Transformation of Urban Space in Yangzhou City during the Post-canal Era - Taking the Nanhexia Area as an Example

摘要

Yangzhou is one of the 1st batches of famous cities with historical culture in China and the space form of the ancient city in Yangzhou embodies the landscape features of traditional cities in China. Since modern times, due to the shipping suspension of The Grand Canal and other political and military factors, Yangzhou was declining with its traditional urban landscape also undergoing gradual transformation in the reform in modern society. Based on the Nanhexia historical culture reserve in Yangzhou city, this paper analyses the space transformation of this district during post-canal era. The research results are of importance to have a correct understanding of the value of Grand Canal heritage in Yangzhou Section and to take an effective protection, especially at the background of declaring Grand Canal to be the World heritage. On the basis of historical events that have a great bearing on the city's development, the Nanhexia District can be divided into 4 sections: initial period (1855-1912), evolutionary period (1912-1949), formative period (1949-1978) and sustaining period (1979-now), each of which has its content and characteristics respectively. According to the changes of factors in urban space and the interactive mechanism of urban spaces, this paper concludes the transformation of space structure in Nanhexia District from close to open, and presents the features of interior expanding. In the early two periods, the transformation was greatly affected by the residents' desire, which is a typical 'bottom-up's structure transformation; while the later two periods was greatly affected by the government's instruction, which is a typical top-down one. At last, this paper points out that more attention should attached to the research of Yangzhou's development history in modern times and correct understanding the transformation of this city, so to extend the city's space mechanism and further improve the culture of this ancient city.