Reflections on the route of rural modernization in China

Abstract

When exploring the possible routes of modernizing rural China, scholars often follow the general patterns of urbanizing the rural areas implemented in most western countries. Stemming from the concept of a “new earthbound China” proposed by Xu Jieshun and He Xuefeng, this article makes a counter argument against the western path in modernizing rural China. The article examines the origin and nature of the village as part of the historical development of human civilization, then argues that the great importance of the village largely comes from agricultural civilization rather than industrial civilization. We further argue that western urbanization is just one of many possibilities, and China’s rural modernization should have its own characteristics rooted in the Chinese history of civilization.