The Impact of Maoism on the Architectural Vocabulary, Urban Form and Structure in the Cities of China

Chinese civilization is one of the few ancient civilisations that has endured. For
millennia and centuries, Chinese architecture and urbanism were very much influenced by the teachings of Confucius and the principles of Taoism. However, this long-term trend drastically changed after World War Two. There has always been an underlying theoretical nexus between the spheres of politics, urbanism and architecture. In 1949, when the Communists seized power in China, one of their prime objectives was to radically transform the physical, social and economic environments of the cities. They shelved Confucianism and Taoism and forged new principles and directives for urban development. The main aim of this study is to trace the determinants behind urban development in China, during the Cold War between 1949 and 1991. Additionally, it identifies the ramifications for contemporary Chinese cities and other Communist countries. The study adopts a qualitative research approach, involving document analysis, field surveys and observations. The research confirms that until 1979, the Chinese Maoist city elements inspired urban transformation. More broadly, it identifies the extent to which traditions, trends and political ideologies influenced the transformation of urban environments and landscapes in the People’s Republic of China. However, from 1979 capitalist influences, accentuated by unprecedented rural-urban migration, altered the mode of urbanisation towards commercial property-led development. An unfortunate side effect of this recent phase of Chinese urbanisation was the destruction of traditional hutongs. Exposure to
climate change impacts, including drought and heatwaves, may yet reign in the worst proclivities of ill-considered current commercial development practices, and resuscitate fruitful aspects of ancient Confucian, Taoist or Feng Shui wisdom