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Lookup NU author(s): Dr Weizheng ZhangORCiD
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
With the proliferation of short-video platforms, Wanghong Cities (urban areas that achieve massive popularity through social media) have rapidly emerged across China. Drawing upon the production of space theory, this study examines the social construction processes and driving mechanisms underlying their formation. Based on a case study of Tianshui, utilizing semi-structured interviews and non-participant observation, the findings reveal tendencies toward mobility-related power asymmetries, spatial homogenization, and the emergence of spatial injustice. The seemingly "free flow" of publics within media space is subtly regulated by administrative power and platform algorithms. To attract public attention, Wanghong Cities frequently employ stylized visual aesthetics to curate urban appeal. However, tourists' media pilgrimages increasingly encroach on residents' everyday spaces, temporarily transforming Tianshui into a makeshift city. Further analysis reveals that the production of space in Wanghong Cities constitutes a complex and dynamic process shaped by the interplay among four core forces (platforms, administrative power, capital, and society) operating across the online-offline continuum. These forces transform the original lived space into a socially constructed one. Governing Wanghong Cities thus requires integrating digital-physical spatial interactions and maintaining a dynamic balance among diverse stakeholders to advance spatial justice and sustainable urban tourism.
Author(s): Yang F, Ye C, Zhang W
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Cities
Year: 2026
Volume: 175
Print publication date: 01/08/2026
Online publication date: 29/04/2026
Acceptance date: 25/04/2026
Date deposited: 28/04/2026
ISSN (print): 0264-2751
ISSN (electronic): 1873-6084
Publisher: Elsevier Ltd
URL: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2026.107121
DOI: 10.1016/j.cities.2026.107121
ePrints DOI: 10.57711/11t2-7785
Data Access Statement: Data will be made available on request.
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