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The second volume of the two-volume set on Song Dynasty cities focuses on municipal development policies and population management strategies in urban areas.

It examines the government's responses to the challenges posed by rapid urban expansion during the Song Dynasty, such as encroachment on public space, inadequate sanitation, and neglect of urban facilities. It shows how these challenges acted as catalysts for urban innovation, while highlighting the fundamental tension between cities' aspirations for autonomous growth and the need to maintain imperial order. The volume explores the contributions of charitable organizations and religious groups to urban governance. It also discusses viable methods for estimating urban populations from historical and literary sources in the absence of accurate demographic data.

This volume will be essential reading for scholars and students of Chinese history and urban studies, as well as urban planners, historians, and policy-makers interested in understanding historical approaches to urban development and management.