Important progress and future prospects for studies on urban public recreational space in China

doi:10.1007/s11442-019-1697-8

Abstract

Abstract:

As the main sites of urban residents’ recreational activity in a mass leisure era, urban public recreational space (UPRS) is the primary component of urban public spatial systems. To satisfy current demands for the construction of livable cities and to meet the challenges of UPRS development in an urbanizing context, a scientific and systematic review of the latest developments in UPRS research is important for developing this field. Based on 1264 papers from the China National Knowledge Internet and the Web of Science from 1985 to 2018, this study examined research developments on UPRS in China. Through a quantitative literature analysis, we divided UPRS-related research in China into three stages of development: the starting period (1985-2000), the growth period (2001-2009), and the consolidation period (2010-2018). Next, we identified nine “hot” research topics on UPRS and reviewed developments in each of these. These topics were the classification of UPRS, spatial structure and layout, comprehensive evaluation, planning and development, the impacts of UPRS development, spatial-temporal evolution laws and mechanisms, space imagery features, sustainable utilization, and governmental decision making on UPRS. We also systematically reviewed the research methods and spatial scales used in UPRS-related studies in China. In response to deficiencies in existing research, we put forward several suggestions regarding future research: Chinese UPRS studies should focus on basic theoretical research; construct a new research system that accounts for Chinese characteristics, based on interdisciplinary and multilevel spatial integration; develop a humanistic philosophy and build management systems for UPRS that can lead to the development of world-class cities based on a global vision.

Key words: era of mass leisure, urban tourism, urban public recreational space, quantitative analysis, China

YU Ling, LIU Jiaming, LI Tao. Important progress and future prospects for studies on urban public recreational space in China[J].Journal of Geographical Sciences, 2019, 29(11): 1923-1946.

Figures/Tables 6

Figure 1

Figure 2

Table 1

Direction of urban public recreational space research in China"

Research topic	Research tendency	Percentage (%)^a
Classification of urban public recreational space	According to different classification standards, including the service object’s attributes, function of recreation, recreational activity, spatial form, attributes of tourism resources, scope of service, geographical location, and composite attributes	4.19
Spatial structure and layout	e.g. Elements, structural models, distribution laws and contributing factors, and ideal structural patterns	12.58
Comprehensive evaluation	Evaluation of recreational space quality, assessment of accessibility, comprehensive evaluation of the quality of the recreational environment, assessment of the recreation value	16.06
Planning and development strategies	Optimal allocation, management of recreational land, factors influencing allocation	38.37
Impacts of urban public recreational space development	Relationship between UPRS and urban residents’ happiness, the impact of urban recreational business districts on urban development	6.17
Spatio-temporal evolution laws and mechanisms	Characteristics, laws, dynamic mechanisms of evolution	3.09
Space imagery features	Space imagery features related to urban residents and visitors	4.03
Sustainable utilization	Reasonable utilization of urban industrial heritage sites, historic streets, and industrial abandoned lands; the post-competition utilization of Olympic venues; integration of UPRS components	5.46
Government decision making on UPRS	Government administrative departments choosing different integrative schemes based on realistic conditions in cities	1.03
Other	Economic issues, cultural connotations, recreation consumption patterns, intergenerational transformation of recreationists’ behavior (Dong et al., 2015); recreation conflict in UPRS (Wong and Yu, 2012); economic valuation of the amenities of UPRS (Jiao and Liu, 2010)	9.02

Table 1

Table 2

Table 3

Evolution characteristics of urban public recreational space in China"

Economic development stage	Production mode and lifestyle of residents	Characteristics of urban public recreational space in China
Agrarian economy era	Most the society’s wealth was concentrated in the hands of a few members of the ruling classes, and the vast majority of people lived a lifestyle of farming and self-sufficiency.	Recreational spaces were mainly owned by the ruling classes, and urban recreational spaces were closed. During this period, there was little UPRS. Landscape gardens in temples and suburbs that were not classified as royal or noble became the main places for people to enjoy their recreational time.
Industrial economy era	The basic purpose of the society was the excessive pursuit of economic benefits. People were eager for various recreational activities because of overwork.	During this period, because of the development of socialist democratic politics, people were freed from the shackles of autocracy, and a large number of recreational spaces that had been the private property of feudal lords were gradually opened to the public. Because of the rapid growth of the population in China and the impact of urban expansion, social spaces in neighborhoods had been replaced by high-rise buildings. As people’s desire for communication increased, potential and practical recreational demands prompted cities to build a large amount of UPRS, such as museums and commercial streets.
Experience economy era	With improvements in people’s living standards and changes in cognition, people’s recreational demands are gradually diversified and personalized.	With changes in people’s recreational demands, city development has gradually changed from aiming only to create recreational space to aspiring to construct UPRS that can meet the recreational needs of different classes of people.

Table 3

Table 4

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Research method	Main application trends	Percentage (%)^a
Descriptive	Literature review, comments on non-Chinese urban public recreational space planning and design experiences	3.35
Conceptually based	Basic theoretical research, including the analysis of the concept of UPRS and its connotations, type division, the components of the UPRS system, and driving mechanisms	8.94
Models	Ideal structural pattern of UPRS, recreational value evaluation, comprehensive assessment of tourism destinations	21.23
Statistics	The evolution of recreational space structure, satisfaction of UPRS users, spatial structure characteristics and distribution rules, accessibility of UPRS	66.48