Indeed, the English translation “urban villages” is a bit problematic. In the Western realm, this term has its own history and context, acquiring a miscellany of meanings. Once emblematic of rural migrant spots in urban sprawls, it now champions a blueprint for sustainable urbanism (Chung, 2010).
What's truly fascinating is how Blighty's 'model villages', with a hint of socialist chic, are now the gold standard for modern urban designs. Gone are the utopian dreams of yesteryears and the Garden Cities movement. Instead, we see an amalgamation of olde-worlde English village charm and 21st-century urban pragmatism. The promised goal is to craft spaces that are snug yet inclusive, steeped in history yet accommodating of diverse modern dwellers and their myriad needs.
Peek beneath the surface and you'll see echoes of yore: the village green, the church spire, the bustling pub and local shop. All with a contemporary twist and conveniently placed near the Tube, with a sprinkling of greenery and the promise of safety and comfort. Yet, with all these bells and whistles, "London villages" fetch a pretty penny, with no surprises. The term itself and its mates like 'green', 'diverse', and suchlike, quickly become baubles in the estate agent's toolkit.
Given the distinction, some scholars argue for a term that pinpoints Chinese urban villages with laser-like precision. Yushi (2008) and Chung (2010), for instance, lean towards the literal pinying 'chengzhongcun', underscoring its Chinese authenticity. O’Donnell, Wong, and Bach (2017, p.8), on the other hand, argue that the expression is best translated as ‘urbanised villages’, capturing the continuous antagonism between the urban and the rural in China.
But, to put it bluntly, naming and/or translation is a bit like transcribed social realities which inevitably select out something and reduce the other. No definition is the be-all and end-all, nor does any term capture the entirety of our complex social tapestry. We have, therefore, decided to stick with 'urban villages' throughout our projects. It's snappy and intriguing, riddled with paradoxes. It's an oxymoron that invites questions. After all, what is 'urban'? How did villages get that label? Who are these urban villagers, and what's their life? More importantly, we nod to the term's assimilation into Chinglished vernacular as a delightful reappropriation.
甘肃首个美丽乡村“样板村”
Reference
Chung, H. (2010) ‘Building an image of Villages-in-the-City: A Clarification of China’s Distinct Urban Spaces’, International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, 34(2), pp. 421–437. Available at here︎︎︎
Uehara, Y. (2008) ‘Unknown Urbanity: Towards the Village in the City’, Architectural Design, 78, pp. 52–55. Available at here ︎︎︎
O’Donnell, M.A., Wong, W. and Bach, J. (2017) Learning from Shenzhen: China’s Post-Mao Experiment from Special Zone to Model City. University of Chicago Press.