Abstract:

During the process of urban construction in the new era, the Chinese government advocates for the development of beautiful towns and cities with historic memories and cultural context. The renewal and development of historic blocks, which are the carrier of local history and culture, is a vital part of implementing the new urbanization strategy. Based on Foucault's and Harvey's theories of the production of space, this research analyzed the process of spatial reconstruction and subjects' cultural practice of Yongqing Fang, Guangzhou City. We found that culture was a crucial factor for the smooth transformation of Yongqing Fang. With the efforts of the residents with cultural identity and other social agents, the cultural value was officially recognized and protected. Hence, the renewal of Yonqing Fang could be gradually carried out under the framework of cultural protection. After the renewal, Yongqing Fang was transformed from a living space to a cultural consumption space, where cultural production and consumption showed a high degree of commercialization. The local culture was mixed with exotic culture, resulting in low satisfaction of tourists' cultural experience. The case of Yongqing Fang highlights culture as an active factor that directly plays a role in the multi-subject spatial production of historic districts, which enriches the theory of spatial production from the perspective of culture. This case is of reference for the implementation of the new urbanization strategy. In the process of urbanization, we should build towns and cities with locally historic and cultural characteristics.

Key words: historic block, urban regeneration, production of space, cultural practice, Yongqing Fang