ABSTRACT
From the earliest vestiges of urbanism in China through to the twentieth century, a major purpose of the city has been to serve the ruler or government. Archaeological evidence from China’s earliest cities indicates the presence of royalty and institutions that helped enforce their position, and in historic times, texts confirm that cities were designed in accordance with the position of the ruler and architecture that served him. This chapter surveys 6000 years of urban history in China to demonstrate the continued presence of the ruler and his institutions in Chinese cities.
