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In China, in recent years it has become a prevailing trend to promote the spatial maturity and high-quality transformation of new towns, yet there are few quantitative methods to evaluate their urban morphological maturity. From the perspective of quantitative urban morphology, this paper integrates street view data and cutting-edge analytical techniques into classic urban morphological study and develops a quantitative index for evaluating urban morphological maturity that fits Chinese cities by adjusting the indicators in line with the unique characteristics of the built environment of Chinese cities. Focusing on five new towns, as well as a historic area, of Shanghai, the paper evaluates their urban morphological maturity with this quantitative index and verifies its validity by comparing the evaluation result with that of expert consensus. It then proposes some design guidelines that may provide robust support for the regeneration of these new towns. Given its reliance on the multi-source data of open access and ready availability, this index holds promise for evaluating the urban morphological maturity of other new towns, to provide support for urban form improvement from both holistic and detailed perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The identification of built environment elements in neighborhoods that have significant impacts on obesity is the basis for scientifically preventing obesity and related chronic diseases, as well as formulating and implementing spatial intervention policies. In recent years, studies on the relationship between neighborhood built environment and obesity and related behaviors have increased rapidly in China with preliminary progresses. This paper systematically reviews the empirical research on the impacts of neighborhood built environment on obesity and related behaviors which was done in China from 2011 to 2021 and selects 44 papers to extract, summarize, and quantitatively synthesize the research results by using the meta-analysis method and through the weighted Z-test. The meta-analysis shows that, according to their significance, the measured built environment elements in neighborhoods that have significant impacts on obesity and related behaviors are ranked in a descending order as accessibilitydensity of physical activity facilities, accessibility-density of bus stops/transit stations, street connectivity--crossing density, and mixed land use rate--destination amount. Meanwhile, the elements of residential density--population density, accessibility-distance to bus stops/transit stations, and accessibility-distance to physical activity facilities do not show remarkable statistic difference. This implies that community planning should highlight the measures of increasing land use for sports facilities and green spaces, improving public transport system, optimizing road network, and strengthening mixed land use to build healthy communities that can facilitate the prevention of obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban agglomeration plays a vital role in fostering high-quality and sustainable development in China, where urbanization rates significantly influence both urban and rural environments, generating different economic and socio-spatial impacts that, in turn, influence carbon emissions in cities. To delve into the influencing mechanisms of carbon emissions, this paper examines the spatio-temporal pattern of carbon emissions across 41 cities in the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration in China. It utilizes data on economic, social, and spatial factors from 2012 to 2019 and employs a spatial econometric regression model for analysis. The results indicate that carbon emissions of cities in the urban agglomeration exhibited strong spatial correlation from 2012 to 2019, characterized by relatively stable cold and hot spots, along with continuous outward spread of high-value zones. Economic and social factors demonstrate a significant positive spatial correlation with carbon emissions of a city, with weak spatial spillover effects. Spatial factors exhibit correlations with carbon emissions in both the city and neighboring cities, with strong spatial spillover effects. Moreover, the spatial layout and functional division of cities in the urban agglomeration also significantly impact the spatio-temporal pattern of carbon emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

County-level administrative divisions and main functional areas are two basic governance systems that act concurrently on county-level geographical units. The administrative division governance focuses on local administration and regular social services, while the main functional area governance focuses on differentiated territorial space development. This paper summarizes the emerging trends and requirements of countylevel spatial governance in China and analyzes the coupling relationship of county-level administrative divisions and main functional areas. Then, the paper proposes to develop an interactive mechanism for the two systems, with administrative divisions focusing on local administration and social governance, and main functional areas focusing on strength complementation and differentiated development. In addition, it puts forward a new county-level spatial governance model featuring a coupling relationship of administrative and functional systems that is well matched with the coordination mechanism. It may provide a reference for improving administrative divisions, the main functional area policy system, and their dynamic adjustments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In China, the urban construction and development mode is gradually changing from extensive renewal (large-scale demolition and construction) to more targeted