This book considers urban development in China, highlighting links between China's history and civilization and the rapid evolution of its urban forms. It explores the early days of urban dwelling in China, progressing to an analysis of residential environments in the industrial age. It also examines China's modern and postmodern architecture, considered as derivative or lacking spiritual meaning or personality, and showcases how China's traditional culture underpins the emergence of China's modern cities. Focusing on the notion of "courtyard spirit" in China, it offers a study of the urban public squares central to Chinese society, and examines the disruption of the traditional Square model and the rise and growth of new architectural models.

Chonglan Fu is a Research Fellow of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) and has served successively as the Director of the Institute for Urban and Environmental Studies at CASS, the Director of the Urban Development Department of CASS Graduate School, and Professor at the Department of Sociology of GSCASS. He is also a member of the Urban Planning Society of China, Dean of the Institute of Modern Urban-Rural Development Planning of CASS and member of the Beijing Municipality Specialist Counsel Body. Wenming Cao is an Associate Professor of the People's Public Security University of China, China. After attending Shandong Normal University's Department of History and the Department of Politics and Law, he started work in 1995 at the Shangdong Annal Compilation Office compiling provincial annals. In 2005, he was awarded a degree of Doctor of Laws from the Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.