宋代城市史的研究，首先是隨著唐宋變革的議題，像是坊市制度的破 壞、商稅的成長、商業市鎮的興起，在宋代的發展而展開的。1980 年代以 後，宋代城市史特別在社會和文化方面，開拓了許多新的課題，城市居民 的社會結構、城市公共建設、城市中士大夫的活動，以及城市生活的諸面 貌，多樣化的討論有別於過去偏重於城市經濟的研究方向。對於過去學者 提出的城市人口、城市產業、市鎮機能等問題，在探討的深度和廣度上， 也有了很大的進展。對於個別城市發展特徵的研究，除了北宋首都開封和 南宋首都臨安，依然受到眾多學者的關注以外，沿海城市廣州、明州、泉 州以其國內外貿易，運河沿線城市蘇州以其生產力的提升，洛陽相對於開 封的文化特色，也引起了重視。近年來宋代城市史研究範圍的逐漸擴大， 正反映了「城市」作為一個獨立切入的視角，在歷史研究中的逐步形成。

The researches of city history in Sung China began with the issues about transitition from Tang to Sung”, such as the destruction of Fang-shi institution, the growth of trade taxes and the more and more business towns in Sung dynasty. Since 1980s , there were many new subjects on the social and cultural fields： the social structure of city residents, the public constructions in cities, the examination elite's activities in the city and the city life. The presently abundant researches are different from overweighting on economic field of the past. Comparing with earlier scholars' discussions about the population of cities, all kinds of industries in the cities, the town functions etc., present researches improve their qualities and broaden their range. For the distinguishing features of each city, Kai-feng and Hang-zhou, the capitals of the Northern Sung and Southern Sung dynasty, are still the most popular subjects. In addition, the coastal cities such as Guang- zhou, Ming-zhou, Chuan- zhou are increasing in overseas and domestic trades. In Su-zhou, a city close to the canal, there is an increasing productivity; and Lou-yang, contrasting to Kai-feng, there are unique cultural features. These cities have drawn attentions of many scholars in recent years. Recently the extending field of the city history shows that “city” is a uniquely forming vision in the historical research.