Zhangjiagang is a new city, having been developed from a small farming town following the economic reforms of the mid-1980s. By 1994 the city had the second-highest economic rating in China, with an urban per-capita income of $1000/year. The rural population around Zhangjiagang is said to be even wealthier.
In 1993, Zhangjiagang was selected to be a unique model city for all of China. Householders were given pamphlets listing the 10 "don'ts" and 6 "dos" of what the government called "civilized behaviour". The new rules emphasized courtesy, mutual respect, and obedience to authority. Thanks to vigorous enforcement, the rules are followed to such a degree that visitors remark on the beauty, cleanliness and friendliness of Zhangjiagang relative to other Chinese cities. The government began trumpeting their accomplishment nationwide, in a campaign reminiscent of the old "Learn from the Dazhai Commune" propaganda effort of the Cultural Revolution. The current goal of the central government is to turn China into a country of mini-Singapores, with clean, pleasant cities filled with polite, obedient citizens. So far, clean, friendly cities are such a novelty in China that up to 300,000 tourists visit Zhangjiagang every year to sample what could be the future of urban life in China
