上海,无论在20世纪初,还是在21世纪初,都成为了世界所瞩目的一个都会、一座城市,其历史的发展轨迹值得研究。这种研究如果放在世界的一个大背景下,放在世界各个重要城市的发展进程中,可能会有更多的发现和更多的惊喜。城市是人类文明的主要组成部分。人们在这里集聚生活,产生密集的冲突,创造繁华的财富,孕育丰富的文化,推进人类的文明。“城”为行政地域的概念,即人口的集聚地;“市”为商业的概念,即商品交换的场所。但她更是一个有机生命体,有初萌,有发展,有成熟;由人类的集聚而产生,由人类的活动而成长,伴随人类的文明与进步而发展。农耕时代,城市的出现,其作用往往还是局限于军事防御和举行祭祀仪式,生产功能不突出,城市仅为消费中心,规模很小,与其控制的农村构成一个小单位,相对封闭,自给自足。真正意义上的城市是工商业发展的 Shanghai, both at the beginning of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st century, has become a cosmopolitan city and a city whose historical development is worth studying. If this kind of research is put on the background of the world and placed on the development of major cities in the world, there may be more discoveries and more surprises. The city is a major part of human civilization. People here gather life, produce intensive conflicts, create prosperous wealth, nurture a rich culture, and promote human civilization. “City ” is the concept of administrative area, that is, the population gathering place; “City ” is the concept of business, that is, the place of commodity exchange. But she is more an organic life body with early adulteration, development and maturity; it is produced by the agglomeration of human beings and grows by human activities and develops along with the civilization and progress of mankind. During the farming period, the appearance of the city is often confined to military defense and sacrificial ceremonies. The production function is not prominent. The city is only a consumer center. It is small in size and forms a small unit with the rural areas under its control. It is relatively closed and self-sufficient. The real city is business and industrial development