micro regeneration. Against this backdrop, protection of traditional fairs which have witnessed the emergence and development of cities needs to be addressed urgently in the process of sustainable urban development. After summarizing the concept of cultural heritage and the international cultural heritage protection process, this paper affirms the value of traditional fairs as a kind of built heritage and proposes a sustainability assessment framework for traditional fair built heritage. Through analyzing the stakeholders involved in the traditional fair regeneration process, the paper identifies key stakeholders using Mitchell's score-based approach. From the perspective of stakeholders and taking the Licun Fair in Qingdao City as an example, it puts forward a public participation-based sustainable development and regeneration strategy, providing a reference for the protection and reutilization of traditional fair built heritage in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With China's urbanization entering a stage of high-quality development, refined urban governance has become an important part in the modernization of governance capacity, in which urban design plays a major role. This paper briefly reviews the background of urban design digitalization and discusses the issues that need to be addressed in digital management and control of urban design in China. On this basis, the paper summarizes the practice of digital management and control of urban design in Zhuhai in three aspects: building a rule base for digital management and control, developing a 3D quantitative analysis method for urban space from the macro, meso, and micro perspectives, and establishing a digital urban design management platform and storing 2D and 3D urban design schemes in the database according to unified standards, so as to realize the standardized management, intelligent review, and scientific decision-making of urban design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Park-and-Ride (P&R), referring to the transfer between private cars and public transportation, is a public policy and travel mode that advocates green travel to reduce traffic congestion in big cities. Through an analysis on the development and focus of P&R research in China and abroad, this paper examines the research progress and explores the research trend on P&R from the perspective of travel mode choice, transfer demand forecast, location planning, operational management, and benefit evaluation. It points out that, compared with the research abroad, the P&R research in China is insufficient on the subjects of transportation planning and benefit evaluation. It proposes that, in future, research should focus more on planning, management, and benefit evaluation of P&R, so as to enhance the intelligent management of transportation system and promote the implementation of policies supporting P&R development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the strategic concept of "Healthy China," communities are not only basic units to compose a healthy city, but also main bodies to fulfill the goal of "health for all" and healthy city development. Since the end of the last century, healthy community research and related practice have seen rapid development in both China and abroad. This paper systematically reviews and compares the concepts, theories, and practices related to healthy community since the 1990s, and analyzes the influencing factors and their acting paths of healthy community in terms of healthy housing, healthy environment, healthy neighborhood, and health services. In the end, the paper points out the main problems in healthy community research and practice and proposes development prospects. It suggests that in the future, efforts should be made to further strengthen the interdisciplinary and cross-level collaboration for healthy community, improve the systematic study on the influencing mechanism of healthy community, enhance the exploration of the whole-process implementation mechanism, and promote the research and construction of intelligent healthy community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As few studies have been conducted on the roles of governments at different levels in cross-boundary cooperation process, this paper, drawing on the multi-level governance theory, explores the roles of local governments in cross-boundary cooperation in China through in-depth interviews and document analysis in the Guangzhou-Foshan metropolitan area. The paper finds that China has seen a significant advance in crossboundary cooperation in terms of institutional building and a remarkable change in municipal and provincial government functions. The new forms of regional cooperation have enhanced horizontal ties, but political directives from the central government cannot simply be ignored as existing administrative hierarchy is still a pervasive principle. The power devolution is essentially the transfer of power from the central government to provincial- and municipal-level governments (or prefecture city governments) but overlooks the district and county governments. Furthermore, citizens and non-government institutions have no access to the decision-making process and channels for airing their appeals. In a real sense, the regional cooperation system has not yet been well established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has brought unprecedented challenges to urban transportation. During the pandemic, public transportation, as an integral part of urban transportation, must ensure the safety of passengers, particularly low-mobility individuals (LMIs): older people, individuals with disabilities, and low-income individuals who prefer getting around by it. Based on passengers' travel behavior and psychological characteristics, this paper analyzes the public