Economic Development and the Urbanization Process in China during the Southern Song (1127–1279): A Study on the Role of Primary Markets in the Area of Zhejiang research-article Wu Yeguo Journal of Asian History, Jahrgang 54 (2020), Ausgabe 1, Seite 107 - 130 In the Southern Song, the prosperity of the commercial economy caused many grassroots markets to grow into towns, thus the grassroots market and the town constitute the primary markets. In the core area of Jiangnan 江南, the towns of Liangzhe 兩浙 Province boomed, forming a nationwide market network. The resulting emergence of urban residents and their distinction as fangguohu 坊郭戶 from the rural residents strongly indicates that there was an increasing separation of urban and rural society. The development of the commodity economy and the increase of the urban population shaped this early urbanization in China. Meanwhile, the growth and prosperity of towns undergoing the process of urbanization had a strong and positive impact on the development of rural areas. However, we cannot overestimate the urbanization of Jiangnan. The reason is that urban residents in the Southern Song were particularly keen to buy land and become landlords. This is different from the process of urbanization that took place in the modern European and American countries, which was based on the development of industrial production, the growth of the citizen class and the prosperity of community organizations.
