In tandem with China’s urbanization, there has emerged a trend of villages turning into cities. This trend has led to a large number of urban communities mainly consisting of residents who have turned from villagers. These communities, as can be expected, are in need of new mode of community governance. This case is derived from Shanxian Compound of Shangtangjiedao of Hangzhou City in Zhejiang Province. The compound has developed a community governance mode that is marked by leadership of the Party and orientation towards households.

The development of this new mode has been contributed mainly by four practices. The first is that of keeping in mind the original intention to construct a mode of transforming villages into urban communities. This transformation entails villagers’ becoming city residents as well as an economic realignment toward the second industry and the third industry. The second practice is that of upholding the leadership of the Party. Party members have been particularly encouraged to lead community residents by example. The third practice is that of leveraging households in community governance. Households Committee has been established to collaborate with neighborhood committee, realty management, and social organizations in community governance. This collaboration can be conceived of as a democratic alliance of community self-governance. The fourth practice is that of leveraging information technology to achieve smart and refined community governance. Noteworthy is that the community has adopted one single smart card in the management of community entrance, parking service, public safety, and garbage classification. The fifth practice is that of cultivating residents’ collective consciousness by establishing new cultural norms. For example, a wall has been established in Shanxian Community for the sole purpose of displaying its community norm. The community has also complied its own chronicle and opened its own community garden.

This case demonstrates four factors conducive to improving governance of village-turned urban communities. First, Party members’ leading by example can motivate villager-turned residents to participate in community governance. Second, democratic centralism can facilitate multiple subjects, particularly former villagers, to collaborate in community governance. Third, the use of modern information technology can improve the efficiency and the effectiveness of community services. Fourth, transforming village cultural traditions into new cultural norms can develop villager-turned residents’ competence regarding urban community governance.