transportation travel of LMIs before and during the pandemic using a hybrid survey method that combines a face-to-face survey and a supplementary telephone interview. The results show that LMIs differ from the general public in public transportation travel characteristics, and the three subgroups also differ from each other. Accordingly, the conditions in the context of the pandemic should be fully considered to meet LMIs' demand for public transportation and ensure their safety when relevant policies are formulated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New urbanization is a long-acting solution to the issues relating to agriculture, countryside and farmers, as well as a certain path to develop China into a great modern socialist country. It plays a key role in resolving the principal challenges faced by China in the new era and becomes a powerful driving force to the economic development of high quality. Taking the journal papers as samples on the theme of new urbanization included in the CNKI database from 2008 to 2018, this study uses the bibliometric method to analyze the state of the art, evolution, and hotspots of new urbanization research in China during the 11 years and to visualize the dynamic development process. It reveals that the quantitative distribution of the research literatures on new urbanization shows an inverted U-shaped curve, the evolution process of the research includes three stages of exploration, development, and stabilization, and the research hotspots include the five aspects of the connotation, development mode and path, development quality, financial administration, and industrial structure of new urbanization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared with the stock-land exploitation of developed regions in eastern China, the development path in the western regions still relies on land expansion. Among them, Shaanxi stands out as an early-developing region with the highest comprehensive social and economic development level in the west, presenting a more significant and typical phenomenon of urban expansion. This paper utilizes remote sensing image data and socioeconomic statistical data, employing mathematical and statistical analysis methods to examine the types and patterns of urban spatial expansion in Shaanxi over multiple years. It also summarizes the laws of expansion and subsequently delves into the driving factors of the spatial expansion. The result shows that the important driving factors of urban expansion in Shaanxi include natural geographical conditions, the economic development basis, the development of new towns and new areas, the drive of large-scale projects, and the guidance of urban and rural planning. The differences in driving factors between the east and west can be explained by the stages of regional development and the effects of administrative boundaries. This research aims to provide localized insights into the rational regulation of urban spatial evolution and efficient land use in similar regions and latedeveloping regions in western China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caregivers, i.e., parents, grandparents, and anyone caring for children, make up the majority of users in many urban centers around the world, including in China. Yet urban design and planning rarely consider specific needs of caregivers. This can result in a negative perception among people that cities are unfriendly places to raise children. Such negative perception is among the major contributors to the aging population problem, as parents and parents-to-be feel reluctant to give birth and raise more than one or even any children. Using an interdisciplinary approach, i.e., cognitive science, psychology, behavioral economics, and urban studies, this paper examines a new city model of "parent-friendly city," where urban design serves the needs of caregivers, effectively creating a perception that cities are friendly places for raising children. First, we identify that caregivers' needs are characterized by two major factors: (1) provision: parents want to provide for their children, such as providing places for play and learning, and (2) restoration: parents want to restore things that they lack due to childcare responsibilities, such as lack of rest and interaction with other adults. Second, we offer cognitive-based design principles that can work powerfully and effectively to fill both needs. Third, using real case studies from cities in China and around the world, we illustrate how these design principles work, even reversing caregivers' perception from negative to positive. Ultimately, thoughtful urban design can support parents in raising children, making cities into partners in parenthood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the era of stock planning, the renovation of old residential communities has become an important part of urban development in China. However, the renovation planning is difficult to implement. The paper points out three main factors that affect the implementation of old residential community renovation under the current system: complex property right structure, multiple stakeholders, and lack of funds. Based on the concept of Low Impact Development, and with minimizing the impact as the goal, the paper proposes a new mode for the renovation of old residential communities: through an analysis on property rights and interest game in old residential communities, and according to cost estimation, priority should be given to renovating the public elements that neither involve property rights or core interests nor require too many funds, including public space, roads, supporting facilities, etc., with community management to be properly improved. In the end, with the renovation of Quanyechang Community of Wuhan City as an example, the paper concludes that this