This book explores the importance of the capital in Chinese history as well as cities more generally. Beginning with the earliest capitals from thousands of years ago all the way to present-day Beijing, the various capital changes of China – including dual-capital systems and even five-capital regimes – are covered in impressive detail. The four ‘ great capitals of China’ – Luoyang, Xi’ an, Nanjing, and Beijing – receive particular attention for their central roles in the evolution of Chinese capitals.

Aside from the capitals themselves, major cities and city types are also explored at length in this volume: for example, the grass market towns of the Song Dynasty, the Silk Road hubs, and the prosperous port cities that grew in tangent with the booming maritime trade industry during the Qing period, such as Shanghai.

This volume covers settlement expansion and type throughout China’ s history. For those who wish to learn more about Chinese cities and capitals, this book is an ideal choice. We hope readers also have the opportunity to read the other three instalments in this map series.