ABSTRACT
The Sui-Tang imperial cities were closed, rigidly planned, hierarchical, and functionally zoned, while the Song cities were open, irregular, complex, and heterogeneous in urban fabric. The two different urban paradigms reflected the ruling regime’s attitude towards urban management and control and the larger societal background: one rooted in a strong aristocratic power with a very hierarchical structure, and the other shaped by a diverse, mercantile society managed by pragmatic professional bureaucrats. This chapter highlights the physical characteristics and management of the imperial capitals, explicates the historical processes, and discusses the forces behind the making of cities, then and now.
