Abstract：Basing on the comments on different theories concerning the origin of cities,this paper holds the point of view that in general the cities originated in a spatial developmental pattern drove by profit of agglomeration economy which was different from scattering development.Under the social and economic background when cities originated,sharing public goods supply and saving transaction cost probably were two chief economic motivations of the origination of cities and markets.From the origin of cities,we know that developing towns and countries as a whole must be the foundation for China's rapid and reasonable urbanization,and reducing contract cost and monitoring cost are the essential measures of preventing cities from overspreading.
