which is allocated by the village collective) and rent
Renting
Renting is an agreement where a payment is made for the temporary use of a good, service or property owned by another. A gross lease is when the tenant pays a flat rental amount and the landlord pays for all property charges regularly incurred by the ownership from landowners...
them to the city’s floating population
Floating population
Floating population is a terminology used to describe a group of people who reside in a given population for a certain amount of time and for various reasons, but are not generally considered part of the official census count....
, who are not able to afford an apartment
Apartment
An apartment or flat is a self-contained housing unit that occupies only part of a building...
in the better parts of the city.
Urban villages are not regulated by any form of centralised urban planning
Urban planning
Urban planning incorporates areas such as economics, design, ecology, sociology, geography, law, political science, and statistics to guide and ensure the orderly development of settlements and communities....
. Most of them are heavily populated, overdeveloped, and lack infrastructure. Some villages' building density is greater than 70%. They are composed of overcrowded multi-story buildings ranging from three to five (or more) floors, and narrow alleys, which are difficult for vehicles to pass through. Inside villages, it can be dark and damp year round and lighting
Lighting
Lighting or illumination is the deliberate application of light to achieve some practical or aesthetic effect. Lighting includes the use of both artificial light sources such as lamps and light fixtures, as well as natural illumination by capturing daylight...
may have to be kept on even during daylight
Daylight
Daylight or the light of day is the combination of all direct and indirect sunlight outdoors during the daytime. This includes direct sunlight, diffuse sky radiation, and both of these reflected from the Earth and terrestrial objects. Sunlight scattered or reflected from objects in outer space is...
hours. However, many villages have designated areas at their core which house cultural facilities and examples of historic architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
, while others have special shopping and market streets, sometimes reserved for pedestrian
Pedestrian
A pedestrian is a person traveling on foot, whether walking or running. In some communities, those traveling using roller skates or skateboards are also considered to be pedestrians. In modern times, the term mostly refers to someone walking on a road or footpath, but this was not the case...
s.
On the one hand, the villages serve to provide cheap accommodation for the impoverished population who come from the rural areas to try to make a living in the city. On the other hand, they have become the breeding grounds for social problems such as crime
Crime
Crime is the breach of rules or laws for which some governing authority can ultimately prescribe a conviction...
, drug addiction, alcoholism
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
, and prostitution
Prostitution
Prostitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms, including a "john". Prostitution is one of...
. Some consider urban villages to be a form of slum with Chinese characteristics.
Causes and solutions
Although perspectives vary, the household registration system of the People's Republic of ChinaHukou
A Hukou or huji refers to the system of 'class system' residency permits which dates back to ancient China, where household registration is required by law in People's Republic of China and Republic of China ....
is considered to be one of the fundamental causes for the development of urban villages. The villages used to be located on the outskirts of the city, but with the expansion of the city, farmlands formerly cultivated by the villages were compulsorily purchased
Eminent domain
Eminent domain , compulsory purchase , resumption/compulsory acquisition , or expropriation is an action of the state to seize a citizen's private property, expropriate property, or seize a citizen's rights in property with due monetary compensation, but without the owner's consent...
and turned into urban land by the government whereas the villages themselves were reserved due to the high social and economic costs: to compensate the villagers for their lost dwellings, the government had to arrange jobs and larger apartments in the city for these unskilled villagers. Such inefficient planning was usually abandoned during the early period of China's reforms
Chinese economic reform
The Chinese economic reform refers to the program of economic reforms called "Socialism with Chinese characteristics" in the People's Republic of China that were started in December 1978 by reformists within the Communist Party of China led by Deng Xiaoping.China had one of the world's largest...
.
Soon after their purchase, the villages tend to be surrounded by rising skyscrapers. though situated in the midst of the urban area, they are still "rural" and villagers still share a rural household identity in terms of municipal administration
Administration (government)
The term administration, as used in the context of government, differs according to jurisdiction.-United States:In United States usage, the term refers to the executive branch under a specific president , for example: the "Barack Obama administration." It can also mean an executive branch agency...
. Consequently, the villages become de facto independent kingdoms, outside of urban planning, infrastructure construction, and other forms of administrative regulations and public policy
Public policy
Public policy as government action is generally the principled guide to action taken by the administrative or executive branches of the state with regard to a class of issues in a manner consistent with law and institutional customs. In general, the foundation is the pertinent national and...
.
Because of the prosperity of the neighbouring area, the value of the villages' land also increased dramatically. Village landowners became rich landlords and built much larger buildings in the villages, making any urban renewal
Urban renewal
Urban renewal is a program of land redevelopment in areas of moderate to high density urban land use. Renewal has had both successes and failures. Its modern incarnation began in the late 19th century in developed nations and experienced an intense phase in the late 1940s – under the rubric of...
planning impossible due to the huge corresponding compensation
Payment
A payment is the transfer of wealth from one party to another. A payment is usually made in exchange for the provision of goods, services or both, or to fulfill a legal obligation....
that would have to be paid. While the villages are often a hub for a transient
Transient laborer
Transient laborers are people who offer their services for outdoor, usually home improvement work, for a fee. The term is chiefly American.Jobs include painting, driveway paving, snow removal, and other outdoor tasks. They may travel door-to-door to find work, usually in warm weather, and have a...
population, authorities are wary of any plans to rapidly remove them, fearing possible negative social effects and instability.
External links
- Shipai Village, one of the biggest urban village in GuangzhouShipai VillageShipai Village is the largest urban village in Guangzhou, China. It is situated in the middle of Tianhe District in Guangzhou, with dense multi-story dwelling houses building in and lands for collective use...
- Article with photos of an urban village in Shenzhen.