Based on an ethnographic study of a middle class community in Beijing, this research attempts to investigate the formation of a specific segment of China's middle class, namely, the white-collar employees and the new generation of private entrepreneurs in urban China. It will demonstrate how this segment of China's middle class deliberately differentiate themselves from other social groups through symbolized everyday domestic practices, and capture the latest development of domestic lifestyles of China's middle class. / The economic reform in contemporary China has brought about transformations in its socio-economic and political environment. The implementation of a series of policies that changed the occupational structure, reinvented resources allocation mode, and increased the purchasing power of China's urban citizens has facilitated the emergence of a new social stratum. As this new middle stratum is still emerging and expanding, its composition is pluralistic. To describe the emerging affluent social classes, simply looking at economic indicators may not be adequate. Lifestyle factors have become important components in the shaping of China's new middle class. / Using Bourdieu's theoretical schema, three inter-related analytical questions regarding to domestic life patterns of China's middle class will be addressed in this research: their aspirations of home, how this expected domestic life is protected through collective actions, and how a local system or a moral order of behavior is gradually formed through mundane and ordinary everyday interactions. A legally recognized and protected homeownership has become the bottom line, upon which the middle class continue to develop higher requirements to live comfortably and safely at home. From these everyday practices in the field of domestic life, we shall see how the emerging middle class in China is establishing a lifestyle, forming a shared social identity, and constructing social space in the social structure. / Liu, Shuo. / Adviser: Lui Tai Lok. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 72-10, Section: A, page: . / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 187-196). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [201-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstract also in Chinese.

Shek Wai Ling, Sophy. / "Architecture Department, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Master of Architecture Programme 2010-2011, design report." / Chapter 00 --- Thesis Statement / Chapter 01 --- Background Study / Chapter 02 --- Site Analysis / Chapter 03 --- Underground Space / Chapter 04 --- Design Strategy & Development

This thesis, utilizing data obtained through the author's working experience and on extensive academic investigation, aims to establish and analyze the locational deficiency of some 100 foreign tourist hotels in Beijing and its origin. To do so, an optimal hotel location is first determined by analysis of social, economic, cultural and environmental features of Beijing in relation to the tourism industry.

published_or_final_version / China Development Studies / Master / Master of Arts

published_or_final_version / Education / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / Urban Planning and Environmental Management / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

China has stepped into an aging society in 2005 with its 7.6% population reached the age of 65 and above(Flaherty et al. 2007; Population Division 2009). China already has the largest aging population in the world and is expected to have more than 400 million elderly persons by 2050, accounting for 30% of its total population(Beijing Municipal Working Commission on Aging 2009). It is confirmed in this research that China showed a clear and irreversible trend of population aging by different indicators in the past decades. Nonetheless, the degree of unevenness in its spatial development of aging population is high in China. How China’s social security system copes with the drastic demographic changes constitute the focus of this research. A comprehensive evaluation of the social security system for aging population in China, through a case study of Beijing, is conducted in this paper. The main channels of assistance under the current elderly social security system, including old age pension, social health care, institutional care and family care, are examined through statistical analysis. It is found that as China’s GDP grows, the provision levels of pension, health care and institutional care rise as well. However, there exists no significant relationship between China’s GDP and family care. This research further shows that social eldercare does not necessarily replace family care both in terms of financial support and daily living care. In contrast, more elderly depend on their own and also support themselves by labor income when family care is not available. The current social security system is found to be far from perfection and falls short of fulfilling the comprehensive needs of the elderly. The increasing severity of aging problem may worsen the situation. Developing a social security system with broader elderly coverage, fairness among the rural and urban residents and financially sustainability would be the future direction for China to face the problem of aging population. / published_or_final_version / China Development Studies / Master / Master of Arts in China Development Studies

published_or_final_version / Architecture / Master / Master of Architecture

published_or_final_version / Housing Management / Master / Master of Housing Management

In the last two decades, China's economic reforms in general, and rural reforms in particular, have had an immense effect upon China's urbanization patterns. A large rural surplus labor force has transformed itself into irresistible migration waves sweeping across most of China's big cities. / An essential question is how could Chinese cities avoid going through the same process of trial and error as other Third World cities, or what are the feasible ways to accept and integrate migrants within the existing urban systems. The answer to this question could only be explored to a large degree by examining the current situations in existing migrant communities. / This thesis focuses on the study of the use of domestic space in migrant houses as a means to examine the question from an architectural perspective. A case study of Zhejiang Village, the most influential migrant community in Beijing has been conducted. From 30 survey samples, 15 are analyzed according to the range of economic activities pursued by the migrants. Two other samples from Zhejiang vernacular houses are also examined in order to conduct a comparative study. Detailed drawings and analysis are arranged to show how ingeniously they combine their businesses within their meager domestic space. / The study shows that economic activities and cultural traditions are the vital factors that influence the use of domestic space in migrant houses. It also confirms that the physical integration of migrants must take into account their cultural background and spatial traditions.