renovation mode can not only meet the urgent needs for renovation, but is also easy to implement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stormwater resources are not effectively utilized in many Chinese cities, which not only wastes water resources but has also brought about serious urban flooding problems. Urban green space, as a resilient approach of stormwater regulation and storage, has been widely applied in urban flooding control and sponge city construction. Through a review on relevant literature in the past two decades, this paper systematically compares the methods commonly used in the assessment on stormwater regulation and storage capacity of urban green space, examines the pattern factors affecting the capacity, and expounds the application of urban green space in stormwater management at different scales. The literature review aims to provide a scientific basis for the alleviation of urban flooding problems and the construction of sponge cities. Meanwhile, the paper also puts forward four development trends in the research on the stormwater regulation and storage function of urban green space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Old residential area regeneration has long been integral to China's urban planning, construction, and governance. This paper divides its history in China into four periods based on the policy and its positioning in the socio-economic pattern: slow development as a non-productive sector (1949 to late 1970s), housing marketization under unified planning (late 1970s to early 2000s), a livelihood-oriented transitional period (early 2000s to early 2010s), and a large-scale comprehensive project (early 2010s to the present). It summarizes the positioning, purpose, type, actor, and research characteristics in each period and points out that the old residential area regeneration in China has always been in dynamic interaction between the state, market, and society, presenting complicated characteristics. This process is like a pendulum oscillating between the dual attributes of urban regeneration and housing policies, and relevant studies exploring the Chinese path since 1949 are featured by pragmatism and policy implication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Health impact assessment (HIA) is an approach to identification of potential health benefits or hazards in urban planning schemes. Quantitative HIA provides uniform and comparable health outcomes (e.g., the morbidity of a specific disease), which could effectively assist planning decisions. However, there are currently few quantitative HIA methods specifically for urban planning applications. Based on a review of existing HIA methods, this paper has developed a quantitative HIA system for urban planning schemes in China, and specifically evaluates health risks, health behaviors, and health outcomes. Taking the Territorial and Spatial Master Plan of the Gucun Township of Shanghai as an example, we have illustrated how to evaluate the reduced health risks and increased health behaviors, as well as how to calculate changes in potential health outcomes in order to provide a reference for relevant HIA practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China entered an aging society in 1999 based on the United Nations' definition that an aging society is one where the population aged sixty and above accounts for more than 10 percent of the total population. Accordingly, community-based home care for older people has become a social trend and the main policy orientation of the urban elderly care service system. How to meet older people's needs for living and caring services in urban residential areas is a major challenge for China to conduct urban redevelopment. This paper analyzes the supply-demand match of age-friendly public service facilities in communities based on the daily needs for public service facilities and the living circle characteristics of older people. Then it conducts an empirical study on typical residential communities in Suzhou and puts forward a hierarchical allocation strategy and improvement suggestions for age-friendly public service facilities in the self-sufficient community living circle, the near neighborhood living circle, and the urban expansion living circle. In addition, it proposes measures for improving the allocation of public service facilities in case communities in Suzhou through urban renewal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a long-term problem that the population size determination in urban master planning usually deviates from the implementation result. How to determine the population size scientifically and reasonably during the transformation of spatial planning system in China has become the focus of attention in the new era. Taking Xi'an as an example, based on the analysis of differences between the population size determination and the actual development of population in the four rounds of urban master planning since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, this paper reflects on the reasons for the inaccuracy of population estimates from three aspects: the connotation of "goal-oriented" planning, the planning objective of "growthism," and the determination method of "mechanical simplicity." In the context of territorial and spatial planning, this paper puts forward enlightenments for the population size determination in urban master planning in three aspects, i.e., putting the people first and combining rigid and elastic control, practicing ecological civilization and strengthening bottom line thinking, and establishing a sound methodological system and unified standards and regulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on urban planning knowledge and its formation in the early modern China, comparing the urban function framework defined in the