The paper analyses traditional cultural and social patterns in contemporary Shenzhen，mostly in the context of ‘urban villages’. I show how the cultural spaces of traditional villages continue to shape urban development and architectural designs and explore the role of traditional rituals in creating business networks，such as surname associations. The paper claims that a proper recognition of these structures is necessary to develop Shenzhen into a truly global city：As the example of Hong Kong demonstrates，the synthesis and hybridization of traditional and modern institutions and social structures is a necessary condition to achieve the level of economic and cultural creativity that defines global cities today. The paper concludes with suggestions for policy.