Traditional markets in transition: Production of space and divergent place identities in China’s rural markets

Ji is a traditional market space in China’s small towns and villages. As urbanization progresses, the urban economy constantly impacts and reshapes the space and place of Ji. Understanding the significance of Ji helps reveal how to enhance the flexibility and vitality of these markets and illuminate their role as focal points for residents’ place identity. We investigate how the abstract space of Ji shapes local residents’ interpretations of place identity by interpreting production of space through three perspectives: material, social, and governance spaces. We argue that the routine economic activities of Jis have become increasingly detached from specific locations, transforming into abstract spaces. Local residents exhibit complex and diverse senses of place identity in relation to different spaces of Jis, while migrant workers demonstrate a functional and transient place identity based on economic connection. This study constructs a comprehensive analytical framework for examining the relationship between space and place, providing insight into why urbanization cannot completely eradicate Ji-based spatial activities. Our paper contributes to geographical narratives and informs planners and policymakers, enabling them to view small-town and village markets as dynamic spaces capable of fostering social stability and governance both locally and globally.