When people hear about Chinese ghost cities, they might have images of haunted homes and buildings floating through their heads; however, that is not necessarily the case. There are a few ways that Chinese ghost cities might be described. In some cases, this is a term used to describe cities that used to have a lot of people, but no longer have anyone living there. In other cases, Chinese ghost cities might refer to cities that were built for the purposes of economic growth, but ultimately, did not have a lot of people moving there at all. Regardless, Chinese ghost cities usually have a lot of buildings, but do not have people living there at all.
There are a few reasons why some scholars do not like to use the term "Chinese ghost cities." The first reason is that it might not be an accurate description. While the cities are not occupied, the cities are not necessarily backward or old. They might have had a lot of people living there at one point, but they do not have people living there now. Therefore, the term might not lead to an accurate depiction. The other reason is that some people think Chinese ghost cities were a political maneuver in an effort to boost GDP growth that backfired. That is also not necessarily the case, as some Chinese ghost cities used to be major financial centers of the country.
There are plenty of examples of Chinese ghost cities. One of the biggest examples is Pudong, which is now the financial district of Shanghai. This is an area of the city that used to be abandoned, but it is now a vibrant, thriving area. Another example is Chenggong, which was the major expansion zone for Kunming. While much of the city has been built, it is still largely unoccupied. This makes it one of the largest Chinese ghost cities, but some people believe that the area will become more occupied moving forward, as the main city of Kunming has become very crowded. A few other examples include Nanhui New City and the Lanzhou New Area. Chinese ghost cities come in many shapes and forms.
There are some people who are interested in visiting Chinese ghost cities. While there are plenty of options available, there is some difficulty with getting into China, as people need a visa. The political situation in China is also a bit unstable, with some reports of people being arbitrarily detained. While it might be cool to see what Chinese ghost cities look like, keep in mind that there are major differences between them. Some are truly abandoned, while others are thriving. When traveling to China, it is critical for people to put safety at the top of the priority list and make sure they protect themselves accordingly, even while visiting Chinese ghost cities.