Abstract Under the market-oriented circumstance, urbanization is the topic of a new developing stage of regional economic growth. The concept of urbanization springs from the study of towns to the south of the Yangtze River. The research about guildhalls is a shining pearl in the study of Chinese modern history.
Guildhalls, as an organization, are a consequence of a well-developed commercial economy. It is essential to explore its origins. Most literatures focus on its favorable surroundings and abundant resources, convenient communication and low-cost transportation,and flourishing commercial economy and maturely-developed market network. This paper explores the historical origins and backgrounds of guildhalls' emergence in the Ming & Qing dynasties, taking Suzhou City as an example. The authors attempt to investigate the significant impact of movement of population on the vigorous growth of guildhalls. Meanwhile, this paper analyses the effect of guildhalls on Chinese regional urbanization in the modern times by probing into guildhalls' urbanizing characteristics, offering some references for the present urbanization construction in China.
It is concluded that 1) Immigration economy represents the contextual characteristics of the urban economic development in the Ming & Qing dynasties. 2) the emergence of guildhalls fosters the process of regional urbanization. 3) Immigration is the internal requirement of well-allocated social resources and social structure adjustment.
2007, Vol. 22 