Athens Charter with Chinese city development in the late Qing Dynasty, selecting "road," "park," and "commercial port" as keywords to analyze the construction practices and historical documents, in order to sort out the basic characteristics of the formation and development of urban planning knowledge. Based on the database of Airusheng Shenbao, this paper conducts keywords-frequency statistical analysis, and verifies the public acceptance of various planning knowledge in early modern times, expecting to reveal the origin and connotation of modern urban planning in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the help of the Theil index, this paper analyzes the regional and intra-regional disparities in the Land Economic Density (LED) of the provincial-level regions in China from 2008 to 2017. The Pearson correlation coefficient is also employed to reveal the relationship between influencing factors and the LED of the empirical regions, so as to further identify differences in the LED of different regions. The paper finds that firstly, the average LED on the national scale has grown gradually from about 787 million yuan/km2 in 2008 to around 1,396 million yuan/km2 in 2017. Secondly, the intra-regional disparity in LED shows a decrease trend. Conversely, the regional disparity in LED has increased year by year. Thirdly, the LED of different regions has different correlations with their influencing factors. Finally, both education and technology input have a significantly positive correlation with the LED, and a negative correlation with urban-rural consumption ratio, which indicates that improving the education and technology input could balance regional development and narrow the development gap between urban and rural areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In pre-modern China, the space for women was rarely a subject of architectural theory studies. It is along with the development of feminism in the field of sociology that more attention was gradually paid to it and its morphological characteristics. When women began to participate in production activities in society, their life structure was greatly changed. Focusing on female dormitories as main living space for women in universities, this paper conducts a comparative study on the living space for men and women in China’s early modern universities from the perspective of planning and architecture. It analyzes the transformation of the space for women under the background of lifestyle diversification, elaborating its progressive and limitative meanings and identifying its reasons, so as to encourage more studies on the unique characteristics of the space for women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper attempts to create a multi-factor urban sprawl indicator containing population, economy, land use, and infrastructure by using statistical data, and empirically measures the urban sprawl level of 69 cities in China between 2000 to 2014. It then analyzes the results from regional and periodic perspectives, and divides urban sprawl into four types as well as discusses their characteristics. The main conclusions are: ① the multi-factor indicator is applicable to measure China's current urban sprawl level; ② urban sprawl of large and medium-sized cities is becoming serious, while this trend has been eased in recent years; ③ the urban sprawl level and trend of large and medium-sized cities obviously differ from each other in regional perspective; ④ different types of urban sprawl present different sprawl structural characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban shrinkage is a world-wide phenomenon characterized by population loss in a short period of time. During this process, the decrease of the younger generation will further accelerate the demographic aging process through lowering birth rates. Although many studies have qualitatively addressed that demographic aging could be both a result and cause of urban shrinkage, empirical studies to examine their interrelations are lacking. This paper aims to examine their interrelationships by proposing an integrated model which covers the paths, effects, and interrelationships between shrinking cities and demographic aging in economic, spatial, and social dimensions. Based on the data from 138 county-level cities in China, partial least-square method is used for structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The results show that two indirect influence paths exist between shrinking cities and the demographic aging process. First, urban shrinkage has an indirect interaction with the demographic aging process via social and economic factors (path: shrinking cities ↔ society ↔ economy ↔ aging process). Second, urban shrinkage is also indirectly interrelated with the demographic aging process in spatial factors (path: shrinking cities ↔ space ↔ aging process). To deal with the double challenges of urban shrinkage and demographic aging, planning policies should integrate with policies in socio-economic and spatial aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Residential land supply is considered a powerful tool for intervening in the housing market in China. There has been continuous debate on the correlation between residential land supply and housing prices. Based on 35 Chinese prefecture-level cities' panel data from 2009 to 2016, this study investigates the spatio-temporal characteristics of residential land supply and housing prices, and explores their relationship applying Generalized Moment Models (GMM). The results show that ① there is an overall downward trend in residential land supply and a significant rise in housing prices in most Chinese mega cities from 2009 to 2016, and the extent varies in four economic-geographical regions; ② the decrease in the quantity of residential land supply contributes