ABSTRACT
Whentalkingaboutthenewtallbuildingsandotherconstructioninhis hometown,asixty-eight-year-oldmaninBeilezhen,oneofourthreefield sites,toldus,"IneverthoughtIwouldseethisinmylifetime."Hewas referringtothefactthatafterlivinginasmallfamilyhouseandfarming mostofhislife,hewasnowlivinginanapartmentbuildingwithcentral
heatingandtapwaterwhiletwoofhisthreechildrenwereworkingoutside ofagriculture.Isthiswhatismeantbyruralurbanization?Inthischapter wediscusstheurbanizationprocessontheLiaodongPeninsulainnortheastemChinaandlookathowlocalleadersareenactingreformsintheareato helptheirlocalitiesurbanizeanddevelop.Ouraimhereistwofold.First,we begintoexplorewhatitmeanstourbanize;andseehowthatprocessoften isidentifiedintermsofphysicalchangestothelandscapeandhowpeople spendtheirdays.Dotheyworkinoffices,factories,orontheland?Dothey liveinapartmentbuildingsandbuyalloftheirfoodinthemarket?Second, weworktounderstandwhathaspropelledsomeareasnearDaliancityto makesomanychangesinthepastseveralyears.
