Geographical Names as Cultural Symbols:The Law of Naming System’s Evolution in Southwest China

In this paper,the geographic name in Southwest China is regarded as a symbolic representation of human beings,and the dynamic social and historical process behind the place names is restored from the perspective of the symbolic anthropology.There are three paths in the construction and evolution of geographic names in Southwest China—Ethnic information,sacred systems,and local representation,which have been rewritten,masked,and reconstructed over the years.As a result,the system of geographical names is gradually formed and integrated into local memory through space building,culture filling,and so on,affecting and influencing local group identity and cognitive concept.

On integrated urban and rural development

Cities and the countryside have long been an inseparable organic whole.China's new model of high-quality urbanization requires integrated urban and rural development and rural vitalization.Problems inherent to urban areas are caused by problems inherent to rural areas,and vice versa.Such problems are closely linked,and the compound each other to create“urban-rural problems.”As such,rural vitalization is necessary to prevent problems associated with growing cities,and the new model of urbanization is required to prevent problems in rural areas.Based on a review of domestic and foreign research on integrated urban and rural development,this study analyzes the root causes of persistent urban and rural problems and their counterposing patterns on a theoretical level;analyzes the main factors and driving mechanisms as well as the underlying pattern and sustainability of integrated urban and rural development;constructs a measurement test for integrated urban and rural development;and proposes a triangular model of integrated urban and rural development.It confirms that China's integrated urban and rural development is in the late period of urbanization,which features a high degree of integration and more urban areas and fewer rural areas.Subsequently,it will enter the final period of urbanization and a stage of deep integration,with more urban and fewer rural areas.In the future,it will be necessary to implement a strategy of deeply integrated urban and rural development and use new urbanization and rural vitalization to solve urban-rural problems and improve the quality of urban and rural development.New theories and methods of integrated urban and rural development will need to be created and an evaluation system to judge quantitatively the depth of integrated urban and rural development will need to be established,in order to create desirable urban and rural areas.Future efforts should aim to develop greater synchronization,deeper integration,and mutual success between the new model of urbanization and rural vitalization,so as to improve the high-quality development of,and modernize,both urban and rural areas.