to the rise in housing prices to some degree, but there is no significant correlation between the land supply structure and housing prices. With the integration of socio-economic factors, the quantitative results validate the previous theoretical models of the casual correlation between residential land supply and housing prices. It further depicts the constraint of insufficient residential land supply in Chinese mega cities and claims it to be a contributor of rising housing prices. The paper concludes with implications for housing strategies and future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both practice and research of accessible design in China are still in the initial stage, while the regulations and standardization of accessibility is taking shape. Under the framework of engineering standards based on instrumental rationality, to present the core value of humanism and to define the limitations of universal design in the standards are the key issues worth discussing continuously. By comparing the standards of China and abroad, this paper attempts to clarify the approaches for compiling the Accessibility Design Standards for Shenzhen. At the same time, it provides materials for discussion by showing the difficulties and assumptions during the compilation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transportation is a basic service industry concerned with people's livelihood and well-being. China has unveiled guidelines on improving China's strength in transportation. By 2035, an accessible travel service system should basically be built, according to the guidelines jointly released by the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council. It is of great practical significance to accelerate the construction of an accessible transportation environment in the new era, which can improve the equalization of public services and promote the safe, convenient, and comfortable travel of the disabled and the elderly. In line with the development status of transportation in China, and through an analysis on the requirements for building a country with a strong transportation network, this paper proposes the framework and content for the establishment of an accessible transportation system in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Built-up area (BUA) significantly contributes to global greenhouse gas emissions, making strategic spatial planning crucial for carbon emission control. Given the diverse land use patterns and carbon emission sources in BUAs, this study proposed a land-based strategy system for carbon emission assessment and optimization. A three-step method was devised to create a planner-friendly tool for implementing the system, which involves carbon emission intensity calculation based on current land use, spatial illustration of carbon emission intensities based on land use planning, and planning program optimization and emission reduction effect assessment. The method was applied to the central urban area of Changxing County (Zhejiang) in China. The results showed that the structures and emission intensities of urban land use substantially influenced the overall carbon emissions in the central urban area. Our comprehensive land use optimization strategies reduced the overall carbon emissions of the central urban area by 36.9% when compared to the original planning program. The Monte Carlo simulation indicated that land use structure optimization and emission intensity control measures could reduce carbon emission rate by 5.20% to 18.28%, and 18.44% to 31.67%, respectively. The results underlined the importance of making specific adjustments to land use structure and implementing intensity control measures for effective carbon reduction. In conclusion, this study offers methods and insights for urban planners in creating sustainable and low-carbon urban spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Themed "Better Sub-Regional and Urban Development from the Perspective of the Belt and Road Initiative," the 2023 Annual Conference of the International Urban Planning Branch of the Urban Planning Society of China (UPSC) was successfully held in Kunming from Jun. 23 to 25, 2023. The conference, organized by the International Urban Planning Branch and hosted by the School of Architecture and Planning, Yunnan University, coincided with the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative. Thus it aimed to share new insights and practices related to sub-regional cooperation, sustainable development, global industrial restructuring, urban vitality, cross-border cultural exchanges, and more, both in China and internationally. Furthermore, the conference presented in-depth research and analysis on the strategic advantages of the Belt and Road Initiative and held dialogues and case studies on high-quality sub-regional and urban development worldwide. The goal was to provide innovative perspectives for China to implement high-quality cross-border collaboration under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative. The keynote speeches given at the conference have been collected by China City Planning Review and meticulously proofread by the respective speaker. