Space–Time Behavior Research in China: Recent Development and Future Prospect

The space–time behavior approach has become an influential methodology in Chinese urban geography. In this article I provide an overview of space–time behavior research in China, focusing on theoretical and methodological progress as well as key themes and findings from recent empirical studies. I argue that space–time behavior research offers a new perspective for understanding the complexity and diversity of human behavior patterns during the large-scale spatial and institutional transition in Chinese cities. Yet although Chinese urban geographers have made more methodological progress in data collection and analytic tools, theoretical development still lags behind compared to the space–time behavior approach in the West. The article concludes by discussing key theoretical and practical challenges for future development of space–time activity research in China.