Figure 1.--Here we see an unidentified Chinese boy, we think on his first day of school. The dealer suggested the portrait was dated 1920. We think that was an estimate. It could even be earlier. |
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When the Republic of China was established in 1911, modern schools on the European, American and Japanese educational models were operating in China. Republican officials first turned to the Japanese because thaey had already adapted Western education for their domestic education system. Many Chinese scholars were trained in Japan. After World War I (1914-18) when Japanese designs on China became increasingly manifest, Jaoanese officuials turned to a more American educational model. The question of eduaction, however, was the subject of hotly contested debates and concerning the role Western-style educational systems in China. The debates were part of the larger debate concerning the future of China. The Bolshevick Revolution in Russia (1917) was an inspiration for many young Chinese and the Communist Part was founded (1921). The Communists until 1927 were part of the Kuomintung Pary founded by Sun Yat-sen and they had their own ideas about educational policy. Japan gradually gained control over Manchuria--northeastern China. The Japanese in 1931? set up a pupet government in Manchurai which they called Manchuko. They installed the last Manchu Emperor Pu-yi as a figurehead ruler. The Japanese invaded China proper in 1937 launching a war. As China mustered its resources to fight the Japanese, debates over education and other domestic isues were shelved. We note some children in Chunking during the 1930s wearing plain long pants uniforms. We do not know how common that was in China.
Agitation for a Chinese republic was led by Dr. Sun Yat-sen. A rebellion broke out ino October 10, 1911 that led to the over throw of the Manchus. The last emperor, Hsuan Pu-yi, a small boy, abdicated February 7, 1912. The 1911 Revolution and Chinese Republic had its own fashion dictates bringing a completely new look to Chinese fashion just as previous new dynasties had done. The importance of Western clothing grew after the Nationalist Revolution in 1911 and the fall of the last Machu Emperor. Even so, it was mostly seen in the larger coastal cities. Sun set new standards for formal attire to be worn. Chinese men wore both high and flat hats were demanded for formal wear and bowler hats and western suits or traditional long gowns were for less formal occassions. Ladies forformal events might wear a traditional jacket with front buttons down to the knees, slit on both sides and back and embroidery all over, worn with a black skirt. New regulations were adopted in the 1920s. Men were to wear Chinese tunic suits and ladies were to wear qipao. [Chang] I am not sure about children. Sun founded the Kuomintang. He proved to be an idealistic, but ineffectual leader and China descended into rule by war lords and increased penetration by foreign powers. A wave of rising national sentiment spread over China in the 1920s in reactiion to both the war lords the foreign cincessions. This allowed a Kuomintang general Chang Kai-shek, with the assisatnce of the Communists, to defeat the warlords in the 1920s and unite China. He also seized many foreign concessions. Chang fell out with the Communists in 1927, launching a civil war. Chang also had to contend with the Japanese who proved even more of a threat. The Japanese inherited many of the concessions of the German and Austrains, including extensive concessins in Manchuria. Most of the information collected by HBC to date concerns the 20th century. At the begining of the 20th century, most Chinese still wore traditional clothes, although Western dress was seen in the important Chinese cities, especially coastal cities like Hong Kong and Shangahai where European countries had carved out colonial enclaves. These cities were occupied by Japan after the Japanese invaded China proper from Manchurian bases in 1937. They were only liberated in 1945 after the Japanese surrender in World War II.
China at the dawn of the 20-th century did not have a public education system, meaning free schools for all children. This was not unusual. The only country that did in asia was Japan, fololwed by Phillipines wgre the United States began to build a public school system. When the Republic of China was established in 1911, some modern schools on the European, American and Japanese educational models were operating in China, many connced wuth Christian missionries. There was no public school system. China was in chaos which is not a time when education has a high prioity. The Nationalist Government did ni at first control much of the coybtry. The Nationalist KMB Government had to fight the Wae Lords, Europeam treaty port powers,the Communists and finally the Japanese. A public school system is exoensive and the Natuinalist Government simply did not have the finacial capability of builkding a comprehensive public school ststem. There was Minitry of Education, but we know little abiyt its fubdung and opertiins. we have been unable to find a good source describing Nationalist education. Many villages had schools. We are not sure how they were funanced. Schools in the cities we assumed had a fegree of state funding. We are not sure about the village schools. We suspect that the villagers had to support the tachers. Wea lso know nothing about text books an curriculm. One source suggests that Republican officials first turned to the Japanese because they had already adapted Western education for their domestic education system. Many Chinese scholars were trained in Japan. After World War I (1914-18) when Japanese designs on China became increasingly manifest, Chinese turned to a more American educational model.
The question of eduaction, however, was the subject of hotly contested debates and concerning the role Western-style educational systems in China. The debates were part of the larger debate concerning the future of China. The Bolshevick Revolution in Russia (1917) was an inspiration for many young Chinese and the Communist Part was founded (1921). The Communists until 1927 were part of the Kuomintung Pary founded by Sun Yat-sen and they had their own ideas about educational policy. [Surowski] There was general agreement that China needed an educational system that could produce young peoole with the technical knowledge needed by China. There was also agreement that even though an infussion of Western technology was needed, China must not sacrife its own destinctive national identity. One of the major issues was how to expand the still limited Chinese educational system in a still largely peasant rural society. There were numerous experiments. Mao Zedong and friends in 1921 experimented with a the short-lived Hunan Self-Study University. The purpose of this experimental university was to make higher education available to students from humble families. [Surowski] The debate within the Goverment was sharply curtailed in 1927 when Kuomintung General Chang Kai-shek purged the Communists who escvaped central China in the Long March to the safty of the remote reaches of wstern China.
Japan gradually gained control over Manchuria--northeastern China. The Japanese in 1931? set up a pupet government in Manchurai which they called Manchuko. They installed the last Manchu Emperor Pu-yi as a figurehead ruler. The Japanese invaded China proper in 1937 launching a war that did not rend until the Japanese surendered to the Americans in 1945. As China mustered its resources to fight the Japanese, debates over education and other dimestic isues were shelved.
We know little about Chinese schools and how the boys were dressed during the Republican era. We note some children in Chunking during the 1930s wearing plain long pants uniforms. We do not know how common that was in China. The boys and girls wearing similar heavy coats and baggy pants with a military look.
A brief history of China is available in the general Chinese country section. This may be useful in understanding historical developments in education.
Surowski, David B. "History of the Educational System of China: An essay commissioned by
Projects for International Education Research," undated essay accessed August 29, 2002.
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