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, the hierarchical medical system is widely promoted in China, and the reasonable allocation of medical resources and equal medical services have become important research topics in the field of urban planning. However, it is rare to see studies on the allocation of medical resources from the perspective of spatial accessibility based on the hierarchy of medical facilities and more refined spatial units of population. This research refines the population data from general to residential buildings in urban villages based on census data of buildings. By examining Shenzhen through a 2SFCA (2-step floating catchment area), this research evaluates the accessibility of community and regional medical facilities and the spatial matching at various referral rates by implementing GIS network analysis. The main findings are as follows. ① The overall development of medical facilities in Shenzhen is currently lagged back among the first-tier cities in China, and there is a discrepancy between administrative districts in terms of the accessibility of medical facilities. ② Under the current conditions in Shenzhen, the best spatial matching can be achieved only at the referral rate of 70% - 80%, indicating weak primary medical resources in Shenzhen. In the future layout and construction of medical facilities, it is necessary to classify and grade the communities and increase the construction of medical facilities in communities with lagging medical standards. In addition, the treatment capacity of community medical services should be improved and the treatment of minor diseases in senior hospitals should be evacuated, so that the referral rate can be controlled at an appropriate level to achieve a balanced allocation and efficient use of medical resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neuroscience research shows that the environment shapes people's physical and mental health through its effects on the brain and nervous system. Currently, mental health issues are increasingly highlighted, and research on the psychological impacts of the urban environment brought by urbanization has received increasing attention. This article, from an view of multidisciplinary perspective, gives a brief overview of the concepts and theories relating to urban environment and mental health, using Citespace to investigate various domestical and international studies in this field, and introducing research progresses in terms of the overall characteristics of urban environment, their impacts on mental health, and the main environmental influence factors and functional mechanism. It then summarizes the weakness of the studies in China and makes proposals for furthering the research in the future, such as setting up a multidisciplinary integrated theoretical method framework, deepening factor identification, process analysis, and mechanism interpretation, promoting the establishment of evidence-based healthy city planning and design, and finally exploring research paradigms suitable for Chinese conditions and pushing for the development of urban public mental health enhancement strategies with Chinese characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's rapidly aging population has raised a number of challenges, such as the accelerating suburbanization, socio-spatial segregation, inconvenient travel of older adults, as well as the deficiency of community senior care, which makes it vital to build a theoretical framework on human settlement for older adults. This study aims to analyze the previous studies and research trends on human settlement for older adults from several aspects, including the spatial distribution, spatial development pattern of human settlement, social space and travel behavior characteristics, living environment, and the relationship between their health status and built environment. Under the guidance of global programs such as "active aging" and "age-friendly cities," research on human settlement for older adults tends to be multi-disciplinary, integrating the traditional perspective of physical space with logical analysis, obtaining a comprehensive consideration of social, economic, cultural, behavioral, and other socio-spatial perspectives, and forming a relatively complete theory and practice system. Facing the core problems and challenges in the development of human settlement for older adults in China, research needs to be problem-oriented, and devoted to exploring the theoretical framework and practical strategies suitable for our country. Specifically, from the "top-down" perspective, it is recommended to strengthen the strategic guidance, explore patterns of urban senior care by combining market force and government regulation, and optimize urban spatial development patterns and transportation systems for an aging society. From the "bottom-up" perspective, it is necessary to take into account the "equity and efficiency" of urban spatial resource allocation, and explore the theoretical and methodological system for community planning, service facilities, and public space allocation to meet the socio-spatial needs of older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The urban evolution of Gulangyu, a historic international settlement in the city of Xiamen on China's southeast coast, has long attracted the attention of scholars working in the field of Chinese urban history. Until recently, however, few efforts have been made to theorize the spatial formation of Gulangyu. Drawing upon existing research on the island's development, particularly since the early 1840s, this study aims to offer a critical reading of the modern transformation of Gulangyu. By retracing the urban evolution of Gulangyu on the basis of historical maps and fieldtrip data, its spatial restructuring up to the early 1940s has been reviewed and analyzed. With GIS and CAD-based tools, conflated results are presented to explain the island's spatial mixity. The results show that from military fortification to village settlements, through the competition between local inhabitants and earlier imperialists, and then the coopetition of foreign residents and returned overseas Chinese, the making of Gulangyu as a historic international settlement was hardly a Western-dominant process. Instead, it should provide an entry point for a contextualized critique of current research on similar urban space in China's modern history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]