108 ANN VEECK The high profile of food markets, not only as economic centers but also as hubs of socially significant activities, makes them useful places to investi- gate the societal implications of changing consumption patterns. The focus of this study is the food markets of Nanjing, the capital and largest city in Jiangsu Province. The research is part of a larger study of changing food con- sumption patterns carried out during the 1995-96 acadenic year in Nan- ing in collaboration with the School of International Business of Nanjing University. Standard ethnographic field methods were used to place food shopping patterns in their full environmental context This study draws from extensive interviews with 7o informants, which were audiotaped and then transcribed, as well as from interviews with retailers and structured obser vations of food shopping trips and focus groups. In addition to these quali tative methods, a random household survey of 320 Nanjing primary food shoppers was conducted in order to quantify the incidence of food shop- ping activities among Nanjing residents. Taken together, these research meth ods allow the examination of food consumption activities in Nanjing from a number of perspectives Specifically, the purpose of the study was to investigate the formation of newly emerging or re-emerging values and relationships in China, with the urban food markets serving as the sites of investigation. The chapter first de- scribes the rather recent tansformation of the food retail industry in China and the amount of time and money that is spent by the primary food shop- pers of households engaged in food consumption activities. Next it exam- ines the role of the state in the management of food markets and the effect of state-imposed regulations on the expression of choice by the consumer. The following section addresses the potential for food markets to become centers of social activity among consumers and explains why this promise has not been realized in Nanjing. The chapter then explores how food mar kets contribute to the maintenance of valued relationships by reinforcing shoppers'ties to family members. The final section of the chapter discusses the future of Nanjing food markets, including the role the state is likely to assume in their management, and discusses how future changes will ulti mately affect the expression of choice by the consumer. It is hoped that the findings from this investigation will enrich our understanding of the for- mation of relationships and values in urban Chinas changing consumption landscape THE TRANSFORMATION OF FOOD MARKETS Any study related to food in China would be negligent not to acknowledg the central position that food has traditionally occupied in the Chinesc cul- ture. The celebrated position of food in Chinese society is shown in the lan-