Modern gated communities have emerged in China against a background of socio-economic transition.They are different from the gated communities in western countries in many aspects.In particular,they bear obvious Chinese characteristics in the reasons for their popularity.In order to explore the underlying economic,social,political,and cultural mechanism of the popularity of gated communities in China,this article conducts a comprehensive analysis from many angles by drawing on various theories.It is concluded that the emergence of gated communities in urban China is pushed by the special social relations of production in the period of transition.In particular the social,economic,governmental,and individual powers together promote the emergence and development of gated communities.